It’s almost Thanksgiving, and if your holiday is anything like my family’s, the football games are as much a part of the tradition as the stuffing. So this year, should you find yourself on the couch, watching the games and struggling to keep your eyes open after all the turkey, try a little thought experiment (it will help you digest): watch the game as a risk management consultant.
Let’s start with the game itself. At its most basic level, football is an exercise in risk management. The job of the offensive line, whether it is in pass protection or run-blocking, is to minimize the risk of a defensive player making a tackle. The defensive secondary exists to minimize the risk of the offense gaining too many yards per play, either on the ground or in the air. Moving off the field and onto the sidelines, we find the coaching staff and the myriad support staff engaging in risk management activities. The defensive coordinator is coming up with new schemes to minimize the risk of the offense scoring. The medical staff and trainers are there, massaging muscles and checking for signs of concussions to minimize the risk of injury to players. This is to say nothing of all the pads and helmets.
Take your view up one more level and appreciate all of the organizational structures in play in every game. Stadiums must be properly maintained and up to code. The various vendors must all have the proper insurance. The home teams’ owners must provide enough properly trained security personnel to the property to secure the safety of thousands of attendees. The owners of the parking lots and garages are sure to have it posted that they are not responsible for your personal property or belongings. If you are in the stands, check the back of your ticket: tickets in effect are contracts in which as much liability as possible has been transferred “downstream” onto you. If you are watching the game from home, your “live” broadcast is actually being sent out on a 10-second delay to ensure that the broadcaster doesn’t risk broadcasting another “wardrobe malfunction.” Look at the NCAA or the NFL; both organizations routinely engage in risk management as a standard part of their business.
So, this weekend, as you settle in and watch some football, take a moment and think about the game like a risk management consultant. And if you would like to hear how a professional risk management consultant can help your business win the big game, please contact our Managing Partner, Albert Sica at 732.395.4251, or by email at [email protected].
