The funny thing about the name of this blog is I don’t actually drink coffee.
This blog was created a few years ago as a way of keeping in touch with the fans on a team I worked for, and to provide them with an insiders perspective of the business of sport.
Over the past few months, all of the blogs that I write have gone dark. Mostly because I haven’t had time to write, afterall I have four children, a full time job and I try to spend a few quality minutes with my beautiful wife.
I have decided that I will begin the therapy of writing the blog again, even if the only time I can do it is at 2:17 in the morning on a random Thursday. I love to write, and I love to write about the operations of a professional sports team. Occasionally we will talk about something else, but my two favorite topics are my family and my job – in that order.
That, and for whatever reason this week, I have received about two dozen emails asking me to begin writing again. So here we are.
If there is anything that you would like me to write about, you can email me and this sparkling new email address: askcoryh@gmail.com. While I may not be able to get back to you personally via email (although I will try), if the question is thought provoking enough, I will put pen to paper (or fingers to keys), and talk about it here.
Thank you to those who emailed, it was flattering to hear that you are interested in the things that I have to say. For those of you who didn’t write, that’s ok too. The internet is a big place and you can keep on moving.
Update
Since we last were together, I have moved a bit. Okay, a lot.
I sold my consulting business to a long time friend, and took a position with a soccer team in Milwaukee. It was a lot of fun getting back to my sports marketing roots (the MISL is what inspired me to join the sports business). I didn’t stay long, because at the time I thought the health of the league was weak and didn’t have a chance to play the season – and I have a family to feed.
I joined the Arena Football League’s Cleveland Gladiators as their General Manager. If you haven’t been to an arena football game, you should go. This sport provides the best of entertainment with the talents of sport. We had a great team in Cleveland, but as it turns out, this wasn’t where I was meant to be, and after eight months, I relocated one more time to join the Georgia Force (still AFL), as the team President.
Before you ask – yes I am done moving.
Secondly, for the first time in about five years I am happy doing what I do for a living again.
Since my cancer diagnosis about eight years ago, I have been battling a combo of other illnesses, and while I received another diagnosis earlier this week, and will have to fight this off too – my work situation is stable, and I am having fun again.
Work has become a welcome distraction, and not a place that I detest going to. That’s not to say that I disliked my previous employers -just the opposite. I am just having fun again.
Today I had the chance to speak with the father of a season ticket holder. This man, like so many others, loves his daughter and son in law very much. He asked me if he could buy a football and have the team sign it and deliver it to his daughter during a game.
I asked him what the occasion was, and then he shared with me the most personal story possible. You see, this man lost his wife to cancer just a few short months ago. They would have been married 30 years this week.
He shared with me that his beautiful bride was not feeling well, with an upset stomach. After a few days, she went to the doctor, who sent her to the hospital for emergency tests and then they finally got the news.
Her stomach issue was stage four cancer, it had spread to three places and six months later, this man held her hand and told her it was OK to let go. She did, and now she is with our Heavenly Father.
As he continued, I thought of my own family, my own battles, my children and my wife. We both began to cry. I had an instant bond with the father of a season ticket holder that I had only known over the phone for ten minutes, but I feel like I have known him – and his wife – my whole life.
His loss was personal for me. We are of course getting him an autographed football, and will be presenting it to his family during our final home game of the season.
I invited him to attend on me, but he is not ready. He is not ready to do something that he and his wife would do together had she survived. I don’t know what I would do in his shoes, but I imagine it would be much of the same.
His first game, no matter how long is on me. We gained more than a fan today, I made a friend, and he blessed me with our discussion, and he probably doesn’t even know it. He took comfort knowing that he would be with his wife again one day, but until then he was going to do what he could to impact the lives of those left behind. He is a great man, and I will never forget our time on the phone this day.
As sports marketers, we have the opportunity to impact lives, allow people to live dreams, and create lasting memories for parents and children. If we do this the right way, and dedicate ourselves to the fan experience, those things naturally occur. We do not save lives like doctors, we don’t rescue people like firefighters, but we do play an important role in the fabric of our communities.
Today however, the role was reversed, and the memory of that phone call will help drive me to do better, be a better manager, be a better person but most importantly be a better husband and father.
Tomorrow is never promised. My new friend knows that all to well. With everything I have been (and am going) through with my health I understand this point very well. As a sports executive I hope we can create those memories that we do promise to our guests.
Leroy you are my inspiration. I can’t wait to meet you in person.
Thank – you.
Cory Howerton
President
Georgia Force Arena Football
