Being in the world of marketing communications we are abundantly aware of the huge budgets that are involved in an event like March Madness. With COVID-19 impacting everything from sports to travel to conferences and so much more – there is so much loss financially.
Looking at the hard numbers of those huge losses, specifically in regards to March Madness – media, marketing, broadcasting, ticket sales, gambling and the rest, billions of dollars change hands, I keep coming back to what I consider are the real losses. The “little guy” selling hot dogs or pizza near a stadium, the person in housekeeping who may not work because reservations are down. There is plenty of loss, financially and otherwise, to be realized.
On the other side of this loss, are the good things that come from this unique time in history. We will spend time with our family; get out into nature, purchase less, remember and experience the importance of community, share more of what we do have. As a side note, I was walking my pup yesterday and a neighbor was outside raking leaves – they asked me if everything was ok and if I needed anything. That is community.
I love the ideas and positive acts of kindnesses that are born of such scary and challenging times. For example, the postcard that you can leave with an elderly neighbor with your contact information and an offer to bring them groceries, or just talk on the phone; people singing out the windows in Sienna, Italy, a town that has been quarantined for some time; hours just for the elderly to shop at a grocery store. These are the good things.
Times are uncertain, that is true, bad things are happening, but good things are happening too. Let’s focus on the good and take the bad things as they come, knowing we have each other to get through it all.
