Last week I wrote that entrepreneurs are the forgotten heroes of the economy and the past weekend in a speech Pres Cyril Ramaphosa asked that entrepreneurs should be treated as heroes. Rugby produces sport heroes, but in the professional era it is also big business.
Currie Cup
About a month ago I wrote that no team can always win, not even the All Blacks. Unfortunately the one that the WP lost was the final, yet the good work they did beforehand, was instrumental in securing two matches with higher revenues at their home ground.
Before the first Currie Cup league match of 2018, a list of Western Province players names was published that they wanted to get rid of to cut on the salary bill. Western Province captain Chris van Zyl, was among those on the list.
Although Western Province lost to the Sharks in the final, I believe that financially they may be better off now than when the Currie Cup competition started.
So what they did on the field the last couple of weeks made all the difference.
Their spectacular games up to the semi-final had everybody talking, which set the stage for a home semi-final plus a home final. These two extra games with higher revenue value than the earlier games should make a significant positive impact on the cash flow of the WP union.
Quality sells
In any business the quality of the products or services that you sell is of vital importance for its sustainability. When you visit a coffee shop, the least you expect is that the coffee will be good. Should the coffee, food and atmosphere be exceptional you may become a regular visitor and that is what every coffee shop (and rugby union) wants; as many regular visitors as possible.
# Sir Alex Ferguson
Sir Alex Ferguson, former coach of the Manchester United Soccer Club, was knighted in 1999 for services rendered to the sport of football as he was such an enormously successful coach. He became the first manager to lead an English team to the domestic and European treble titles and although retired he is still regarded as one of the greatest and most successful managers of all time.
Ferguson was far more than a coach. He played a central role in the United organization, managing not just the first team but the entire club. “Steve Jobs was Apple; Sir Alex Ferguson is Manchester United,” said the club’s former chief executive David Gill.
Such was his influence that after his retirement the Harvard Business School professor Anita Elberse examined Ferguson’s management approach and even developed a Harvard Business School case study to analyse his enormously successful methods.
Time and space does not allow me to discuss his management style, but his philosophy centred around the fact that the success and progress of the whole club depends on the performance of the players on the field.
A successful team generates revenue
through the sale of tickets, TV rights, memorabilia, etc. Increased revenue enables you to acquire better players and many other spin-offs which once again help the team to perform even better.
World’s richest sports club
Man United is worth US $3.69 billion and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. There are 200 officially recognised branches of the Manchester United Supporters Club, in 24 countries.
I would love to see that our sport administrators would also adopt a players first approach, instead of infighting about positions and money. Spectators and sponsors like to support a winning team.
Do you like the job that you do? No? Perhaps you should consider doing a Career Direct Assessment and discover why not.
Also tune in to my program “Jy die Entrepreneur” Monday evenings at 20:00 and Saturdays 12:30 on Radio Namakwaland www.934fm.co.za.
