Football, Baseball, Soccer, Golf, Basketball, Hockey – you name it!
We love the game.
We love the players.
We love the art of it, the skill, and the competition.
All of these are reasons for why Sports Memorabilia procures high bids as Auction items at charity fundraising events.
Auction items that embody the loves of your audience are going to do well!
But it’s more than that.
And it’s something that we are just starting to recognize in a very real way thanks to the shift in the way that sports is now not a spectators sport.
The year 2020 has seen a drastic shift in the way sports take place…
Now, the rules haven’t changed.
Most of the players are still on the field (or court or rink or links)
The sport has the same amount of art, skill, and competition.
But what is missing? The spectators.
And we are starting to understand how is crucial that truly is!
A Fan’s Impact
An interesting article from the New York Times came out in August that asked, “With No Fans in the Seats, Do Sports Remain Must-Watch TV?”
The reporter stated, “Scores will be kept. Winners and losers will be declared. But without fans, the games might soon feel sterile.”
Why is this? I think it is for the same reason why autographed sports memorabilia procures such high bids across every kind of charity organization that use our consignment items.
The spectator really is a part of the event. We, as spectators, really get to share the moments of glory with our favorite teams and our favorite players.
We feel like we are in on the fight with them – our cheers matter. Our morale matters.
Otherwise, why would we care so much about having an autographed glove from Mohammed Ali?
Sure, we aren’t as amazing as these star athletes and we don’t pretend to be! We aren’t in the ring with them…but the crowd does play a part.
The NY Times reporter put it this way, “Sure, social media, gambling and fantasy leagues stir fan interest. U.F.C., NASCAR, golf, German soccer and some other sports are holding competitions without fans on hand…But without live spectators for an extended period, traditional games risk being reduced to mathematics with trading cards, especially once the novelty of sports’ return wears off.”
Is this reporter right that sports will lose some of its zest without the fans?
Is Bob Bradely, Manager of the Los Angeles F.C. right when he told reporters “A soccer game without fans ‘has no soul,’ even if it becomes necessary”?
The article goes on to ask its readers to see for themselves. They offer a video clip of Tiger Woods’s impossible chip shot on the 16th hole at the 2005 Masters.
The Test of Time
These questions are interesting to ask, but I think more interesting is what these questions reveal about us! We are more invested in the game than we may have originally realized.
The soul of the sport is found in the hearts of fans as well in the hearts of the players and in the rules of the game.
This truth will stand the test of time and the craziness of what the year 2020 unfolded.
The joy of sports is a beautiful thing.
It’s shared by many and that will continue to be so.
As Charity Fundraising, we love collaborating alongside charity organizations with autographed sports memorabilia charity auction items because it is so beneficial for the event attendees who are overjoyed during the auction.
It is also so beneficial for procuring high bids and making the event successful – what we all came here to do – support a good cause.
If your nonprofit is looking to raise the bar at your next virtual, online, live and/or silent auction fundraiser contact Charity Fundraising today!
