A journey of Adventure

After landing in the Middle East - in the beautiful country of Oman - some might think that my stories of adventure should be over.  You know - but the mundane aspects of life sorted, find a house, get settled into the daily grind of 30 degree heat, beach, sun, sand - you know the tough stuff...

However - this week sees an exciting event in my life - with my first “guest blog”.  For someone who spent the last year blogging about our world travels, and then the past few months just writing about my interest in the sports world - this was not an aim as I set out - but over the time I have been learning about the USA - I have met some fun and interesting people online.

In honor of the fact that my blog will be appearing on someone’s else’s website - I thought I would introduce you to a few of the folk I have come across - and tell you how I managed to end up with a moment of Internet infamy!!!

It's not just the team

In my new guise as Commercial Director of the Oman Football Association, we view is undoubtedly going to be Middle Eastern, Asian primarily moving forward.  However, we focus remains world sport and with a growing interest in USA to complement my Ozzie and Brit experience - stay tuned.

Since I arrived a week ago - Oman has picked up 4 points from 2 tough FIFA world cup qualification games - and what seemed a lost cause a short time ago is now a very real prospect of progression - which would be outstanding.

The fact tat only 5,000 came out to watch Oman take on Australia (the best team in the group) at home was due to the drop off of interest after recent poor performances, and the perceived lack of quality / chance to progress.  The win there and a draw in front of 60k+ Saudis has given the team (and the sport) the shot in the arm in needed.

New Start, New Country

So - for those of you alert enough over the past few weeks, months (almost years) - you should have twigged that I am/was looking for work.  A departure from Scotland, a long way round to USA and then a concerted attempt (once the VISA issues were progressing) towards landing a job in American sport.

Be that New York, Hawaii, Alaska or Arkansas - the plan was a Yankee one (though I have learnt that means something different in the State vs UK - so I might well stop using the term).  So - how come we are moving to Oman!!

Oh man - I hear you squawk - that’s a turn up for the proverbials.

Sport’s MIssed Opportunities

You may have heard/read me say this before - but I am a big fan of Sports’ ability to deliver positive impact.  Not just the exhilaration of the win or the genius - but increasingly the cultural impact our sports stars have on the populace and their cultural mindset.

People in sport have an opportunity - nah a duty - to do the right thing.  They are influencing so many people around them with their actions - that as a collective (and often individually if you are really good) - we can shape the future.

In today’s celebrity driven society - there are many signs that the direction the world is being led is the wrong one - with respect, trust, care being attributes less highly sought after than greed, desire, self-gratification.

Why a Re-brand is rarely the answer

Today sees the likely return of the London Broncos to the sporting landscape.  For those in the dark - they are the latest rebirth of the London rugby league professional team - a team that has struggled for years to gain a foothold in the London sporting landscape.  Originally set up in 1990’s (from prior name) - they morphed into Harlequins RL in early 2000s. (NOTE - my resume contains work for both the Broncos, and the Harlequins - so I have more interest than most).

Without dwelling on the detail of this example - what this does highlight for me is “over” focus placed on a Re-brand.  I have seen quotes saying that the support want “London” in the title, that there is a connection to the Broncos brand, that the Harlequins brand could not connect with Rugby LEague folk.

A brand is far more than a name or a logo.  A company’s brand should be everything that the franchise is about.  A brand is who you are - your logo is your name badge.  (For more passionate detail on this - see an earlier blog).