How You Play the Game *SIGNED

by Colangelo Jerry & Sherman Len

Horatio Alger has nothing on Jerry Colangelo. Born and raised on Hungry Hill, a working class Italian section of Chicago, Colangelo started his career in the tuxedo rental business--a business that failed. From this modest beginning, he went on to help start the Chicago Bulls, and then later in Phoenix he was the leading force behind the creation of multiple pro sports teams, including the Phoenix Suns and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Today, Colangelo is widely recognized as one of the most influential individuals in pro sports. Players, agents, and fellow owners also agree that his more than billion dollars' worth of deals have been completed fairly and honorably--a singular accomplishment in the rough-and-tumble world of sports.In How You Play the Game Colangelo reveals how he achieved this phenomenal success. It's a tale of great moments in sports--and great innovations in business...like the basketball player who sacrificed a fat contract because he wanted to play for Colangelo...or the controversial local tax that helped build the most advanced ballpark in the country.How You Play the Game tells Colangelo's story, while it weaves in valuable lessons on how * negotiate honorably--and still get what you need * forge powerful and profitable partnerships with corporate sponsors and local government * ensure that business is a good friend to its community, earning respect and increasing prosperity for everyone * handle the media deftly, with its double-edged potential as dangerous foe or powerful advocate.For businesspeople who love sports, or sports-lovers who want the inside scoop, How You Play the Game delivers an intriguing story filled with lessons for business--and life.

Hardcover

First published April 15, 1999

Reviews

[Kriz · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know it’s a biography, but Jerry Colangelo seems to lack humility and accountability. Maybe it’s just the writing style, but I am not rooting for his successes.

[Randell Carlton Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

6/10 8.17.17- 4.29.18

[Kourtney Workman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting to read, motivational for an entrepreneur.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read of a Chicago native who "lived the American dream" from a "nobody" to athlete, scout, coach, manager, and professional sports owner. He helped create the Chicago Bulls in his twenties, then moved to Phoenix where he started and eventually owned the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks. Informative back story of what it takes to be in the sports franchise business.