Maximum Pain from the NFL

I have seen lots of techniques for bringing about change, and more importantly, getting people to change their consumption behavior. These range from the great to absolutely insane. The National Football League hit the far end of the spectrum when it knowingly inflicted maximum pain to the very fans that have allowed the NFL to grow and prosper over the decades

I was in Austin, TX recently and saw the uproar on the local news regarding the local cable provider not being able to carry the Dallas Cowboys game. Apparently, the NFL channel was charging too much for the service provider to carry the game. Who loses in this equation? The fan of course – and in the long run the NFL as well. Obviously, the NFL knew that this was going to happen and simply didn't address the situation strategically – ouch! To use some football terminology, illegal procedure!

I'd like to suggest that the go to market strategy for the NFL channel would have been to come in with a great value proposition and a strategy intended to get fans excited about the channel instead of playing hardball with the service providers. It's actually pretty simple – drive demand through positive means in lieu of hardball. The NFL had an amazing opportunity to get off on the right foot and connect with their fans. Instead, they wound up on the evening news with people griping about the way that they were handling the situation.

This is the same NFL that has the NFL Experience theme park at the Super Bowl, and is trying to extend overseas with an aggressive strategy. Yet, domestically, they feel that it is okay to alienate their fan base. Are people going to stop being fans of the Dallas Cowboys? I highly doubt it. However, they will dislike the NFL, which in turn will keep them from participating in anything that exists outside of their home team's ecosystem.

I think that the folks at HQ need to huddle and rethink this one. Try again. It's 4th and 9 with some time left on the clock. The game isn't over yet, but they have certainly rung up a personal foul.

***Update : This article was written Dec 13. Since then the NFL Network opened up its platform.

An estimated 34.5 million viewers saw the New England Patriots beat the New York Giants to complete the first undefeated NFL regular season in 35 years. The game was originally set for NFL Network viewers and local affiliates in the Boston and New York markets only, but was ultimately simulcast nationally on CBS and NBC.

It seems that inflicting pain on your fan base is not a viable go to market strategy.

Erik Hauser is creative director/founder of San Francisco-based marketing firm Swivel Media and founder of IXMA, the International Experiential Marketing Association. He also moderates the Experiential Marketing Forum.