Stand Up

I was on a short Southwest flight last week – not enough time to really do any work of my own, but just enough time to browse through the airline’s well-written inflight magazine, Southwest Spirit. Which offered a tale of unparalleled leadership from an unexpected source.

The April issue’s cover features Cameron Hughes, a rather nondescript middle aged Canadian who makes his living as a fan-for-hire; a cheer-leading hired gun, so to speak.

Hughes commands large sums of money from major and minor league professional sports franchises to, well, cheer. Although that seems to be a poor definition of his unique skill.

Dressed in well-worn denim jeans, a sports shirt and athletic shoes, Hughes takes his seat among the rest of the fans in the arena and watches the first few minutes of the game. Then he stands, and he starts to clap. He turns to encourage others around him to clap. If they don’t join him, his movements get more exaggerated; maybe even manic.

Somehow, in each venue, the same thing happens: the sight of this oh-so-average looking guy throwing himself wildly into enthusiastic, fanatic expression gets the crowd going. No matter how sparse the turn out. No matter how pitiful the team’s record. He dances. He gyrates. He pulls off his outer shirt to reveal layers of team logo shirts, which he then strips off and generously tosses to the now-cheering crowd.

Hughes first discovered his special talent in high school, after failing to win a spot on the basketball team. He devoted his 6’ 3” frame to fan performance, complete with painted face and hand-painted signs.

He continued to hone his act in college, where he evolved into “Mellon Man,” a costumed character adorned by a helmet made from half of a carved-out watermelon.

Hughes began his professional career as a frantic fan for his local hockey team, first getting paid in free tickets and paraphernalia. That evolved into cash payments, and now he earns about $1500 a night for 70 to 80 games a year.

Sports teams hire Hughes because of the value he adds to the ticket buyers’ entertainment experience, whether the home team wins or loses…or loses most of the time. Yet Hughes understands that he’s providing more than entertainment. As writer Mike Darling explains:

When Hughes performs, it’s not just about helping fans cheer a little louder for the home team, but about helping people transcend the moment and feel connected to something bigger. While Hughes works mainly in sports arenas, he also tours the country pumping up crowds of students and businessmen—including his alma mater, eight years running. “Most of all, I talk about the need to stand up,” he says. “It sums up all that I do. You can’t accomplish anything in life unless you’re first willing to stand up. The fact is, I got up at a hockey game all those years ago, I wasn’t afraid to be who I was, and it changed my life forever.”

Cameron Hughes. Superfan. Standup Guy. Leader.