The rivalry that wasn't… until it was.

There are moments in sports — and in marketing — that don't look like strategy at first glance. They look like a joke. A stunt. Something someone "just thought would be funny."

But if you understand attention, you realise those moments are often the most strategic decisions being made.

One of my favourite examples comes from the early days of the "rivalry" between Indy Eleven and Louisville City FC. A rivalry that, technically, didn't exist.

The moment: a banner, a plane, and Nickelback

Ahead of a playoff match, a plane circled Louisville with a banner that read:

"LCFC ♥ Nickelback — XI — #LIPAFC"

Yes… that Nickelback

It was juvenile. It was unnecessary. It was perfect. And it worked.

Indy Eleven confirmed they were behind the banner, leaning fully into a tongue-in-cheek jab that immediately spread across social media, message boards and local press. Fans laughed, high-fived and shared it.

This wasn't about Nickelback. This was about manufacturing attention where none naturally existed.

There was no real rivalry

Unlike legacy soccer derbies, there was no decades-long hatred, no geographic war, no cultural divide. Just two clubs in proximity.

Fans had already jokingly labelled the matchup #LIPAFC — the Louisville-Indianapolis Proximity Association Football Contest. That's not a real rivalry name. It's satire.

But satire creates identity faster than tradition.

Instead of forcing seriousness, we leaned into absurdity. And here's the key:

• Humour lowers resistance
• Absurdity increases shareability
• Specificity — Nickelback, not "a band" — makes it memorable

Now you're not just playing a game. You're participating in a joke. And jokes travel.

This is the gap most organisations miss

You can have a strong data strategy. A clear brand strategy. A well-built marketing strategy.

But without an attention strategy, none of it compounds. Because if no one is paying attention, nothing else matters.

Attention is the entry point. It's the difference between a campaign being seen or ignored, a brand being remembered or forgotten, an event being attended or skipped.

What this means for you

If you're building anything — events, brands, campaigns — you should be asking what in your world is:

• Unexpected
• Slightly controversial, in a safe way
• Highly shareable
• Easy to understand instantly

Not just information — ammunition for conversation. People didn't just watch that game. They became part of a narrative.

Final thought

The best part about this example is how simple it was. No massive budget — $1,500 for the airplane banner. No overproduction. No complicated media buy.

Just a sharp understanding of one thing: attention is the most valuable currency in modern marketing.

And sometimes, all it takes to win it is making your rival look like they love Nickelback. Maybe they do.