What Happens When You LIsten

This is the Statt Mann Baby. Time to Scatt a little bit.

The death of former NBA Commissioner David Stern brought back memories during our break.

In the mid-80s I was doing a daily TV show called The Business of Sports. Stern and I talked during a five-part interview and later about an economic forecasting model I’d created.

The NBA was looking at expanding into several markets like Miami and Minneapolis. My model would have forecast success in those markets.

We had several phone calls but Stern came to this: “I like your presentation but I just can’t justify paying you fifty thousand dollars when I’ve already paid someone $150,000 to tell me the same thing.”

The point is this: Stern listened to out of the box ideas. That’s why the NBA exploded worldwide under his leadership.

Racing executive could learn from listening. When fans scream weekly by staying away from races and TVs you have to wonder about executives who won’t listen to those screams.

Happy New Year. Peace.