The Internet has come a long way since the first domain name was registered in 1985. The state of the domain-name industry has changed immensely. Almost everyone with a business has tried to register a dot-com domain name—only to find their first and best choice taken. Most domains were grabbed years ago by investors. Like 99.9% of the population, I regret not being forward thinking enough to understand the value of the dot-com.
The power of forward thinking
These early investors have been paid millions for what were simple acquisitions. Lawyer.com, beer.com—how forward thinking must one be to capitalize on an emerging industry? Past regrets aside, the new potentials that are available for organizations regarding domain names has changed. Our firm, Harmony Healthcare, chose a domain name that we felt encompassed our mission: solutions.
The concept of using these new domain-name extensions has never been more apparent, especially when relevant extensions provide an opportunity to brand ourselves in a way dot-com never did. Yes, harmony.solutions is considerably shorter than our former URL of harmonyhealthstaffing.com. Our primary goal when switching domain names was initially to shorten the length. What we found was an opportunity to brand our company with the fabric we operate with—sustainable solutions to complex challenges.
In the spirit of problem solving and for a little fun, here are potential solutions for challenges that exist in the sports world today.
Customization works
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a brain condition associated with repeated blows to the head, and concussions are a hot topic within the NFL. While advancements have been made in protocol, most players enter games without a vital risk mitigation tool: a mouthpiece.
Studies on the subject lack 100% certainty. However, it’s impossible to say mouthpieces are more dangerous. So, what gives? Don’t tell me it’s easier to communicate without one. That’s bogus. My mouthpiece in college was formed with hot water. I had no issue communicating. Today’s customized options are much better. Players should sacrifice some cool points in the name of safety. The NFL – if sincerely concerned with player safety – should mandate it. Simply put, a customized mouthpiece is good business for everyone.
More time and more space
The sport of soccer has grown on me. I never played growing up and rarely watched outside of the World Cup every four years. The increased exposure on TV combined with FIFA Soccer on Xbox has given me a real appreciation for the simplicity and beauty of the game. My only complaint, matches ending 0-0. There is honor in a draw, and I also realize the physical toll a regular season would have if overtime were the norm.
My solution? A 10-minute overtime period of 7 on 7 with the winner taking a half point. 1.5 for the winner, 0.5 for the loser and if tied after 10 minutes, the match is over with each side earning the traditional point. The NHL adopted a similar rule with 4 on 4 overtime.
It’s difficult to argue how exciting it is to watch the best in their craft with more space to showcase their amazing skill. Can you imagine a Liverpool and Manchester United overtime? Mane, Salah, Firmino, Van Dijk, Shaqiri,and Fabinho against Rashford, Pogba, Lukaku, Young, Martial, and Herrera. Think of all the potential lineups within the Premier League and La Liga (or any league for that matter). How could this possibly be a bad thing and who wouldn’t watch?
Local bases loaded
Finally, one that hits home. Can we please start planning on a baseball park in Tampa for the Rays? Tampa city culture is authentically Cuban. Ybor City hosts endless Cuban eateries, and the people have a passion for baseball. Tampa has long been a hotbed for college and major league talent and the amount of kids participating in little league and travel baseball is incredible. Despite poor attendance at Tropicana Field, the Rays have one of the highest cable ratings in baseball.
In contrast, the Tampa Bay Lightning located in downtown Tampa have sold out 190+ games consecutively. The primary driver of attendance is location. Moving the team across the bay is complicated, but doable. Team owners need to be transparent with commitments and public officials need to acknowledge the locally known reality. We all know there is a cost involved, as a local taxpayer I am willing to make sacrifices. I know I am not alone.
The Rays have a lease through 2027. The city of Tampa needs to provide a financial quid pro quo to compensate for breaking that lease. The solution? To have a percentage of revenue sent back to St. Petersburg for all attendance exceeding the average number of fans over the past five years. A tax increase on stadium sales for food and beverages to go directly to the city of St. Petersburg.
There are dozens of ways to make the city of St. Petersburg whole while also providing the Rays and the citizens of Tampa the stage they deserve. And it’s not like St. Petersburg hasn’t reaped the benefits so far. The Rays helped revitalize St. Petersburg from a barren downtown into a hub of great shopping, trendy restaurants, bars and entertainment. A stadium in Tampa would be a good thing for all. The city of St. Petersburg would continue to flourish, and a first-class organization would finally receive the proper attendance it deserves.
The bottom line: answers are available
Like the above challenges that sports face today, I often ask my team if our domain name is .problems with a major hint of sarcasm. Our responsibility to clients and candidates is to find answers. Our goal is to be the company clients and candidates turn to when they want a solution to whatever challenge they face.
While my sports solutions above may be nirvana, I take solace in the fact that our business solution capability is controllable. I also take great pride in the fact that our team never settles for the status quo. The answer is available. It’s our job to discover it and at Harmony, we take great pride in finding the solution.
We’re here to empower you
At Harmony Healthcare, we think differently about our clients.
- We deliver solutions differently.
- We build client relationships differently.
- We’re focused differently.
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