In sport, as in any other field of endeavour, survival and growth are functions of performance. Contextually, one need only reflect on sporting institutions like legendary soccer clubs Manchester United, and Barcelona and Real Madrid of Spain as well as American Football’s Dallas Cowboys. These institutions are living evidence of the reality that material success is invariably the product of performance on the field of play.
Manchester United Football Club, the ‘Red Devils’ to their throngs of followers worldwide and The Dallas Cowboys, ‘America’s Team’, according to their adoring fans, are establishments whose economic stature have exceeded their performances on the field of play. 1996 was the last time that the ‘Texans’ lifted the Lombardi Trophy.
Their respective underperformances on the field of play, however, have done nothing to staunch their success as business enterprises. Both are ranked amongst the four wealthiest sports entities in the world. In both instances, their continued financial growth has allowed for a continued recruitment of high-priced coaches in an effort to enhance their respective performances on the field of play.