The value of not “sticking to sports”
Fast Company published an interview recently with Atlanta Hawks CEO Steve Koonin that delved into some of the business challenges facing NBA franchises during what will go down as the most eventful season in the league’s history. I was struck by Koonin’s response to a question about keeping Hawks fans engaged with the team on the sidelines.
Koonin said the Hawks franchise turned its attention to “a very aggressive stand in our community” to address some of the crises popping up around Atlanta following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, such as food insecurity and boosting the morale of local healthcare workers. The team also converted its arena into a polling place to promote safe in-person voting in the 2020 election.
Such efforts are commendable, but “taking a stand” for Atlanta?
When it comes to supporting causes, the sports industrial complex usually sticks inside a safe zone like promoting literacy and fighting breast cancer. When thornier topics such as racism do come up, the messages focus on the importance of equality and other noble concepts. Calling out the more pernicious aspects of social ills seems like a bridge too far.
Every time I hear about the latest philanthropic endeavor by a team or league, it reminds me that the sports world as a whole could do so much more than nibble at the edges. Imagine what the NBA could achieve if the league threw its weight behind the LeBron James-led More Than a Vote initiative to fight voter suppression, for example. The New York Yankees, the Dallas Cowboys, the Los Angeles Lakers – where else could you find the power these teams would have to bring about social change? The list is short.
We’ve lionized Muhammad Ali, Bill Russell, Billie Jean King and more from past eras for their sacrifices and commitment to social justice, but history tells us that boat-rockers like Colin Kaepernick face a vicious backlash in the moment. Taking on a subject like police brutality inevitably triggers the “stick to sports” lecture: Clashing with your core customers on matters of ideology is bad for the bottom line, or so the thinking goes.
Perhaps that’s true in the here and now, although there’s scant evidence to support the claim. But consider the potential long-term rewards of investing in fighting the good fight. Is it so odd to think some existing fans would develop even deeper ties to teams and athletes who share their ideals? Meanwhile, there are new audiences to court and young customers of the future to inspire. And strengthening the communities that support your business certainly can’t hurt.
Rather than tip-toeing away from subjects like #BlackLivesMatter and climate change, the sports world would be wise to start thinking about the value that can be gained by supporting causes that will end up on the right side of history. Helping improve people’s lives sounds like a great way to win over loyal fans for the long haul.
