Sports & Open Innovation?

Open innovation: A well-known practice for the fans of football club FC Murcielagos in Mexico, where important decision are being made by the DT-Electronico (Electronic coach). Whenever important decisions are being made, supporters are invited to take part in the decision making process by voting through the web or test messages. Not a bad idea, since apparently the team is playing its best season ever (cf. A Bite Of).

Typical decisions to be made by fans include the line-up of the team, forcing the first substitution or who is being substituted by whom, and which player should be awarded a bonus for his performance during the match. An interesting approach given the current results.

However, this approach also raises a number of questions. Are these supporters indeed better managers, or are there other factors that should be taken into account? Could such a model be applied in other sports too? And.. what about more substantial issues, such as the transfer of players, or how much the club should offer to attract certain players? After all, deciding about the ‘man of the match’ is a decision far different from running the club as a whole, and the question arises as to what extent should one involve supporters and where should one draw the line?