Blank’s calmness reassuring to fans

Allen Amason, head of the management department at the University of Georgia Terry School of Business, is a lifelong Falcons fan who suffered through the team’s lackluster performance under previous owners. He assesses team owner Arthur Blank as a manager.

There is a new breed of owner in the NFL and pro sports, replacing the Halas and Rooney model of the 1960s. These owners accept that teams rarely generate positive cash flow from operations. Rather, they must build the value of the franchise and generate profits through collateral channels and appreciation. These owners must have significant capital and focus on the long-term. They are savvier, wealthier and more like a CEO of a major corporation.

Arthur Blank has been a good fit because he was very comfortable as the public face of a major corporation, Home Depot. He has a good sense of his role and knows when to, and when not to, intervene. This stands in contrast to other well-known owners, who tend to meddle in coaching and player affairs and attempt to manipulate city governments. Blank is the coolest guy in the room — calm and in charge. He shows confidence and consistency and knows that fans want him engaged in the game, not reclining in his luxury box.

It is difficult to attribute specific wins and losses to an owner’s style, just as it’s difficult to the attribute the success of Coke or Pepsi to a single CEO decision. There are just too many other influences. But Blank’s calm humility does reassure the fan base. He has been clear that he wants the Falcons to be a winning team, and he demonstrates that commitment through action, including hard decisions like the one involving Michael Vick.

His consistency when the team is winning or losing builds trust with the community, players and agents. And that focus and attention is consistent with his style at Home Depot.

Blank’s consistency allows him to operate well within the domain of losses and gains. These terms relate to the fact that fans consider an 8-4 record great for a mediocre team, while 8-4 would be mediocre for a great team. Expectations and human behavior affect the way we evaluate performance. Because the Falcons are performing better than their history suggests, fans are very happy and happy with Mr. Blank.

Blank will be challenged though as continued success raises expectations. When the Falcons start going to the playoffs every year, he will face the same situation as the Braves. When your business operates at a consistently high level, the challenge is to maintain the momentum and the positive sentiment.

Allen Amason