Lessons from the NFL...
"Yes, business spying really does happen. This may be old news, but it’s a timely reminder for those companies wanting to stay out of the courtroom." ...
"When it comes to spying, major corporations sometimes succumb to the same temptation as the Patriots did, with the same embarrassing results. Big names like Oracle, Procter + Gamble, Hitachi, and Hewlett Packard are among the more notable firms that have been accused of spying in recent years. Each incident received embarrassing front-page treatment. The press has a heyday with these corporate moral pratfalls. But are they breaches of the law or just severe ethical lapses? Mike Sandman, Fuld & Company Senior Vice President, was interviewed by CNBC on September 12, about how companies can avoid crossing over the line and still watch their competition." ~ Leonard Fuld, pioneer in the field of competitive intelligence. (more)
Moral: Don't spy... and, don't be someone else's victim.
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query patriots. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query patriots. Sort by date Show all posts
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Why Is Sports Crime Different?
Professional sports are not just 'sports'. Sports are businesses, big businesses. Each team is a corporation. Their profits rise and fall on their successes and failures - just like any other business.
When a team executive spies for competitive advantage that team is stealing money from the losing opponent. This is a crime.
How much money are we talking about here?
Take the Super Bowl for example. Heck, take three Super Bowls. Winning via fraud can add up. Denny Hatch estimated three Super Bowl wins adds up to about $1.7 million!
Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots football coach, coincidentally 'led' his team to three Super Bowl victories. He was caught spying on his opponents. He was fined $500,000 (tax deductible) - approximately 12% of his yearly salary. He wasn't fired from his job. He wasn't suspended from even one game.
Is Belichick appealing the decision? No. Just a cost of doing business, I guess.
The McLaren-Mercedes Formula One team was fined $100 million this month for their little espionage caper against Ferrari. Are they appealing the decision? No. Cost of doing business?
Compare 'Sports' business to conventional business...
• A federal judge ignored a former Coca-Cola secretary’s tearful plea for mercy and sentenced her to eight years in prison for conspiring to steal trade secrets from the world’s largest beverage maker. U.S. District Judge J. Owen Forrester told Joya Williams, 42, that he was giving her a longer sentence than recommended by federal prosecutors and sentencing guidelines because, “This is the kind of offense that cannot be tolerated in our society.”
• Kenneth Lay, former Chairman of Enron, lost his job, faced a decades-long prison term for his fraud and died of a heart attack. Jeffrey Skilling, Enron's former CEO, is currently serving a 24-year, 4-month prison sentence.
• Hewlett-Packard's spy scandal: Carly Fiorina, former CEO, fired.
• Wal-Mart's spy scandal: Bruce Gabbard, security employee, fired.
Unlike Belichick and the McLaren-Mercedes Formula One team 'Wacky Racers', none of the conventional business folks are out there 'enjoying the game' any more.
So, why is stealing money in the sports world treated differently?
What messages does this send to our children?
~Kevin
When a team executive spies for competitive advantage that team is stealing money from the losing opponent. This is a crime.
How much money are we talking about here?
Take the Super Bowl for example. Heck, take three Super Bowls. Winning via fraud can add up. Denny Hatch estimated three Super Bowl wins adds up to about $1.7 million!
Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots football coach, coincidentally 'led' his team to three Super Bowl victories. He was caught spying on his opponents. He was fined $500,000 (tax deductible) - approximately 12% of his yearly salary. He wasn't fired from his job. He wasn't suspended from even one game.
Is Belichick appealing the decision? No. Just a cost of doing business, I guess.
The McLaren-Mercedes Formula One team was fined $100 million this month for their little espionage caper against Ferrari. Are they appealing the decision? No. Cost of doing business?
Compare 'Sports' business to conventional business...
• A federal judge ignored a former Coca-Cola secretary’s tearful plea for mercy and sentenced her to eight years in prison for conspiring to steal trade secrets from the world’s largest beverage maker. U.S. District Judge J. Owen Forrester told Joya Williams, 42, that he was giving her a longer sentence than recommended by federal prosecutors and sentencing guidelines because, “This is the kind of offense that cannot be tolerated in our society.”
• Kenneth Lay, former Chairman of Enron, lost his job, faced a decades-long prison term for his fraud and died of a heart attack. Jeffrey Skilling, Enron's former CEO, is currently serving a 24-year, 4-month prison sentence.
• Hewlett-Packard's spy scandal: Carly Fiorina, former CEO, fired.
• Wal-Mart's spy scandal: Bruce Gabbard, security employee, fired.
Unlike Belichick and the McLaren-Mercedes Formula One team 'Wacky Racers', none of the conventional business folks are out there 'enjoying the game' any more.
So, why is stealing money in the sports world treated differently?
What messages does this send to our children?
~Kevin
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
First, Pro. Then, College. Now, High School.
FL - Collier County's prep edition of "Spygate'' may have been nothing more than a misunderstanding, or so the coaches at the heart of the mini-controversy claimed on Tuesday. ...
"Spygate'' was one of the names associated with the New England Patriots illegally videotaping sideline calls by opposing teams that the team was penalized for by the NFL earlier this season.
The accusations started flying on Saturday, when Albonizio and a few of his coaches confronted an elderly couple that they believed were filming his team's 44-14 win over McMahon for Naples. (more)
"Spygate'' was one of the names associated with the New England Patriots illegally videotaping sideline calls by opposing teams that the team was penalized for by the NFL earlier this season.
The accusations started flying on Saturday, when Albonizio and a few of his coaches confronted an elderly couple that they believed were filming his team's 44-14 win over McMahon for Naples. (more)
Monday, September 17, 2007
National Football League will check on taping, radios, spying devices
The NFL is continuing to monitor spying devices after the penalties levied by commissioner Roger Goodell against the New England Patriots.
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Sunday that new memos on both videotaping and electronic surveillance of signals have gone out to all 32 teams reminding them of bans on the various types of surveillance.
''It's nothing new,'' Aiello said. ''We just want to remind people how the rules work.'' (more)
NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said Sunday that new memos on both videotaping and electronic surveillance of signals have gone out to all 32 teams reminding them of bans on the various types of surveillance.
''It's nothing new,'' Aiello said. ''We just want to remind people how the rules work.'' (more)
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