From HOF contributors to Michigan newsmakers

On a cold, dreary day, 16 members of the media and from the game of football sat in the Lincoln Room of the Hyatt Regency Crystal City just outside of Washington, D.C. The discussion focused on the 11 contributor candidates to determine the two finalists for consideration for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2015. The contributor category was established to recognize off-the-field candidates such as owners, league executives, general managers, personnel officials and scouts.

The phrase “leveling the playing field” was used throughout the day to characterize the effort to honor people in roles that are often overlooked by a process that favors players and coaches, as it should. This marked the inaugural meeting of the contributor committee, a group of Pro Football Hall of Fame voters who come up with the list of 11 to be discussed. All nine selectors who make up the committee were present, and the word “historic” was mentioned time and again, as the electors knew this was new territory.

It was an honor to be asked by Hall of Fame CEO David Baker to be one of four outside consultants participating in the discussion and offering perspective on the candidates. The other consultants were hall of famer and Pittsburgh Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney, Chicago Bears Chairman George McCaskey and Washington Redskins president and general manager Bruce Allen. Listening to the stories from three historic NFL families was a history lesson for everyone. The discussion was, of course, confidential, and after nearly six hours, the four consultants left the room and the nine selectors debated a few more hours and voted two candidates as finalists for the 2015 class: longtime football executives Ron Wolf and Bill Polian. It was a fantastic day I won’t forget, and I left with far greater respect and understanding of the challenges and difficulties the Hall of Fame voters face in these decisions.

> ON CAMPUS IN ANN ARBOR: I attended the third annual Michigan Sport Business Conference in Ann Arbor. It was my first trip to campus and came amid killer fall weather and peak fall colors. The event is impressive for its level of speakers and engagement of the students. I was blown away by how this polished event is entirely student organized and produced. It is supported by the large number of sports business alumni, who are actively engaged and return to speak; including Big Ten Network’s Mark Silverman, architect Matt Rossetti, Under Armour’s Henry Stafford, MLS’s Howard Handler, Gatorade’s John Shea, Adidas’ David Cho, Nielsen Sports’ Stephen Masters and many more. The event was held at the Ross School of Business, named after Dolphins owner and Michigan alum Stephen Ross, who donated $100 million to the school in 2004 and whose portrait is featured on the first level. Smart questions from the students filled the day, such as: Are we in a media rights bubble or is this the new normal? Are MLS teams and facilities taking advantage of iBeacon? What are privacy concerns when it comes to personalized data capture? What choices are college athletic directors weighing when it comes to economic reform on campus?

A function in the Jack Roth Club overlooking the Big House included a discussion with Athletic Director Dave Brandon, whose travails I wrote about just a few weeks ago. Prior to the discussion, I could sense the angst and frustration among current students and alumni. Many asked me what questions I was going to ask the embattled AD, and weren’t shy offering advice. Brandon has many detractors, and he may not survive his current crisis, but he was on message before this group of 200 avid fans. He acknowledged his mistakes, he sought a better connection with students and recognized that new media platforms and the constant opinion news cycle made effective messaging crucial to a program’s success. But he also acknowledged the key issue. Fans — and organizations — want to win. And when your football team is 3-5 in a program that has huge expectations, that becomes the narrative. Until he turns the football program around, it will continue to be.

Editor’s note: Brandon resigned from his position on Friday afternoon.

> IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD: One of the most compelling and ambitious projects that I’m watching is what the Ilitch family is doing in downtown Detroit, a massive 45-block, $650 million development that will include a new arena and mixed use. It promises to be one of the most impressive urban development projects in America over the next five years. “If we can pull it off, it will change the way arenas are designed and constructed and change the city,” Tom Wilson, president and CEO of Red Wings owner Olympia Entertainment, said at the conference. “It’s so transformative in nature, and will result in a 45-block renewal and really build a city within a city. What started as just an arena has become much more than that, as we deconstructed the arena, we really are making a neighborhood surrounding it. Doing all of this in a bankrupt city is pretty audacious and one of the most exciting projects I have ever been associated with in my life. People love a comeback story, and this is one of the best. It’s a great story.”

> THOUGHTS AND COMMENTS: ESPN’s Mike Tirico, who lives in Ann Arbor, is one of the best in the business in holding an audience and he had a fun interview with NHL COO John Collins. Speaking about the at-venue experience, he noted his own experience recently on “Monday Night Football.” “You talk about the challenges of getting fans to the stadiums. We were in Pittsburgh for a Monday night game [on Oct. 20 against the Houston Texans] and I looked down and saw roughly 8,500 no-shows. In Pittsburgh of all places! For Monday night! That proves the challenges all teams face.” … In a discussion on talent representation, IMG senior vice president Sandy Montag had an interesting line about the career options for former athletes, especially those with an eye on broadcasting in their retirement. “You can no longer just retire and call in expecting a job at a network. Today, athletes have to work on that skill throughout their career. Most networks already know who is going to be good and who is not going to be good.” … Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany, on the pace of college reform: “Everyone seems to think we’re in the bottom of the eighth inning on all this. I believe we’re in the bottom of the second inning. There is still a long, long way to go.” He also added that the College Football Playoff selection will be “doubly more controversial than the BCS.” … Collins’ advice to students looking to get involved in sports rang true to me. “There’s no easy path to getting into sports,” he said. “You’re going to have to work hard and use every single contact you have, and use the contacts off those contacts, to get your foot in the door.” It rang true because had I not asked my boss, U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy, about his willingness to make a call on my behalf to his friend and sports team owner, the late Abe Pollin, I surely wouldn’t be in the role I have today. Sports has become more democratized, but it still can be a who-you-know business. I also liked Handler’s very specific advice to the students: “Have good writing skills. Please learn how to correspond effectively in more than 120 characters. I put a real premium on that skill.”

Abraham D. Madkour can be reached at amadkour@sportsbusinessjournal.com.