Brand New View

What Does YOG Mean to You?

How many of you are aware that an event called the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) exists? Were you also aware that the YOG are part of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) efforts to build the Olympic brand? And did you also know that there is a Winter YOG taking place right now, this week, in Innsbruck featuring the world's top teen athletes? Do you know how many YOG events have been held in their history? Where was the first YOG? If you are aware of any of these things, are you also paying attention to the results? How are you getting your information?

I am curious how many of you know about this at all. I discuss the Youth Olympic Games in my new book, The Olympic Games Effect, which is going to be available in stores and online in just a few days. Of course, the YOG are not the only Olympics topic I discuss, but there is interesting information within that brings readers up to speed on the IOC's YOG efforts. Let me know whether you are following the YOG at all...

The Olympics' Role in Fostering National Pride

One of the points I discuss in my forthcoming book, The Olympic Games Effect (2nd edition), is that the Olympics spur national pride, an intangible benefit that reinforces the prestige and allure of the Games. A recent BBCNews article echoes this same point, based on a poll by Globescan of over 20,000 from countries around the world. Interestingly, despite being the host of the forthcoming Olymics in London, 50% of UK respondents said the Olympics were important to their national pride, whereas more than 70% of Peruvians, and over 80% of Chinese, believed the Olympics affected national pride. Poll findings in other countries also indicate that the Olympics positively affect national pride,  suggesting that the Olympics are alive and still very well received around the world, an inspiring result in an era of economic, environmental and political turmoil.

London 2012: Despite Tough Economy, Glimmers of Optimism

The economy continues to struggle in much of the non-Asian world, and the UK's economic austerity program does not appear to be helping. The National Institute for Economic and Social Research (NIESR) said that the UK won't return to 2008 growth levels until at least 2013, a 5 year period of lost opportunity. Unemployment has risen (again) in the UK as well over the past few months. The NIESR states that additional stimulus is needed, or the situation is unlikely to improve. And, of course, the political climate in the UK suggests such a stimulus is unlikely. In the midst of these challenging times, questions about the costs of the forthcoming 2012 Olympics are inevitable. But should the tough economy cause government planners and the London Olympic Committee to scale back plans, or even cancel the Games? According to a BBC blog by Roger Mosey (the BBC's director of London 2012), the answer is no. As he states, the "prospect of a 2012 with the Olympics in London is still a better prospect than one without." As I point out in my forthcoming book The Olympic Games Effect, hosting an Olympic Games is a daunting, complex task with potential benefits that rise above pure economic gain. While not all host cities generate sustained economic benefit (indeed, many of the Economic Impact Studies produced during the host city bidding process often overstate the actual economic gains), there is evidence that suggests a well-coordinated host city strategy comprised of pre, during, and post Olympics phases that actively plans for leveraging the investment for years afterward, can stimulate a sustained and positive outcome. There is also evidence that the Olympics serve to lift the spirits and infuse a collective sense of societal optimism for both the host nation and countries around the world. Does this mean that London 2012 will inspire an economic turnaround in the UK? The Olympics alone cannot accomplish such a Herculean task, despite the Games' reputation for inspiring super human performances. But cutting back London's Olympic investments (effectively creating an 'Olympics lite') would send a far more severe, negative message about the UK, the Olympics and the economy as a whole. Part of what drives market behavior is a sense of confidence, and ensuring the 2012 London Olympics are given every chance to succeed will help build confidence, which is certainly a vital task in stimulating economic activity.

Olympic History...and Inspiration

The Olympics have nearly 3,000 years of stories that have helped shaped this mega-sports event into the global phenomenon it is today. So much of Olympic history is about the athletic excellence of the competitors. One such competitor is Orsippus of Megara who, in 720 BC, was competing in a footrace when his covering came off part way through the race. He went on to win, unwittinginly inspiring subsequent generations of competitors during Ancient times to compete in the nude. While such a spectacle is highly unlikely today, there is little question that Olympic competitors are always looking for an edge, whether psychological, in terms of training methodology, or competitive strategy and, when victory occurs, other competitors and fans try to learn how to adapt the winner's approach to their own needs.  

2016 Olympic Selection...

We will know this Friday which city will be selected to host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. The contenders are Rio de Janeiro, Chicago, Madrid and Tokyo. As I discussed in my last book, The Olympic Games Effect (John Wiley & Sons 2008), hosting an Olympic Games is more than just a financial undertaking. Certainly, the literally billions of fans that tune in to watch the games creates a sizable economic impact. And the TOP sponsors (The Olympic Partners...) are eager to ensure their investments lead to increased awareness, brand development, and long-term success, let alone improved business performance. But the Games, at their core, have always been about the athletes. This has been true since their inception in 776 BC and it continues today. Granted, today's best Olympic athletes garner attention and wealth that the Ancient Greeks could not have even remotely envisioned. At the same time, the Ancient Greeks did have their own form of athlete sponsorships (City States gave victors food for life, lifetime tax relief, homes...) that are loosely parallel to the rewards received by today's athletes.

Beyond the athletes, the Olympics have historically served as a source of pride for the host city as well as a connection to the transcendent values represented by the Olympic Dream. In my book, the aforementioned Olympic effect refers to the brand halo that is cast across those (people and organizations) most closely associated with the Games. Indeed, even conflicts and wars were stopped temporarily to honor the Olympics. While that no longer happens, the imagery and related associations remain powerful attractants to athletes, fans, and companies everywhere. The age of globalization means the Olympic ideal of nations around the world coming together to share a common love of sport for 17 days has taken on added meaning.

I support the ambition of each city bidding. As a US citizen, I would love to see the 2016 Games awarded to Chicago as I believe the setting would be sensational and the Games would be exceptionally well-organized. President Obama's just-announced intention to fly to Copenhagen in support of Chicago's bid gives the US a significant boost. Madrid and Tokyo are both spectacular cities, but are less likely to win because of recent Games in their respective regions (I am being a bit loose about the term 'region'). Rio de Janeiro, however, is the most intriguing bidding city and may well come out on top. Their location is magnificent, the culture is exciting, and the location fits in well with the IOC's desire to strengthen diversity in host city selection. Rio has hosted, or will host, major international sports events, including the Pan American Games and the World Cup. Two variables may undermine their bid: security, and overpromising/underdelivering. Reports suggest that there is concern that Rio may not be able to provide the sophisticated and deep security needed to protect athletes, coaches, fans, and tourists overall. Whether or not this concern is valid, Rio must convincingly convey their security plans. Another concern is overpromising and underdelivering. Brazil is known as a vibrant, energetic culture. The question will be whether that enthusiasm is translated into unrealistic plans. On the positive side, a Rio win would be huge for the international Olympic Movement--much more so than a win by the other three cities, partly because it will be the first Olympics in South America.

Whoever wins, the ultimate beneficiaries will be the world community. As glib as that may sound, there is no event in the world that rivals the Olympics for bringing out the collective goodwill of nations.

Stanford BEATS USC

Even though I live in Singapore I try to follow US college football when it is broadcast on the internet late on Saturday nights and Sunday mornings. I can't help myself...I grew up with college football, living just a few miles from Stanford University, going to games every year, then attending Stanford, so I love the game and the team. This past weekend was one of the best (for me). Why? Because Stanford defeated USC 24-23. Those of you outside the US won't care much, but in the US USC is one of the leading college football powerhouses--a true 'brand', if you will. Their team was undefeated and ranked #2 in the nation going into Saturday's game (they were #1 until the previous week), while lowly Stanford had a 1-3 record, coming off last year's 1-11 season. There was no hope from the pundits point of view. Oddsmakers listed USC as a 41 point favorite. To make matters worse, Stanford was without its starting quarterback, TC Ostrander, with Tavita Pritchard taking TC's place. Tavita had thrown exactly 1 college football pass prior to this game. Of course, he comes from a talented sports family...his uncle is Jack Thompson, was a legendary college quarterback from Washington State in the 1980s. As the game unfolded, I was first surprised, then shocked, then excited, that Stanford was keeping the game close. It didn't seem possible that they could beat USC, but playing them close would have been a moral victory of sorts. Then, the improbable happened. On 4th down and with the score 23-17, following 2 incomplete passes and a penalty, Stanford had one last chance to score a touchdown. There were only 49 seconds left in the game, USC's defense was tough, and it did not seem likely that Stanford could pull out a miracle. Tavita Pritchard went back to pass and threw a pass to Mark Bradford, who made a leaping catch in the end zone. The extra point was good and, VOILA!, Stanford beat USC. Here's the kicker: Mark Bradford, who made the winning catch, had only returned to the team earlier that morning. Why? Because his father died unexpectedly 3 days earlier, so Mark had been attending the funeral and visiting family. He had dedicated the game to his dad (and his dad had attended the previous games this season...). If that's not poignant, I don't know what is. The Stanford victory over USC has been called one of the greatest upsets in college football history. That's a fairly big claim given the over 100 years of its history, so let's just say it is the biggest upset this season (which has already been a season of upsets...). But one has to smile when considering the extraordinary and highly improbable circumstances surrounding this whole game. Congratulations, Stanford! You can watch the video of the final touchdown at youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9Gqi_L6DAc. Note that the announcer makes a mistake and initially credits the touchdown to USC. He then corrects himself. No doubt he was a USC fan...

Exemplary Leader--Bill Walsh

Bill Walsh died yesterday. He was truly a class act and a wonderful example of integrity, intelligence and leadership. For those of you who have not heard of him, he was the former head coach of the San Francisco 49ers football team, which plays in the US's NFL. He guided the 49ers to 3 Super Bowl championships in 10 years as head coach, turning around a failing franchise. He won over 100 games as their head coach. During his 10 years with the 49ers, he revolutionized professional football in the U.S. He was also head coach at Stanford University, twice, taking the team to bowl games for 3 of his 5 total years on the Farm. He went on to a general management position with the 49ers and senior level positions at Stanford University as well. These achievements are remarkable, but the key point about Bill Walsh relates to his character--it was unassailable. His legacy offers innumerable lessons, not the least of which is simply his stature as a role model for almost anybody. There are plenty of articles in the press about Bill Walsh if you want to read more about him. But for a particularly poignant piece on Bill, visit the Positive Coaching Alliance web-site and read the following article written by Jim Thompson, PCA's founder, who knew Bill Walsh: http://www.positivecoach.org/ArDisplay.aspx?ID=510&SecID=235

Neowiz and EA

EA (Electronic Arts) makes some of the world's most popular electronic games, including SIMS, a huge range of sports titles (Tiger Woods Golf, for example), action games (Battlefield), Harry Potter and many more. Neowiz is a 10 year old Korean company specializing in online games, including virtual world software.  EA and Neowiz have partnered in recent years to offer some of EA's titles online, including select sports titles.  Yesterday, EA announced it was investing $105 million in Neowiz--a 19% ownership stake.  Neowiz has a very large fan base in Korea, plus online games are extremely popular in Asia.  Rather than reinvent the wheel, EA has decided to get in more directly via a proven partnership.  This looks to be a smart move.  EA and Neowiz have had time to get to know each other through the partnership, well before EA's decision to invest the $105 million.  Building this relationship has evidently been the confidence-builder EA needed to ensure the investment was the right move. It will be interesting to see how this evolves.  Stay tuned.