He Marketing deportivo It’s one of my passions. A huge. However, that passion is born from my love for him. soccer (and sports in general) because I identify many great stories of values, self-improvement and human development. Pure inspiration and motivation. That passion is an inner fire that burns intensely and that can devastate if it is not channeled properly, that is why we have seen phenomena such as “hooliganism” where rivalry is taken to the extreme of seeing another human being as an enemy, instead of a sports rival only on the pitch. My way of channeling it has been to understand the fan from his original behavior as a member of something bigger than the individual. Part of a collective that gathers to follow an athlete or a team and is passionate about their colors whether it be for identity, location and regional/geographical pride or many other factors. That understanding as a fan has allowed me to “hit the nail on the head” in many actions and activities related to fans and brands. The truth is that I have to say that I take great pride in some milestones since 1996 that have to do with the connection with the fan. And over the years, I have noticed how in the management of sports institutions and sports-related companies, the meaning and purpose is lost to focus on organizational development (necessary, it is true), but many times with a deviated compass.
He leadership in sports organizations is of paramount importance. First, because like any business level, it dictates the course that must be followed; but it also has too much of an impact in terms of branding and which, to a large extent, represents the equity which translates into the perceived value of the product-sport. In other words, enjoying a good reputation in sports allows a greater approach to doing better business. And for this reason, being a leader in a sports environment is complicated. First, because we have a premise that says “You have to take off the Fan’s shirt and be a professional”, and although I agree with this for all those who approach the sports industry, it is also true that maintaining that understanding can give you advantages. “If I were the fan who wants to see their team… What would I want the ticket buying process to be like?” It is the kind of thought that could arise, and it is that if you do not know what that experience implies for a fan or traveling two hours on public transport or traveling to another city to support their favorite club, it is not going to be possible to offer the satisfaction of needs that is the mission of everything marketero trigger.
Second. The results are unpredictable, they are volatile. As someone said: “The field has no word, anything can happen” so leading in uncertain environments is an art. When the result of a match and the accumulation of these influence the opinion of the media and fans for better or for worse, it becomes a daunting task to manage both sides. Leadership in these cases requires having a very clear mind to make timely decisions when things are not going the right way, or being measured when they are going from strength to strength.
In sport, in terms of Branding, a reputational crisis has more to do with a situation caused by the organization itself rather than a sporting result. Winning, losing, drawing, being eliminated from a tournament, or not reaching the expected sporting objectives are part of the sport and the game, it is a fine line, but if those sporting results are products of the competition per se, it should not affect that much. the branding part. What does affect the brand is when organizational decisions cause problems, as is happening in Barcelona with the payment of large amounts of money to a referee instructor in Spain and as happened at Juventus when they were demoted after being accused of bribing referees in Italian football. Leadership plays an important role in strengthening sports brands. For this reason, it is important that leaders have a clear direction and, when making decisions, move away from the “passionate” theme and think, like a coach, about the greater good rather than the individual good (which is usually that of the leader). ). As Simon Sinek says, “leaders eat last”. That is why it is recommended that leadership have algorithmic overtones in the current era: first consider a rational vision, a behavioral perspective and finally a practical vision when making decisions, understanding that the stability of many individuals who seek a goal collective, but also individual goals, can be put into play. And that is why many teams stay on the path from the sporting side, but also from a broader perspective: the institutional one. In the end, decision-making has to follow the known path: determine who decides, see the decision from a global point of view, gather information from various sources to have more certainty, consider all possible solutions, assess the possibilities and follow up on the decision made and the effects it has for the organization. Although all this theory is more than proven, in the sports environment, having this clarity is not easy: there is pressure from the media, pressure from fans, from stakeholders, from those involved, etc. And the more popular the sport is, the more complicated (and more impact) leadership has, which is why we cannot separate it from Branding and we cannot avoid its impact on equity.
In the end, good leadership seeks reasoning, seeking to do the best possible for the organization and its components. Thus, when things do not happen as expected (especially in sports), you can opt for new ways. Thus choosing not to blind yourself or feed negative moods that affect decision-making or fall into cycles of behavior that do not allow clarity. When the best possible is done, and this becomes the compass of the leader and the organization, individuals also have the same “north” and positive effects occur: good results will come and reputation and brand equity will grow.
