With the cost of attending athletic contests rising all the time, I often wonder how the fans who attend the game in person must feel when their team puts on a really poor performance. It's one thing to watch it on TV or follow it online. It's another to invest money and time to attend a game and come away feeling disappointed or disgusted - after having paid for that experience.
Call it entertainment if you like, and certainly only one team can win. Few teams win all of their games so there are going to be some losses and disappointments along the way. But really poor performances where it looks like the team didn't come prepared to compete - that's what hurts.
Recently, the University of Western Kentucky was playing basketball at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. The coach, Ken McDonald, felt so badly about his team's poor performance that he decided to reimburse the diehard fans who had driven the 70 miles to the game.
He wrote $60 checks and mailed them to about 20 people. Some of the people returned the checks, but none of the checks have been cashed.
Here it was the gesture that was important. The fans didn't want or expect his payment, but I'm sure they appreciate that the coach gets it.
This is such a nice twist on customer satisfaction when we see the merchant (in this case the coach) connecting with and being concerned about the customers (loyal fans) in such a dramtic way.
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All though most likely not intended to be, that was probably one of the best public relations move towards customer satisfaction I’ve heard of. However I’m sure the coach wasn’t even thinking of it that way when he refunded the money and that makes it all the more heart warming.
I’m glad the fans didn’t really cash the checks. -:)
Suesan,
I agree, I think it was done for the right reasons - and the sentiment is great. :)
Steve
This is a prime example of someone dedicated to doing the right thing. A bit extreme, but sincerely dedicated to doing the right thing. Perhaps he should give a pep talk to Congress, provided they would take the time to listen, much less adopt his attitiude!
Wayne,
Great idea. Congress needs to start writing us checks from their own pockets. :)
Steve