Avnet Helps Tell Story Of Chinese Olympic Baseball Team
This year, of course, is different. The Cubs are in first place and Maag won't stop smiling. But the Cubs won't be the only team to hold his interest this month. Maag will be watching the Chinese Olympic baseball team, when the XXIXth Summer Olympiad kicks off next week.
The Chinese team, guided by former major league manager Jim Lefebvre and ex-Boston Red Sox pitcher Bruce Hurst, trained in Scottsdale, Ariz., right down the road from Avnet's headquarters. A film crew shot a documentary on the making of the team which Avnet helped sponsor.
Avnet didn't have the budget to fully support an unexpected project, but Avnet was able to give the production team a jump start. Maag also approached the regional managers for Avnet's Asian operations, both of Chinese descent, to leverage their support in the release of the documentary.
"I asked if they were aware that China had a baseball team. They both said the same thing: 'We don't have a baseball team.' I said they'd been practicing here in Arizona getting ready for the Olympics," he said. Avnet does over $1 billion in sales in China, mostly on the components side.
"The and#91;Asia managersand#93; said, 'What can we do with customers.' I said, 'You can take them to the games or you could just show them the DVD and#91;of the documentaryand#93; to at least let people know about it,'" Maag said. "We don't have funds to be big sponsor of the Olympics. But I love baseball and it's a charming story of a start-up team. I thought it was a thing we could support and feel we're a small, small part of the Olympics."
And as for the Cubs' chances of winning the World Series?
"I better not say," laughed Maag. "Let's put it this way. At this point, you know you have a really good team when your reserves are helping you win as many games as your starters. I don't want to say too much. We're all very excited."
"Out of Left Field: The Making of the Chinese Olympic Baseball Team" premieres Aug. 14 on PBS stations.