The Community Of Sport

sport is community.peter holmes à court, chairman, isfmactive 2009 conferencewestern australian sports and rec departmentpresentation with q & a 25.11.09

webcast: slideshare.net/peterhac

isfm is community.International Sports and Facilities Management helps organisations in the sports industry understand their assets and manage them better. We believe the key is understanding the unique properties of sport including all the intangible (read: emotional) elements.

Sports will always be about encouraging heaps of participation at all levels and brilliance at the elite level. We help organisations devote their energy to the sporting bit, and not on the boring stuff.

Thanks to our founder, Graeme Watson, we have been doing this for 20 years.

“It is the foremost task – and responsibility – of our generation to re-imagine our enterprises and institutions, public and private.”

source: tom peters 2003, 2009

“there is no better motivator than you have to”

source: peter hàc

the crawford report was delivered to the minister for sport on 10.15, released to the public 11.17 and will be formally “replied to” by the federal government in 2.10


contrary to public understanding, the crawford report is not about cutting funding for synchronized swimming or john coates’ medal prospects in the 100 meters butterfly


the report includes transformational recommendations for sporting organisations across the country

isfm summary 1: mass participation in all sport should be a focus of all levels of government in the future (as opposed to elite sports/winning gold medals) but the infrastructure and facilities are not able to support current levels of grassroots participation, let alone the next generation of participants

crawford report: isfm summary

isfm summary 2: “in order to meet the needs of the community, it is critical to know what they really are. funding facilities without an assessment of need is unlikely to provide optimal outcomes”

source: crawford report, 16.11.2009


isfm summary 3: the panel recommends facilities become multi-sport and community focused to decrease the chances of them being financial sinkholes for LGA’s, so they need to have facilities like meeting rooms, class rooms, function facilities, canteens etc for non-sport use, and they should also cater for emerging sports


isfm summary 4: “community sport underpins elite sport by deepening the talent pool [and] also directly contributes to the social agenda”

source: crawford report, 16.11.2009


the power of sportlive human gamesprofessional+participatory

the power of sport

not the box office clout, the tv ratings or the value of our assets

*

*

the power of sport to buildto transform- people- communities- ideas

©9/09 www.isfm.com.au

the power of sport in Australia

there are global similarities, but like doing any business in another country, the cultural differences create a unique environment

the power of sport in Australia uniquely ours

community groundedindigenous relevance

we develop world champions from swimming to pole vault, we play four codes of football (including one we made up ourselves) and we staged the best Olympics ever (or so they told us).



our structure makes us very different: the average contracted NFL footballer player earn 50x the average American worker, MLB baseballer 70x, NBA basketballer higher still.



our structure makes us very different: the average contracted NFL footballer player earn 50x the average American worker, MLB baseballer 70x, NBA basketballer higher still.

the average rugby league player here earns 2.2x the average Australian wage, a soccer player in A-League a bit less, an Aussie rules player a bit more.



our structure makes us very different: as a result our elite athletes are elite in their performance, but not segregated from our society.



and we touch the significant issues of the nation: and no more importantly than our indigenous relevance and ability to make an impact there.

from 2006 to 2008 I led a small, dedicated team that turned aroundthe Rabbitohs. What we stated has continued...

...thanks to the commitment of management, an independent board, coaching staff and players and of course the energy and creativity of co-owner, Russell Crowe

the Rabbitohs play rugby league, and have won a record 20 first-grade premierships since their foundation in 1908

photograph of the 1908 premiership winning team

unfortunately, they are all in black and white.

in 1999, after nearly 3 decades of underperformance, the National Rugby League excluded the Rabbitohs from the competition. They did not play in the 2000 or 2001 seasons.

in July 2001, a federal court decision found that the Rabbitohs were wrongfully excluded, and the club was reinstated in 2002.

in two marches through the streets of Sydney 100,000 people protested the decision

date of EGM:location:number of speeches:number of eligible voters:votes required:

march 19 2006Sydney Olympic Stadium42 over 5 hours39422957 – 75.0% required

however, in 2006 some were comfortable just ‘being back’, the team was running last and was financially fragile and the club’s voting members were asked to approve a proposal to sell control of the club to Russell Crowe and me:

date of EGM:location:number of speeches:number of eligible voters:votes required:votes received:

march 19 2006Sydney Olympic Stadium42 over 5 hours39422957 – 75.0% required2988 – 75.8% or by 31 votes

however, in 2006 some were comfortable just ‘being back’, the team was running last and was financially fragile and the club’s voting members were asked to approve a proposal to sell control of the club to Russell Crowe and me:

re-imagine everything (2006-09)a winning culturestrong membershipquality sponsorscommunity engagedfirst class players, well paid, well treatedchallenging for #1 every year

a winning culturestrong membershipquality sponsorscommunity engagedfirst class players, well paid, well treatedchallenging for #1 every year

re-imagine everything (2006-09)

“there is no better motivator than you have to”

In 2007, the Rabbitohs qualified for the semi finals for the first time in 18 years


Membership has risen from 8,000 to 15,000


Membership has risen from 8,000 to 15,000

In 2009, the Rabbitohs will, for the first time, make a small profit

in 2010 the Rabbitohs will have:


premiership-winning coach plus quality assistant coachessquad of first grade players on the right moneythe same 3 major sponsors as last yearthe same office stafffirst class training facilities10,000 season ticket holderslots of queenslanders, new south welshmen, murrays, kooris, islanders, kiwis, and a pom.

the Rabbitohs, had the worst training facilities in professional sport in Australia, and they were locked out of their spiritual home, Redfern Oval.

Redfern Oval 2006

the seats were collector’s

items

Redfern Oval 2006

Redfern Oval 2006

the run down grandstand was a nest for crime in the surrounding

area

Redfern Oval 2008

redfern oval, thanks to the city of sydney, is now a vibrant community asset

elite playing field

competition goal posts

sprint track1200 seats

full sized dressing rooms

full gymnasiumrehab center

three dressing roomshot showers and cold baths

redfern oval: elite

6000 capacity

skate park

basketball hoops

open fields

fountain

market spaces

public toilets

cafe

canteen

elite playing field

competition goal posts

full sized dressing rooms

sprint track

full gymnasiumrehab center

three dressing rooms

community storage

hot showers and cold baths

meeting roominteractive playground

walking track

7 water bubblers

1200 seats

redfern oval: elite & community

6000 capacity

redfern oval: elite & community & open

a physical manifestation of an open, transparent business, inviting rich participation appropriate for an increasingly digital age

sure there are times when the gates are closed for a ticketed event, such as this trial game earlier this year

Thebut even when you close the gates, we remain transparent

The

the days of building walled gardens are over

The

he has our merchandise on

she has a members cap on

Thebusinesses can give away a taste for free, and encourage greater interaction


established customersconsidering greater interaction


potential customers sampling the product

Thebusinesses can give away a taste for free, and encourage greater interaction and if your product is good enough, they will want to get closer

isfm summary 4: the panel recommends facilities become multi-sport and community focused to decrease the chances of them being financial sinkholes for LGA’s, so they need to have facilities like meeting rooms, class rooms, function facilities, canteens etc for non-sport use, and they should also cater for emerging sports


the big boys go there to train

Redfern Oval 2009

the kids to jump

and get wet

for saturday markets

for the good bacon

a young player who serves

a young skater who swerves

and some that fly

kids in the pool

Sal on the bench

disabled access everywhere

that is the real world, but what of digital?

© 11/09 www.isfm.com.au

both/and

that is the real world, but what of digital? can sports be


“sports don’t have to fear competition from other sports; we have to fear people sitting in a dark room listening to an ipod.“ Me, 2006


“sports don’t have to fear competition from other sports; we have to fear people sitting in a dark room listening to an ipod.“ Me, 2006 I was wrong.


Those benign ipods have morphed into dynamic, connected and networked audio visual devices, enabling incredible interaction with sports.

Digital is our friend. Our new bff.

I was wrong.


Those benign ipods have morphed into dynamic, connected and networked audio visual devices, enabling incredible interaction with sports.

Digital is our friend. Our new bff.

I was wrong.

Because we have something digital can never have:Because we have something digital can never have:


we have live events that just happen.

we have live events that just happen.the more we have a digital life the more people crave human gatherings

and digital gives fans a multitude of new ways to interact with their game of choice

all team announce-ments emailed to fans at same time as media


all tickets (gate, train, parking) and concession offers on mobile screen



interact with big screen at the game, share experience w/ friends





video highlights sent to you because you were there to see it live




It works for big sports and it is even more powerful for niche sports, who can’t otherwise get media coverage


video highlights sent to you because you were there to see it live




both/and

that is the real world, but what of digital? can sports be


both/and

that is the real world, but what of digital? can sports can be


both/and

the power of sport is that it is


both/and both tough and kind


both/and both tough and kindboth community focused and business-like


both/and both tough and kindboth community focused and business-likeboth elite and inclusive


both/and both tough and kindboth community focused and business-likeboth elite and inclusiveboth heritage and fresh


both/and both tough and kindboth community focused and business-likeboth elite and inclusiveboth heritage and freshboth well planned and highly unpredictable


to win, you need big guys like this

capable of doing jobs like this

and you also need guys like this

to do jobs like this


and when kids can see this, in their school, in their community


and then get on a train to go see this:

and when kids can see this, in their school, in their community

that is the power of sport.

the power of sport in Australia bloody hard work

incredibly importantworth fighting fora lot of fun

the power of sport in Australia bloody hard work

incredibly importantworth fighting fora lot of fun.

the end. thank you.

International Sports and Facilities Management helps organisations in the sports and leisure industries understand their assets and manage them better through a number of processes we have been using (and improving) for over 20 years.

We believe the key is understanding that the sport industry has unique properties and that nothing can be done without extensive consultation to understand all the intangible (read: emotional) elements.

While the intangibles are important, all sporting and recreational organisations need to know and manage the boring stuff: know exactly what their assets are, manage and maintain them, monetise as appropriate, and never forget your community wants you around.

Sports will always be about encouraging heaps of participation at all levels and brilliance at the elite level. We help organisations devote their energy to the sporting bit, and not on the boring stuff.

Thanks to our founder, Graeme Watson, we have been doing this for 20 years and have worked in every state in Australia, across NZ and Asia and for virtually every major sporting body and many Clubs and Government entities.

Peter Holmes à Court acquired the business in 2007 and Chris Green became CEO 2008.©11/09 www.isfm.com.au

isfm does:

Peter Holmes à Court, Executive Chairman, is also a director of Viocorp International, Australia’s leading internet video technology company, a director of Queensland Rail and the Barangaroo Delivery Authority, and since 2006 he has been the co-owner with Russell Crowe of the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Peter was Executive Chairman of the Club from mid-2006 to mid-2008. Previously Peter was CEO of the Australian Agricultural company, and prior to that Peter founded and ran Back Row Productions, an international producer of theatrical productions, producing of over 20 different productions in 300 cities and 20 countries. Peter warmed the bench for the Oxford Blues team and today rides a bike and does the odd triathlon, both of which he does slowly. Graeme Watson, Founder and Director Facility & Business Master Planning, Graeme has in excess of 40 years experience in the sports and entertainment industry as a qualified architect, strategic business and financial planner. Establishing ISFM some 20 years ago, Graeme has worked with the majority of sporting codes to assist them in restructuring and building their businesses to ensure long-term financial well being. A significant part of Graeme’s work today is devoted to the master planning of facilities and businesses which satisfy long-term objectives and optimise financial returns of clients. Recognised by his peers as a leader in the industry, Graeme’s early involvement in the sports industry included representing Australia, as well as Victoria, Western Australia, and New South Wales, in cricket during the 1960’s and 1970’s. In addition, Graeme played Australian Rules Football for Melbourne during the 1960s which included 1964, Melbourne’s premiership year.Chris Green, CEO, has extensive experience in the sports and entertainment industry, beginning with CMA in Dallas (a division of Host Communications), and implementing Sears’ sponsorship of collegiate sport. On returning to Australia in 1999, Chris was appointed Marketing Manager for Athletics Australia, the governing body for track and field, in the lead up to the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Following the success of the Games, Chris became General Manager (Marketing) of the horse racing industry, overseeing 26 tracks and 500 race meetings per annum. He held this position from 2001 until 2004.Following this, Chris was General Manager (Strategy) for DSEG, a sports marketing consulting business which has become a leader in the delivery of negotiation and advisory services. During 2007, Chris joined Peter Holmes à Court at White Bull Holdings and provides specialist advice to the sports industry through ISFM.


isfm execs:

www.slideshare.net/isfm/crawford-report-summary-by-isfm-draft-finding

more peter hac presentations: www.slideshare.net/peterhac

additional resources:

A summary ISFM’s work on the redevelopment of Redfern Oval and adjacent commercial properties in conjunction with the major stakeholders including the City of Sydney Council, South Sydney Rabbitohs, South Sydney Leagues Club, and property developers Trivest. The completed project, and the adjoining park is considered a benchmark in community and elite sports integration.

Viocorp developed this site to create a broadcast model for the track cycling masters championship. The model demonstrated how high quality multi-camera coverage, produced efficiently (i.e., cheaply) could create multiple new revenue streams (organiser, participants, sponsors, syndication) and enable a small participation sport to reach its geographically diverse fan base.

summary of the crawford report by ISFM, november 21 2009

www.cyclingmasters.tv


www.isfm.com.au/projects_redfernoval.html

photo credits: david sproule, col wheelan, peter holmes à court