Welcome back to the Sunstone Way.
Well, it’s finally arrived. After 100 games over more than a month of amazing soccer, the World Cup championship will be determined this coming Sunday at MetLife Stadium in greater New York City.
This World Cup has been full of amazing drama, incredible athleticism and stories of triumph over adversity. The superstars – Messi, Mbappi, Renaldo, Kane, Haaland – have all been super. If you don’t recognize the name Haaland (his first name is Erling), that’s because he is the star striker for Norway – a country that was last in the World Cup 28 years ago, in 1998. More about the land of the Sunstone in a minute.
There were controversies – red cards, hydration breaks, Iran – and there were feel-good stories – Curacao in its first World Cup, international fans discovering Ranch dressing, Japan’s team cleaning the stadium after its game. In short, the World Cup has been a microcosm of what makes our world work.
Making It Work
One thing we haven’t heard, at least as of this writing, is any breakdowns of infrastructure. Whether that’s been transportation to and from stadiums – did you see those electronic signs along our freeways urging people to use public transit? – or making sure it’s the right grass on the pitches, public-private partnerships have gotten the job done.
Perhaps the best indication that the efforts worked is that no one is talking about them. Much like an umpire in baseball or that referee on the pitch, infrastructure only gets talked about when it goes wrong.
That success only happens with great planning and preparation. For the referees and umpires, that means lots of studying and practice. For the infrastructure, it means putting the right teams together, creating and executing the plans with sufficient resources to get the job done.
That only happens with active participation from the public sector – cities and counties almost always own the physical infrastructure like roads and buses, and making sure things get done in a safe way is one of the basic roles of government.
But the expertise and initiative to provide exciting experiences, to offer quality merchandise and refreshments, invariably comes from the private sector. And far in the background are the sources of financing required to put everything in place before the first whistle blows. Some of that money comes from the public sector, but most comes from private investors – banks, etc.
In short, these public-private partnerships result in winning teams.
Norwegian Vikings
It’s been 28 years since the small Scandinavian country of 5 million people has had a team in the World Cup. But thanks to 6’5” superstar striker Erling Haaland, Norway has been the surprise of the tournament.
In order to get to the quarterfinals (Norway played England last Saturday, July 11, losing in extra time, 2-1), they had to beat Brazil – a team with five World Cup titles from a country of 210 million people. Haaland scored both Norway goals in that 2-1 victory, tying him for the lead in the Golden Boot trophy chase with seven goals going into the quarterfinals. That’s quite a journey from starting soccer at age 5 in the tiny village of Bryne, Norway. The 25-year-old is already considered the greatest footballer in Norway’s history.
Speaking of history, Norway is one of the homelands of the legendary Vikings, the seafaring conquerors of 1,000 years ago. Those Vikings used Sunstones to help navigate the ocean during cloudy days (yes, our Sunstones), and their ships were equipped with oars to keep moving when the wind wasn’t cooperating.
This year’s viral soccer chant, the Viking Row, harkens back to those triumphant days. Picture a downtown Oslo street packed with fans making rowing gestures and roaring Row! The video exploded after the victory over Brazil, showing the symbol of a small country triumphing through courage and risk taking.
World Diplomacy
The World Cup tournament is designed as a way for diverse nations to interact with one another in a friendly, sportsmanlike atmosphere. There are heated rivalries, to be sure. But even in the most contentious settings (think England playing Mexico in Mexico City), matches were played without untoward violence.
How does that happen?
I’d argue that it is a matter of communicating expectations. One of the things I’ve loved most about my involvement in sports over my lifetime is the expectation that people will abide by the rules – my team and the team playing against us. There’s a reason “leveling the playing field” is such a popular phrase.
The Winning Edge
So how do the teams that rise to the top, the teams playing this weekend, get to where they become the best? They find and nurture the best players. They practice together to play as a team.
And they find the best help possible.
In the case of the World Cup, sources of that help rise to the national level. Each team is supported by the government of the country it represents. There are plenty of sponsors for each team, too. While the financial help from companies whose names appear on jerseys is important, the equipment suppliers, medical trainers and other supporters can mean even more over the long run.
In a way, it’s just like how Sunstone aids founders both financially and technically to help them succeed. It’s just like how Sunstone brings together public and private partners to make a project happen – a project that is beneficial to both.
I love the World Cup for the passion it generates, the incredible athletic talent it demonstrates. I also love the World Cup for the concept of working together it epitomizes.
Which makes sense, since that is The Sunstone Way.
Remember, always be a Sunstone!
John Keisler
CEO & Managing Partner
Sunstone
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Sunstone Investment Group, headquartered in Southern California, is the holding company for the Sunstone family of entities, including: Sunstone Investment Management Services, responsible for administrative services; Sunstone Advisors, an SEC-registered investment adviser, which oversees Sunstone Venture Partners LLC, a private capital fund manager; Sunstone Cities, a government economic development consulting firm; and Sunstone Community Fund, a charitable organization that supports entrepreneurship. Sunstone is dedicated to enriching lives through investment, entrepreneurship, and community. Email us at contact@sunstoneinvestment.com.
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