The Indianapolis Colts were the toast of the 2018 NFL season. After starting the year 1-5, they went on to win nine of their last ten games to make the playoffs. They even won a road playoff game at Houston.
Colts GM Chris Ballard was widely praised for his job constructing the roster and for hiring Frank Reich, and now he needs to keep it all going in 2019. As the offseason passes by, Ballard wrote a guest column for NBC Sports' Football Morning in America.
In it, he talked about training camp and how he likes getting the team out away from the facility.
“I am a big fan of going away for training camp, but this is something that is disappearing from the NFL. I understand that teams want to eliminate distractions. But there is nothing like human interaction,” he said.
“Sure, teams can provide minute-by-minute updates on social media, but the ability to connect with our fans has to be more than looking at their computers and phones. Training camp allows fans to see their favorite team up close and personal. They get a chance to connect and make interactions that they are not able to make on game day.”
Ballard talked about how important it is to make a connection in a community, and give fans a good experience.
“It is also important that we continue to connect with our fans who are not season ticket holders. Young fans are able to get an autograph, shake hands, catch a football, and make a connection that will last a lifetime,” he explained.
“I don’t care what anyone says—you cannot build trust through the internet and social media. Nothing will ever replace human interaction or the ability to look people in the eye and connect.”
The whole column is interesting, and Ballard shares a lot of insights.
It'll be interesting to see if the Colts are able to repeat their magic next year when they won't be catching anybody by surprise.
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