Sport evokes emotions in those who play it, watch it, work in it and sponsor it.
Music also evokes emotion, which is why when we hear a familiar tune we are suddenly transported to the time, place and emotional state we were in when that song was released.
So, the stakes for selecting the right tune, song and performer leading up to significant sporting events are high.
Freddy Mercury's Barcelona is forever synonymous with the 1992 Olympics, Dave Dobbyn's Loyal is associated with New Zealand's America's Cup challenge, and Tina Turner's raspy voice, short skirts and crazy hair were Simply the Best choice for rugby league.
When music is coupled with a sporting event, team or athlete, a powerful marketing tool can ensue.
In New Zealand, the emotional/marketing battlelines have been drawn between football and rugby as they fight over the aural preferences and emotional states they invoke.
First, Martin Snedden and his fellow directors announced that the Feelers' version of Right Here, Right Now was the theme song for ticket sale advertisements to kick off the Rugby World Cup.
Then, the All Whites marketing team announced that Australian Idol winner Stan Walker would be singing Stand Up, a song written by James Reid of the Feelers, as their official anthem for the Fifa World Cup.
Football New Zealand was clever and catered to our Kiwi parochialism by using our most recent golden boy, Walker, to sing a song written by a New Zealander.
And the Feelers must be jumping from one foot to the other all the way to the bank as they stamp their mark in both the oval and round-ball campaigns.
Personally, despite the initial uproar of dissatisfaction from New Zealanders about using an overseas song, Right Here, Right Now is growing on me.
I find myself singing it around the house and it does motivate me to get myself prepared and buy some World Cup tickets so I can be part of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity happening in our back yard very soon.
As for the All Whites theme song, the lyrics hit the nail on the head: it is time for the All Whites to stand up and be counted.
Stan Walker's version of the song, however, may detract from the All Whites players as he is a big personality, the flavour of the month and a star that is shining brightly.
Mind you, football and the All Whites are also shining brightly among many dull and struggling sports teams on New Zealand soil at the moment.
The majority of our Super 14 and ANZ Championship netball franchises are struggling in their respective competitions, and the inexperienced Warriors are limping along gallantly.
What songs would represent where these teams are at right here, right now? Injury-ridden teams such as the Warriors, Chiefs and Highlanders could fight over the rights to Another One Bites The Dust.
The Central Pulse team, which has won just one game in the last three years, could seek approval to use the intoxicated but inspiring line "I get knocked down, but I get up again, you're never gonna keep me down".
On that note, Netball New Zealand in general may need to rethink its association with the "It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it" jingle.
Whatever it is they're doing, they ain't doing it right yet.
Inspirational, catchy songs aside, what it all comes down to is performance.
The NZRU and Rugby World Cup board need to produce a wonderful festival experience and winning All Black side, and the All Whites need to show their tenacity and determination against the odds.
If they don't, these songs will always evoke emotions such as disappointment, heartache and embarrassment rather than jubilation, pride and joy.
