Until recent years, amateur sports, more specifically "Olympic" sports (wrestling, swimming, volleyball, etc), had good reason to complain that the revenue sports (football and basketball) got all of the attention. The media gave them more press, athletic departments spent more on marketing, and they had more fans.

Now the playing field is level.

We know so much about revenue sports because they are marketed and promoted, fans are cultivated and we know the programs from the inside out. This In his book Social Nation Mzinga founder Barry Libert talks about open and transparent leadership. Through the philosophy that he outlines in his book, all organizations can and should cultivate their own followings. Heck, if a business can do it, then sports teams can do it! Think about it... businesses are trying to sell you something, trying to get you to buy their product. Sports teams are trying to entertain you, trying to get you to be a fan. It is much more innocent and people are much more open to their solicitation as a fan. However, the ultimate goal is still money. Money buys equipment, insurance, plane tickets, entry fees, food, coaches and... you get the point.

Money = stuff. Stuff = opportunity. Opportunity = life changing lessons and the building of the next generation. And where does money come from?

Fans.

How do you get fans? Well.... Social Nation outlines "how to", case studies, and even includes a self-assessment.

I would recommend adding Social Nation to your reading list. Apply the principles to your program and you will watch your following grow.