On The Cutting Edge: Marcel Knobil

Marcel Knobil, Founder of Veryfirstto, Superbrands And Creative & Commercial, speaks to Cutting Edge Sport…

What are you most excited about in the sport industry in the next couple of years? 

I know it’s just not normal. I know it’ll only end in disappointment. But I just can’t help it. I’m a dedicated follower of the English football team. Perhaps it’s the result of a deeply entrenched virus I caught aged 6 at my first visit to Wembley. I’ve never been able to shake it off. I’ve revisited that scene of the crime on way over 100 occasions since.

Or maybe the virus was passed on by my father – a very observant Jew. Due to most club games occurring on Saturday (the Jewish sabbath) and our not living in walking distance of a stadium (one is not allowed to drive on sabbath) we didn’t see too many club games. But my father took me to every mid-week England game for many years.

I’ve sought a cure in France, Holland, Portugal, Germany, South Africa and beyond. But, I just can’t shake it off.

That naïve hope, that sense of anticipation, the logic constantly nagging at me that ‘England will let me down yet again’, but somehow irrationality conquers all and excitement prevails.

And now, yet again the virus begins to reveal itself and my excitement mounts over seeing our new generation of flourishing talent. Yes, I’m excited about witnessing the new crop of players ploughing the furrow towards France, and eradicating 50 years of hurt.

The likes of Stones, Henderson, Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Sterling carry my hope on their shoulders. Majestically I hope. Just as Moore was carried aloft on the shoulders of Hurst and Wilson under the gaze of my father in 1966. Due to the final occurring on Saturday, he had to walk the many miles to the stadium. I waited, expectant, at home.

Come 2016 I’ll be there in France, my 84-year-old father waiting, expectant, at home.

Where could innovation take sport next? 

There was a time when our sporting heroes actually lived next door to us, sat next to us on the bus, shared a post-match pint with us, and were seen walking down the supermarket aisles during the week.

We’ll never again see an FA Cup winning manager sitting on the tube cradling the Cup in his arms (as Ron Greenwood did in 1964).

During the years that followed, sports personalities earned rock star status (and income) becoming far more distant and aloof. Once off camera, we didn’t know where they were, what they were doing, or what they were thinking. There was huge disconnect.

Ironically, whilst technology might have been accused of contributing to the dehumanising of society in general, it has brought our sporting heroes closer to us. We now know exactly what they are doing and precisely what they are thinking. And we can let them know what we’re thinking too.

Technology has brought us closer to our heroes and in future the intimacy will really intensify. Expect: in effect, to train with them; to receive real time feeds on exercise regimes etc; their tracking device for sleep cycles, calorie burning etc to link with ours; to follow performances through their in-bat, in-boot, in-racket, or in-whatever-it-maybe camera; and to be fed with their diet, possibly literally!

With technology becoming ever more deeply entrenched in sport and its performers enjoying soaring financial rewards, our heroes will increasingly become more close yet more distant.

What do you consider Cutting Edge Sport? 

Twenty20 Cricket. A fine example of impressive innovation in sport that is now firmly entrenched in the summer calendar. It has reinvigorated cricket and widened its appeal delivering a frequently pulsating and compelling feast of entertainment – whilst still remaining faithful to the rudiments of the game.

A fine edge from the ECB.