The Dating Game: USL League One Style

I need to write something fun. I make no promises that it'll be good, but it'll be fun for me and you all get to be my therapist who listens to me ramble for a bit and says "well, our time is up, we'll see you next week. I think we made some good progress today" before taking a strong drink and savoring the fact that the minute I leave is the longest possible time before I come back.

I'm merely throwing this idea out into the world and I'm not suggesting that a team's social media people get together to make it happen, but I'm saying that if Boise or Madison (the two clubs that I looked at that could make this work the best) wanted to make it happen, I wouldn't be upset. I know ya'll are busy with other events and promotions, but hear me now and believe me later, you're going to want to make this work.

So here's what we need. We need a team with three home games in a row, all in close proximity to each other. Boise, you all have four in a row from May 13 to May 27 so pick the three that works best for. Madison, your best bet is probably June 13 to June 20 when you have three games at home that week. You also have a stretch from July 11 to August 1 with five home games in a row. I might suggest the July 25 to August 1 stretch where you have three games. Anyway, that's details for you all to figure out. I'm just the idea man here.

So here's the premise. We're basically doing the dating game where one person goes on three dates to three different home games and then they pick the person they want to continue dating. The social media team is there to capture all the footage of the date at the game. Edit it together in either one episode or, since we're dreaming big here, make each date it's own episode on your YouTube channel and build suspense to the final episode where the person has to pick. Maybe give the winning couple a VIP package to the next game as the prize. Again, I'm just spitballing here. You know what would work best for your team.

Ideally they have a good time at the game. You show them talking and laughing. Intersperse some highlights from the game. Maybe they get a meet and greet with a player or two before the match. Pick someone on your social media team to be the host for the beginning of the episode to set it up and then we see what happens. Madison, make an exception for them and let them go down the inflatable flamingo slide. I know it's against the rules, but it's for love, or the reality tv version of love.

Now, there are some mechanics to work out, like finding a single guy or girl to be your protagonist and then three blind dates for them. But these are solvable problems. Head over to Boise State or the University of Wisconsin and hold a casting call. Throw in free tickets to the game as their compensation and call it a marketing expense. If the internet has taught me anything, it's that there are single ladies in my area who want to meet me. Maybe reach out to one of them if you need someone for the show.

We'll call the show "Trialists." Or maybe "Trialists - Boise" or "Trialists - Madison" if it catches on and  becomes like the Real Housewives of where ever. If this blows up, teams will start pushing the league to give them three home games in a row just to make this show. Boise, Madison, you can be trailblazers.

Is this a good idea? Maybe. Is it an original idea? No, it's not. The New York Mets regional sports network apparently had a show called Prospects where they did basically this premise. But that's ok. We don't need to reinvent the wheel here. We're just looking for something fun to put up on your YouTube channel to get some attention for your club. 

It's not for me to tell you how to run your marketing departments. In fact, it's probably best that I stay far, far away from your marketing departments because I don't work there and you would wonder who I was and how I got in to your meetings. Well, that and I'd pitch ideas like this all day long instead of actually doing work and no one likes that guy in the office.