For years, pro sports teams have embraced the concept of partnering with charities to give back and improve community relations. It’s now industry standard for pro teams to provide donations, scholarships, and programming for a variety of important causes. In the last few years, the pressure for teams and even the leagues themselves (think NFL’s breast cancer partnership and Cleats for a Cause) to do bigger, better and more public events has increased substantially. Yet, the teams often underperform in a truly important part of these efforts: engaging their fans to help the causes.
Confessions From a CEO
I'll be totally honest with you. I hate fundraising. I hate when my son brings home a pledge sheet for the jog-a-thon or the candy-bar/magazine/wrapping-paper sales drive. And then he wants to canvas the neighborhood and call every relative just so he can win movie passes to a theater that’s over an hour away. Or when I'm supposed to take my high school daughter around to local businesses asking for auction items or selling outfield banner. And the spaghetti feed, barbecue, crab feed...ok, I actually kind of like those, they can be really fun...but I hate the auction gift baskets or that whale watching gift certificates (true story) which is still in my drawer after FIVE YEARS!!!