Xenophon Strategies

Different Communications Game Plans for the Arizona Immigration Law

Blake Rhodes

Politics and religion has proven a volatile mix over the years – but now sports and politics is fast becoming an explosive cocktail.  As we’ve seen, Arizona’s new Immigration law has divided people, with a Pew Research poll showing 59 percent of Americans support the law while 32 percent oppose it.

While individual athletes aren’t often shy about taking political or religious stands, you don’t often see entire teams make these sorts of statements.  That’s why it’s interesting to see how two of Arizona’s professional teams are addressing their state’s high-profile new law.

The NBA’s Phoenix Suns raised some eyebrows and put themselves in the eye of the storm by wearing “Los Suns” jerseys in their Western Conference semi-final round game #2 clash with the San Antonio Spurs. The Suns chose to wear the jerseys for the game that took place on Cinco de Mayo “to honor our Latino community and the diversity of our league, the state of Arizona, and our nation."  While it wasn’t a surprise for outspoken two-time MVP Steve Nash to denounce the new law on its human rights merits, or lack thereof, shock waves were sent when owner Robert Sarver called it “flawed” and “mean-spirited.”  In fact, it was Sarver’s idea for his team to wear the jerseys to make a statement. 

Just across the street from the Suns’ America West Arena, the Arizona Diamondbacks are preparing to host the 2011 Major League All-Star Game at Chase Field.  You would think E. Jefferson Street is the “aisle” on Capitol Hill by the way the executive suites from both teams addressed Arizona’s new law.

Amid cries from politicians and the media for MLB to move next year’s Mid-Summer Classic from the desert, the Diamondbacks played the “Switzerland” card.  Citing the negative effect on the local economy -- which includes many Latino business owners -- much less their own coffers, the D-Backs are operating under a business as usual approach and preparing to host the All-Star Game.  In fact, they tossed the political hot potato when President Derrick Hall deflected blame within his state by saying, “As an organization, we never take a stance. We believe the Federal government should be more involved.”

With Major League Baseball’s announcement last week that it still intends host its All-Star Game at Chase Field in 2011, the Diamondbacks should continue to prepare.  It appears that they also took the exact opposite approach from the Suns when they removed a 2011 All-Star Game logo from their outfield fence.  Claiming that they needed more space for a Dial Soap ad, the D-Backs might have done the prudent thing by removing a daily reminder for a potentially divisive event which is still 14 months away. Better safe than sorry. 

As in every business, strategic decisions are either termed a success or failure by their effect on the financial ledger.  It will be interesting to see whether the Suns or the Diamondbacks made the right call.  Everyone wants immediate winners, but we may not know until a year from now when we see if there is any backlash from fans at the turnstiles or from sponsors or advertisers.  Like I said, the cash register will serve as the scoreboard.

My prediction: Diamondbacks.

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