"Confidence is contagious and so is lack of confidence, and a customer will recognize both."

Some Broadway producers may need to pay attention to the above quote as they embark on their latest endeavor.

According to the New York Times, a Gridiron legend is coming to the Great White Way! A play has been written about NFL Trophy namesake, and former Green Bay Packers coach, Vince Lombardi. And apparently, the story is strong enough to try to get "cheeseheads" into the Big Apple to see it. Check out the article here.

Any fan can tell you that it's difficult to watch most sports contests without getting a little emotionally involved. Similar, but not directly related to, what I wrote about professional wrestling, all sporting events are entertainment. And often, they are a visceral form of entertainment because of their spontaneity. We don't know what is going to happen and we are on pins and needles as the contests play out. We, as the audience, experience a range of emotions, from rage to elation, as we watch every touchdown, home run, goal, or basket. I can confirm this personally, as I jumped up and down like a 10-year old when the New York Yankees won their 27th World Series last Wednesday. Like the Gladiators of old, athletes display their talent in an effort to vanquish their opponent, to the delight of the home crowd (although, unlike the Gladiators, the results of modern day events are hopefully a little less...well...bloody).

So, naturally, many of these titans rivet us to the point of paying for tickets to the events, buying merchandise, and even attending victory parades in Lower Manhattan (not saying that we all do that, but some of us do--Go Yanks!). And when you discuss the engineers of these displays, namely the coaches, people are intrigued because it takes a special person to control the chaos of two teams battling for dominance on any given day. And Lombardi was a pivotal character in the history of both professional football and America. I honestly feel that their could be an audience for this that may be different from the usual Broadway prototype, not unlike those going to see "Rock of Ages." Sure, I think the usual Broadway theatregoers will be interested. But, there is a special market that producers, I hope, will be particularly focused on. You may have sports fans that will want to see the life of one of their heroes played out on stage, live, instead of watching the umpteenth documentary of him on the NFL Network. And that could be a good thing for both sports and theatre, as it can deepen our appreciation for both. (That is, of course, if it's any good. Stay tuned...)