Let’s face it, living “in a bubble” really does exist in sport.
Sometimes being inside a sport can cloud our assessment of how it’s going.
We love our sport of choice and being surrounded by like minded people.
They are our tribe!
But often this creates a challenge when critically assessing how we are going or viewed by others outside our sport. We talk amongst ourselves about the good things, but critical assessment can be hard to achieve.
We love our sport, and we tell each other, so when we turn to recruiting new participants it often results in an echo chamber of “everyone else just doesn’t get it”.
Sometimes it’s hard to comprehend that others may not be attracted to your sport or even know it exists!
Don’t rely on the echo chamber, you’ll only hear the same things from the same people already in your sport. Listening to those previously within, and those outside of your sport, is equally important as listening to those currently within it.
It will provide you the honesty you need.
I spent many years working within cricket, and I often recalled that the game of cricket my father fell in love with, was different to the cricket I fell in love with in the 80’s, which is different to the cricket my own children have fallen in love with today.
Cricket has changed, as has all sports over the years, driven by innovation and improvement, often by people from outside the sport who view it slightly differently from those wholly submerged within it.
But if cricket administrators only listened to themselves in my fathers era, I fear where it may be now.
Historical participation data, competitor comparisons and an assessment of where you are against where you’d like to be are all vital as a base for planning.
Remember, you want growth. You want new participants!
Comfort and growth are polar opposite. Find the discomfort of others’ views to drive your own growth.
Have a great day!
Ivan Spyrdz
By the way, I’ve released an e-book called “GROWING YOUR GAME – How to buck the trend of declining participation in traditional sport”.
This e-book provides insights and options on how to evolve the way your sport is viewed, enjoyed and loved by all Australians.
If you want to grow participation and results in your sport, I invite you to grab a copy by downloading it free here.