book.chapter Step #1 – undertake extensive preparation .

In the year 1979, Jon Spoelstra, at the youthful age of 37 and freshly appointed as the Vice-President of Marketing for the Portland Trail Blazers, embarked on a journey that would forever alter the landscape of sports broadcasting. With a keen eye for opportunity, Spoelstra quickly recognized the gross undervaluation of the team's radio broadcast rights, which were being sold for a paltry sum of $25,000 annually to a local station. His audacious proposal to bring the radio broadcasts in-house was not only a bold move that would relinquish the existing fee but also place the hefty financial responsibility of production directly on the shoulders of the Blazers. This encompassed all related expenses, ranging from the play-by-play announcer's salary and travel expenses to the costs associated with engineering and station airtime fees. Confronted with a superior who firmly believed in the adage "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," Spoelstra was well aware that he needed to prepare his pitch with an unmatched level of diligence and thoroughness. Drawing an analogy to defending oneself in a critical Supreme Court case, Spoelstra emphasized that the stakes were not merely his freedom but his entire career. Although this comparison might seem overly dramatic, it effectively highlighted the serious emphasis he placed on the task at hand. Spoelstra's preparation was fraught with challenges: his inexperience in the realm of radio sales, the limited resources available in the pre-internet era of 1979, and his recent relocation to Portland, which left him without a local network of support. Nevertheless, his background in sports sponsorships and proposal writing provided a solid foundation upon which he could build. With meticulous attention to detail, Spoelstra crafted a comprehensive written proposal and diligently honed his verbal presentation skills. He drew upon a past encounter with Leonard Lavin of Alberto-Culver, who was notorious for his disruptive and challenging interruptions during pitches. Spoelstra meticulously prepared for every conceivable objection, rehearsing responses to imaginary, profanity-laden interjections to ensure he could maintain his composure and the flow of his presentation during the actual pitch. When the moment arrived to present his innovative idea to his boss, Spoelstra's exhaustive preparation bore fruit. He adeptly countered skepticism, particularly regarding the feasibility of securing free airtime for broadcasts, by showcasing the Blazers' strong radio ratings and the competitive advantage this would offer to a partnering station. His boss, initially skeptical, was ultimately swayed by the thoroughness of Spoelstra's proposal and the compelling argument he presented for the financial and promotional benefits of internalizing radio broadcasts. The result of Spoelstra's visionary plan was nothing short of transformative. In the inaugural year of implementing his strategy, the Blazers' profits from radio broadcasts skyrocketed to nearly $900,000, eclipsing the combined earnings from radio of all other NBA teams. This remarkable success story echoed throughout the NBA, signifying a monumental shift in how teams managed their broadcasting rights. It underscored the immeasurable value of meticulous preparation and groundbreaking innovation in the realm of sports marketing and broadcasting.