Jun 15 2011: Sports is not only valuable for individuals but communities as well. Sports teams, even losing teams, offer a segment of their community the opportunity to bond as they participate, observe, or simply comment on the team. In business, we use sports as a way to short cut the longer process of building personal relations.
In fact, we are seeing that even the mere support of a sports team can provide the instant "family" (perhaps with all of a family's dysfunctions), useful not only for youngsters but twenty-somethings as well.
Over the last couple of years, I have been asked repeatedly to bring back soccer shirts for guys who don't even play soccer, and don't follow the country teams that I am visiting. They just want the "belonging" of following the sport - and belonging is so vital to our well-being.
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In fact, we are seeing that even the mere support of a sports team can provide the instant "family" (perhaps with all of a family's dysfunctions), useful not only for youngsters but twenty-somethings as well.
Over the last couple of years, I have been asked repeatedly to bring back soccer shirts for guys who don't even play soccer, and don't follow the country teams that I am visiting. They just want the "belonging" of following the sport - and belonging is so vital to our well-being.