Imagine a bunch of NFL players running around on a field made of taffy. That was almost the case this Sunday during the league’s annual Hall of Fame Game, the traditional kickoff to pre-season football.
The unfortunate field conditions came as a result of using the wrong paint. And so the field became gummy and sticky as it dried. But instead of allowing the players to put on a comical but potentially dangerous show, the NFL cancelled the game.
It’s not an ideal situation for any business. If the NFL is a brand, each game is its product. So cancelling the very first one of the season doesn’t give a great early impression to fans.
But making a great first impression, while important, isn’t the end-all-be-all for brands. If the NFL had allowed the game to continue with those field conditions, players might have been injured. Then the NFL would be delivering a subpar product during the rest of the season, as opposed to just putting off the first game by a few days and actually doing it right.
Always Consider the Implication of a GO NO GO Decision
The next time your business is considering releasing a product before it’s really ready just to meet a deadline, consider the consequences. If it could hurt your chances of delivering a great customer experience going forward, it might be worth putting it off.
NFL Football Photo via Shutterstock
I hope that company has business insurance, because the lost revenue the NFL could sue them for is a very big number.