Countdown to Y50- Black Stars and the World Stage

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Maybe it is a coincidence that Ghana our beloved country qualifies for the World Cup on the eve of our Golden Jubilee. Or maybe that is how the Creator designed it. Whichever it is, it is sweet. It seems perfect that at the time that we are emerging as the regional leader (in West Africa), we get to showcase our talents on a world stage. Last time I checked, football was the most popular sport in the world. So you bet people who never heard of Ghana will be hearing and ?googling? to find out more about Ghana.

So here is our opportunity- another golden opportunity. And I hope we don?t blow it.

The performance of the Black Stars (after they beat Italy and the US) will make Ghana a household name around the world. There?s no question about that. But how do we translate this fame into tangible economic gains for the people of Ghana? That?s the question that should be on the minds of all our Government officials (those planning to spend tax-payer money to go see the tournament as well as those who will be watching it on their plasma TVs).

Since our last conversation, a lot has happened. Several government ministers have been relieved of their positions. It?s all good. Fresh blood is always a good thing. But I would like to submit that the case of the Youth and Sports minister was that of bad timing. I will like to believe the President knows best why he decided to make the change when he made it. Maybe it does not matter much since the Black Stars are primarily within the jurisdiction of the GFA. Whatever it is, I hope this change does not hurt the momentum.
Also since our last conversation, U2?s Bono has visited Ghana as part of his push to get poor countries off the hook of debts to rich countries. I would like for us to concentrate on the Black Stars? World Cup debut since Bono is coming back as one of our special guests during the independence celebrations and we?ll get to talk about him later. Who told me he is coming back? Well, I hope we make it a point to make him a part of the celebrations. That is another opportunity we can?t miss.
Bono will be back but the Black Stars? return to the World Cup is far from a given. So once we are there, let?s make it benefit us like we?ll never qualify again.
I don?t know the motto of the FIFA World Cup but I hope it?s not the same as the Olympics because the idea of just participation won?t cut it for us this time. And I am not talking about just the players. I am talking about the people who make the sponsorship deals, I am talking about the people who get the opportunity to talk to the world press, I am talking about our President who I believe will be there to support our ?troops?, I am talking about the Ghanaian media (including Ghanaweb). We have to win and win big.
This is not just a game and we ought to wake up to the fact. There are billions of dollars being spent and being made and we will miss out unless we lace our boots and kick some balls, both on and off the field. And if you know the one-time Youth and Sports Secretary General Arnold Quainoo, you?ll appreciate his opinion that ?it is like war so we got to get serious?.
If we do our marketing work well, we will entrench the name of Ghana on the minds and hearts of people. We will sell them in on the idea that next year we?ll be having the official World Cup after-party in our tropical paradise. We could tell them about the idea of commissioning the National Sports Hall of Fame soon after the world cup. I?m sure we?ll get fined for this next idea but I guess it is well-worth it- imprint Ghana?s website on our jerseys. The idea of the National Sports Hall of Fame is just my wishful thinking (if there is something like that I don?t know about it yet). But we should have one.
The dismal performances of the Stars? during the last CAF African Cup of Nations and the subsequent losses to Mexico, Italian Serie A team Nice, a select team of Australian stars among others have not done much to deter me from proudly wearing my Black Stars replica jersey to work on the days Ghana plays their matches. However, there is a human part of me that says if those performances are anything to go by then we have a lot to do and so much to pray for. I have read and heard the numerous views expressed on the preparations and the many articles written about conflicts between management and the technical team.
I would like to shy away from the know-it-all attitude of most of us when we try to tell people what to do and mention that the world will be watching so don?t let us down. OK, everybody is telling them that so let me say something different. Don?t blow it! And I am not talking to just the players and their technical handlers. I am talking to the people who make the sponsorship deals, I am talking to the people who get the opportunity to talk to the world press, I am talking to our President who I believe will be there to support our ?troops?, I am talking to the Ghanaian media (including Ghanaweb). We have to win and win big.
You?re probably wondering how Ghanaweb might blow this opportunity. Well let me tell you. If they don?t take the time to give this website the long-overdue face-lift and get to be taken seriously by the major advertisers, they will be biting their teeth. Let?s face it. Ghanaweb has serious traffic and it is where most of us (like always) will be getting updates on Ghana-specific developments at the World Cup. But let?s face it again. It doesn?t look like we are going to see anything more than we did during the African Cup of Nations. Mr. CNN will bring us some pictures (and God bless him for that) but I?ll love to see Ghanaweb win and win big. I am sure this website could look much better, and be designed to fuel the world cup fever. I am not a web marketing guru so I?ll recommend you talk to one.
Maybe the Ghanaian Consulates around the world should take a cue from this point. I don?t want us to lose.
You?re probably wondering how the President might blow this opportunity. Maybe he should order his consulates to all have websites. And those who have one make it look like they are serious about what they are doing. Also, Mr. President, take the opportunity to tell the world that football is one of our country?s GDP drivers and that is why you are in town. Surely, the President might have dinner with some important people whiles in Germany but get the PR machinery working. When the leader of (arguably) the most stable country in Africa is at the World Cup, the world should take note. So as an example, the roving cameraman/commentator could walk up to the President (during our match with the US) to ask what he thinks about the match-up. The president then says we will win and then switch to talking about the stability in Ghana and the fact that the world is invited to our 50th birthday bash. Do you know how far that 30-second pitch will go? But trust me- the roving reporter will not just bump into the President. Somebody has to set it up.
You?re probably wondering how the people who get the opportunity to talk to the world press might blow this opportunity. I?m sure you remember the conversation about media power. But let me add that these things that we see on TV that look like happenstance is all planned. The people that get to do the press briefings, the people reporters ?bump? into, the special guests the camera zooms in on are all part of the choreography.
Fortunately for us we have been put in the same group as the US and we all understand what this means. Our game against the US would be a passport to an extensive media publicity and should we even go ahead to beat the US national team, Ghana would have continuous publicity from even the night time shows and the comedians long after the news media has stopped mentioning it. I know you are thinking the benefit of beating the US is being oversold. Well, until 9/11, most people in the US did not care about where and what Afghanistan was. I hate to use 9/11 as my example but I?m sure you get the point I?m making.
You?re probably wondering how the people who make the sponsorship deals might blow this opportunity. Well, if we sit around thinking they (whoever they are) are doing us a favor then we ought to think again. This is business (even more than it is sports) if you would ask me. It all revolves around money. People will be making money and we need to make ours too. There?s a reason Puma is sponsoring. There?s a reason people pay billions for broadcast rights. And there are reasons people fight to qualify for the World Cup. It?s not just about national honor. It?s about the economics. At the 2002 World cup in Japan, FIFA made over six hundred million pounds in PROFIT. Yes, profits. So this is not just a game, ?it?s let?s get serious? and win it.
I do not have all the answers but I know there are many Ghanaians around the world who do and can help us not blow it (even though we have less than a month). All I?m saying is let us not blow it.
It is impossible to talk about Ghana at the World Cup and not mention that, next time we are at the World Cup, a Ghanaian coach should be at the helm of affairs. This is not to take anything away from the Dujkovics and Otto Pfisters. There is talent in Ghana and with the doors opening wider for the world to take us seriously in all fields of endeavor, the brilliance of the Abedi Peles, Mohammed Polos, Abdul Razaks, Jones Attuquayefios among others, should be harnessed into self-reliance when it comes to technical expertise. Maybe this should be added to the President?s Special Initiatives.
I want to turn my attention now to the NSC and the GFA since they are in charge of all the promotions regarding our preparation towards Germany ?06. My good friend Prince Oduro-Mensah and his executive team at the NSC did a good job by introducing the Black Stars? paraphernalia. But the marketing to the people outside Ghana, who would like to show their support, has been at best weak. Ghanaweb (and I have to keep referring here for obvious reasons) has been heavily under-utilized in this campaign. Rather than a pop-up window that tells me I have won an hourly prize, maybe if it said ?Click here to get your Black Stars jersey?, I might actually click on the pop-up. The only link I have seen is one that sent me to the Daniels and Sons UK website. And even that link is wedged apathetically on the sports page.
The African Markets around the globe would have been another good avenue to market to those of us in the US and other countries, but the marketing machinery did not utilize it effectively. Please try to do a better job next time (should there be a next time).
I don?t doubt that there are wrist bands, car bumper stickers and refrigerator stickers among others available for sale. But it?s like having Christmas decorations- you have to make people know Christmas is around the corner and that they cannot celebrate without the Christmas stuff.
World Cup is around the corner and it might serve us all greatly to realize that unlike Christmas which comes every year, the World Cup comes around every four years, and even with that you have to earn a spot. There is no bigger stage than sports and in our case, no better time than now to take advantage of the opportunity our talented Black Stars have earned on our behalf. Let us do well not to blow it.
Till our next conversation, let us put aside all our differences and support our Black Star troops to make mother Ghana proud.
As the countdown rolls on, keep the conversations going. Somebody is listening.