What’s Fair Is Fair

“It’s not fair!”

This is a line we’ve heard—and likely said—from the time we were toddlers on the playground or haggling with a sibling.  It’s the war cry that pleads for that elusive level playing field.

Most of us believe that if the odds are not stacked against us—by the rules, by the refs, by the so-called “powers that be”—we can effectively compete.  In the ratings and in life.

But it’s complicated, especially if you’re a sports fan.  Seemingly “unfair” things keep happening.  And if you’re a tad paranoid, you might start believing things are stacked against you.

After all, we can’t even agree about the meaning of a white line.  As the photos below illustrate, it’s complicated.

On the far left, it’s American football.  The white space on the right is out of bounds.  If the player’s foot is on the line (and it’s close), the play is either dead or an apparent catch is negated.  Similarly, the middle photo of a basketball game shows more clearly the player’s heel is on the line, negating a potential basket and turning the ball over to the other team.

And finally, the photo on the right at a baseball game.  The ball is clearly on what’s called the foul line, so it’s foul or out of play, right?  No, wrong.  In baseball when the ball lands on the foul line, it’s fair.  Obviously.  By the way, if the ball is hit a mile to the farthest reaches of the stadium and it hits one of the two foul poles separating fair territory from foul, the ball is obviously…fair.

Confused?  Well, baseball is a complicated game where things can rapidly get “unfair” in a hurry.  It’s one of the few sports with no clock and no uniform stadium dimensions.  Many home runs in Yankee Stadium, for example, would not reach the seats in say, Comerica Park in Detroit where my Tigers play.

Speaking of baseball and those damn Yankees, they are the center of a new controversy where fans and indignant sports radio hosts are claiming “not fair.”  And the controversy is over bats, specifically a newly designed club the Bronx Bombers wisely kept under wraps during Spring Training, only to unveil them when the regular season began just a few days ago.

In case you’re riveted on March Madness (or White Lotus), you might have missed the debut of these so-called “torpedo bats,” a new weapon against baseball by some mad genius in the Yankees organization who has made headlines questioning whether these bats are “fair”—or legal.

 

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And what an impact these bats have had—for the Yankees.  In their opening series against the poor Milwaukee Brewers, those pinstriped warriors pounded 15 home runs, including a franchise record nine dingers in Saturday’s game.  And slugger Aaron Judge bashed three homers—including a grand slam—in that crazy Saturday contest.  Except he doesn’t like the “torpedo bats” and instead uses old school bats.

The rumor was that some mad scientist named “Lenny” created these baseball war clubs in some secret laboratory in the Bronx.  In reality, they were designed by former Yankee employee and M.I.T. physicist Aaron Leanhardt (who also taught at the University of Michigan).

As you might expect, Major League Baseball has rather loose rules about the dimensions of bats in order to be considered Kosher, as it were.  Rule 3.02 states:

“The bat shall be a smooth, round stick not more than 2.61 inches in diameter at the thickest part and not more than 42 inches in length. The bat shall be one piece of solid wood.” 

And these apparently magical bats are in compliance.  That would seem to indicate many teams have likely spent the last couple days hunting down and ordering these highly in-demand bats, overpaying for any they find, and then FedExing them to wherever their teams played yesterday or today.

So, is this fair?  It’s a technology that apparently was developed by a different team of Yankees.  The fact it may take the rest of both leagues time to acquire these bats might affect the outcome of quite a number of games.  But shouldn’t that deep-pocketed New York team reap the benefits of their own innovation?

Case in point: Last night, Cincinnati Reds slugger Elly De La Cruz tried out a “torpedo,” and promptly went 4-for-5 with two home runs and seven runs batted in (a career high).  You can bet several of his Reds teammates will be swinging one of the new bats in the next game.

Speaking of fair, there was some noise over this same weekend during the various March Madness games.  It surrounded the officiating, always a dangerous topic.  Somehow, the four 1-seeds—the pre-tournament favorites—all earned their ticket to Final Four status for the first time since 2008.

As always, there’s lot of emotions around these ultra-critical games as the brackets begin to shrink to just four.  And this year, there was much emotion surrounding Michigan State’s iconic coach Tom Izzo (pictured).  Last month, he notched the all-time record for Big Ten wins by a coach, surpassing the late, great Bobby Knight of Indiana.

For Izzo though, it was all about hanging another championship banner at MSU’s Breslin Center, always an elusive goal.  The showdown versus Auburn over the weekend was hard fought.  And many fans of the green and white persuasion were highly critical of the officiating.  The fact is, Auburn is a tough team, knocking out both Michigan schools on their road to the Final Four.

Fair?  The refs are a part of the game, another obstacle that teams simply have to find a way to neutralize or overcome.

For the Spartans, Wolverines, and the other 60 or so teams that didn’t make it, fair’s fair.  Better luck next year.

And one little known fact about this Auburn Tigers team.  If you believe that experience is a key variable in winning the tournament, consider Auburn’s starting five has an average age of 23.2 years old.  That’s close to several NBA teams, and is actually older than the Atlanta Hawks’ starters.

Fair?

The lessons are obvious – if you’re a sports fan or part of a radio station that specializes in sports, you know how the bounce of a ball can make or break seasons or careers.  It is, after all, “a game of inches.”

But what about in the game of life, where fair is not always fair.  And our ability to understand, cope, and handle it are all part of the equation that determines who succeeds – and who’s an also-ran.  Right now, the radio broadcasting industry may be on the precipice of another of those tall tasks, similar to several others it has already faced during the past decade or so.  The Great Recession and more recently, COVID, have all been part of the challenge that has pushed a number of broadcasters to the brink.

Add in the digital revolution, and it all adds up to an existential test of sorts that feel like once in a lifetime.  And if it couldn’t get any more dicey, tomorrow is being described as Liberation Day by President Trump—although it may feel very different to those who run cities and radio companies.

That’s because the expected round of tariffs that have been promised for tomorrow (they wisely avoided doing it on April Fool’s Day for obvious reasons) will impact the economy in ways that may seem arbitrary or even…unfair.

While there has been much speculation—much of it coming from the White House—about which countries and industries will be punished by tariffs, most expect much of the heavy burden will be felt by the automotive, home building, consumer electronics, and oil industries—to name the most obvious ones.

Geographically, it looks like Canada, Mexico, and China will be among the hardest hit—and we should prepare for all or most of them to strike back.

But among the surprises is the EU’s Ireland, expected by the BBC and other observers to get smacked harder than most.  That’s because about one-third of the country’s exports come to the U.S.

Ireland saw this coming and according to the BBC, has analyzed the projected impact of the projected tariffs. Ireland’s prime minister, Micheál Martin calls the tariffs “a very grave and serious threat.”

Fair?  Maybe not, but these are the cards Ireland may have to play.  So much American business is intertwined into Ireland’s economy the impacts are expected to be felt all over the country.

The BBC report focuses on Combilift, a company that makes forklifts.  Their co-founder and managing director, Martin McVicar, is trying to get out in front of the tariffs with his American business partners:

“We’ve given our customers certainty on what their costs will be in US dollars for products delivered to the port in the U.S.  At least they can try to plan their business around that at this stage.”

That brings us to American markets because economists and analysts agree certain regions and sectors will be hit harder than others.  That may not be “fair,” but in trade wars, reciprocity doesn’t always factor in to the decision-making.

Tourism is expected to get hit…hard as the price and hassle of visiting American destinations get worse.  Logically, places like Las Vegas and the entire state of Florida are likely to be on “tariff watch” over the next several weeks, months, and possibly beyond.

Then there’s the Detroit market and surrounding region, still very much dependent on an auto industry where foreign parts, in particular, are very much embedded in American cars and trucks.

Then there’s the proximity to Canada, a one-mile drive through the Tunnel or the Ambassador Bridge.

Yesterday on CNN, Rochester Hills, Michigan, mayor Bryan Barnett—a Republican—discussed the outsized effect the tariffs will likely have on his town.

Barnett has served as mayor since 2006 so he’s been through all the changes, including the bankruptcies at Chrysler, GM, and the city of Detroit.  But he suggests this challenge might adversely affect his community for months—and possibly years to come.

While Barnett supports the President’s policies, the imperative is for him to plan, prepare, and act to help Rochester Hills get through this crisis.

As it pertains to radio, there are some good lessons here, whether your station sells spots to fill the “bowtie” stopsets or you’re a public radio station marketing sponsorship and underwriting messages.

First, consulting with a local economist either at a bank or a university might show you (and your sales team) viable pathways, while providing you with much-needed data.

Second, corporate leadership hundreds or even thousands of miles away need to understand their markets are going to be impacted by the tariffs and related aftershocks differently.  Across-the-board goals and policies may need added consideration and rethinking.

Third, reconnect with clients, one-on-one and perhaps with inexpensive receptions at the station or a partner hotel.  The familiar “We’re all in this together” from the pandemic and past recessions might be the salve once again.  Outreach and empathy could be important elements in this upcoming storm.

Fourth, get creative in coming up with innovative sponsor and participation packages during the life of this “tariffs test” you’ll be enduring.  Make it easier for local businesses to market with your station/cluster.

Fifth, this is the time to remain visible or even increase your station’s brand presence.  Look for other local media partners—TV, newspapers, podcasts, websites, newsletters—with whom you can work with to promote one another’s assets.  Look for ways to work together to everyone’s mutual benefit.

Bottom line: here we go again.

Fair?  Hardly.  But they are the hands we’ve been dealt.

The necessary steps are aspirational, but necessary to keep broadcast radio as healthy and relevant as possible.

And that’s a fair point.