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I’m sure everyone remembers the day the lights went out for 34 minutes during the Ravens/49ers Super Bowl in 2012. Other than Ray Lewis having some choice words about the outage being more than a coincidence, the effects were minimal. What would have happened if they did not go back on?
Taking a thoughtful, prospective view of yet unknown risks is not easy. How can you begin to identify and then mitigate risks stemming from an ambiguous event? Risk management is a systematic way of identifying potential risks, gauging or estimating the probabilities of these risks occurring, quantifying the “financial impact” of the event and then developing strategies to mitigate these risks. One mitigation strategy, often the first turned to, is insurance. The question that follows is “am I adequately insured”? The cost for insurances for an event of the magnitude of the Olympics or the Super Bowl can exceed $100 million, including coverage addressing media liability, property, coverage for sponsors of co-branded events and event cancellation.
The Northeast region also presents an inclement weather risk. How will MetLife Stadium account for possible obstacles of attendance? What if getting into and/or out of the stadium becomes challenging due to snow and ice? How will this affect revenue both locally and in-stadium? What is the role of risk management? A contingency plan is paramount in the event of necessary rescheduling due to unanticipated events. This contingency plan should be coupled with a clearly defined evacuation plan accounting for events including fire, flood, snow, ice, and acts of terror. What's “Plan B”?
Adopting a methodical approach to identifying and qualifying risks including having a “Plan B” is a critical part of risk management. We strongly advocate for our clients to take a forward looking approach to risk management so they can have the luxury of a piece of mind well in advance of an event. To discuss how we can help address the challenges your organization faces in managing risk and putting together a contingency plan, contact me at ggoettelmann@thealsgroup.com or 732.395.4261.
In the end, whether it’s a black out, white out or blow out, let’s hope everyone is on the winning side of the scoreboard.