Sports business' "perfect storm"

David Price in his Comerica Park debut in Detroit, MI

Welcome to summer. Summer is the time when memories are made. Whether they stem from that long-awaited summer vacation with family, or from spending evenings shooting hoops in the streets with your buddies. In my time, I wasn’t the tallest, nor was I the strongest. But boy was I the deadliest sharpshooter the courts of Caro had seen in quite some time. That’s where I made my summer memories. However, in the particular situation that I am going to expound-upon in the following paragraphs, a different type of memory was made, and it is one that can only be viewed with envy. This memory represents a city. This memory represents all who were in attendance. This memory…huh, this memory represents an entire industry’s and more particularly sports business’ “perfect storm.”

To set the stage, this particular memory came to life on Saturday, August 16^th, 2014, beginning at around 5 PM EST, placed just off of historic Woodward Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. The venue: Comerica Park, home to Major League Baseball’s Detroit Tigers. Now how might something occurring at this venue (…which occurs about 80 times in the same capacity every April – September) achieve all that I’ve described above? Let’s find out.

How does this stage generate anywhere near the wattage to be coined sports business’ “perfect storm?” To begin, this particular setting occurred on one of the most beautiful summer Saturday evening’s that the State of Michigan has seen in quite some time. This particular Saturday evening was also one of the last before all the little Bobby’s and Susie’s out there would surely head back to school for yet another new and exciting academic journey. However, aside from all of that, this particular Saturday evening had just a bit of electricity about it. How so? This was the first evening in which the team’s new MONSTER acquisition, left-handed pitcher David Price, would do battle in front of his home crowd. And his opponent? This was none other than the likes of 2010 American League Cy Young Award-winner and perennial all-star, Felix Hernandez.

With that said, fans quickly began filing into this beautiful stadium with the City of Detroit skyline perched behind the outfield walls for all to see. People from all around knew this was going to be a good one. A plethora of brand-new David Price player merchandise had hit the Detroit Tigers shelves for the first time (…and had taken a hit on quite a few wallets). Hey, I bought-in to the hoopla as well; next thing you know, I’m wearing a David Price player t-shirt, an item that has become quite popular around Major League Baseball circles these days. But I was less concerned with this. As baseballs were jumping off Robinson Cano’s bat and towards East Adams Avenue, just behind the stadium during pre-game batting practice, I was more concerned with what was developing right before my eyes.

As I was soaking-up all of this, I couldn’t help but realize that sports business’ model for the future was unfolding. Surely, this setting wouldn’t normally produce something as worthy, save the players involved in the evening’s pitching match-up. Oh, and there’s more! Detroit Tigers fans’ beloved and long-time center field patrol-man, Austin Jackson, whom had been recently traded from the Tigers for David Price, was leading-off the batting line-up for the Seattle Mariners in this particular outing. As a result, fans of all ages lined the opposing team’s dugout hoping to receive that elusive autograph from Mr. Jackson himself, following batting practice.

You see, being tied to the sports business industry, this is the moment every entity within the business seethes over. Why was that the case? This particular evening at Comerica Park provided a bit of something, along with a huge bit of electricity about it, for all involved. Families with their children were out and about, participating in child-centric, baseball-focused activities at different points around the ballpark. Men trying to “woo” their date on this particular evening could be seen here or there (…as well as on the kiss cam). Additionally, this was the perfect evening for Detroit businessmen to entertain high-profile clientele. All in all, there was a bit of something for everyone.

Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers in Detroit, MI

From the business perspective, both merchandise and tickets were flying off shelves in all corners of the ballpark, right from the moment the gates opened. Additionally, and to further accommodate all demographics of today’s sports fan, Comerica Park and the Detroit Tigers have introduced their former “whole lot of nothing” space, turned New Amsterdam 416 Bar, to stadium attendee’s. Within this space, you have a birds-eye view of the action happening 416 ft. away from home plate, while sipping on some of the hottest drinks in the most chique of settings. Next, you have the ballpark’s blue-collar “The Jungle” restaurant, planted right alongside the breath-taking views that come along with the ballpark’s white-collar “The Upper Deck Lounge” restaurant. For those who enjoy the “outdoorsy” part of life that goes hand-in-hand with living in Michigan, the Tigers offer lower-bowl, rustic lounge-chair seating, to make you feel right at home. Finally, in the little nooks and crannies remaining around the stadium, the Tigers organization hosts many baseball-focused activities for children of all ages to partake in.

With aging fan bases all across the sporting landscape, from baseball to most forms of motorsport these days, the scene that unraveled on the evening of Saturday, August 16^th in Detroit, Michigan, was truly sports business’ “perfect storm.” Memories were made on this summer evening, and something was available for all to enjoy; all ages and walks of life found themselves at home in Comerica Park on this evening. And finally, even a Hollywood movie script could not have written a better ending. Before their largest-ever, non-opening day regular season crowd at Comerica Park, the new hometown hero, David Price, got himself out of an 8^th-inning jam, walking to the dug-out while all within the stadium rose to their feet in jubilation. Shortly afterward, Tigers closer Joe Nathan capped-off the victory, sending the Tigers and their faithful fan base home with a 4-2 win. After the game, the Comerica Park staff treated all to a spectacular fireworks display! This setting on this particular summer evening, truly had a little bit of something for everyone, and memories were made for most. Now that to me sounds like sports business’ “perfect storm.”