In our continuing series, SportsBusiness Daily/SportsBusiness Journal asks top sports personalities for their thoughts, ideas, aspirations and likes. Today, Intersport President & CEO CHARLIE BESSER.
What I like in an insight: The world revolves around relationships.
An influential person in my career: Too many to list or rank.
An out-of-the-box idea: To serve is to win.
A timeless idea: You reap what you sow -- karma is a powerful force.
A business deal: The NCAA with Turner/CBS, and Comcast and NBC.
A sports facility: YMCAs -- the people's gyms.
A sports event: The Masters. It is the gold standard.
A strategy: ESPN's embrace of soccer.
A hire: ROGER GOODELL and GREG SHAHEEN.
A brand: March Madness.
A trend: Streaming live events -- feeding the long tail.
An innovation: High-speed mobile search.
A pro league or team business initiative: The American Le Mans Series.
A story that bears watching: The ever-increasing power of the major college football conferences and schools over all collegiate sports.
An idea or invention I wish I had thought of: I will settle for the iPad.
A fantasy job: President of the United States.
What I like about my job: The people that I work with; it is humbling.
Sports: Valiant competitors.
Sports business: A ton of interesting people.
Sports media: It is always reinventing itself.
Sports technology: When it enhances but does not unnecessarily complicate the sports experience.
Competing: You find out how good your team really is.
The future (or direction) of sports business: The globalization of sports -- the world is shrinking fast!
Sports fans: Their love of the underdog.
What I would like to change in what I do: Spend more time thinking.
See: Abusive fans locked up.
See more of in sports: The review of referees' calls when it is quick, easy and obviously needed. I don't care about tradition, I want it right.
See more of in sports business: Teams and sponsors providing event access to kids.
See less of in sports: Players staying way too long. One year too long can ruin a lifetime of memories.
See less of in sports business: Over-extended owners who ruin a town's love affair with its team.
See different: A better balance between the legitimate financial needs of college athletes and the interests of their universities.
Eliminate: Three million of the 8 million sports talk radio shows!
What I don't like in general: Closed-mindedness.
In sports: Strong opinions based on ignorance.
In business: Blind reliance on process when innovation is required.
About sports fans: Intolerance toward opposing fans. Sports are beautiful. All fans should experience that.
What I like in people: Those who commit themselves to help others.
That would surprise those who know me: Hanging out at home doing nothing.
Above all else: The Bride.
About myself: Perseverance, energy.
Heroes: My parents and their generation, as well as the brave Americans who serve our country.
Players: GARY PLAYER, the first truly global athlete.
Teams: Green Bay Packers.
City: Chicago.
Possession: Time with my kids.
Memento: A note of encouragement from my father.
Time of year: March/April -- March Madness rolls into Masters Week.
Music: Damn near everything.
Books: There are a million of them. Right now, I like "REWORK."
Websites: CelebTV.com.
Gadgets: BlackBerry.
Chores: Putting up a new chain net on the hoop in the alley.
Hobbies: Golf and basketball.
Trips: The kind where you see and learn new things.
Movies: "WAITING FOR SUPERMAN."
TV: CHARLIE ROSE.
Concerts: U2 and the Rolling Stones.
Food: A really good stadium dog.
Dessert: Angel food cake.
Drink: Martini.
Scent: Barbecue.
Vacation spots: White sand, emerald green water and my wife.
Cars: Good-looking and fast with room for golf clubs.
Singers: ALICIA KEYS and FERGIE.
Quote: "Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier" -- COLIN POWELL.
