The Work in Sports Podcast - Insider Advice for Sports Careers

Latest Episodes:

Understanding the Economic Impact of Coronavirus on the Sports Industry Mar 13, 2020

Show notes

Hey everybody, I'm Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged learning for WorkInSports.com and this is a special edition of the Work in Sports podcast.We're in a very unique situation right now with the Coronavirus outbreak changing the landscape of the sports industry minute by minute. Multiple sports leagues and long-standing events are being suspended if not outright canceled in an effort to isolate and calm the spread of this deadly outbreak. Star players we know and root for, Hollywood actors, heads of state are coming out as infected by this virus responsible for the COVID-19 disease. I want to be clear, we are not panicked, we are looking to the future. These cancellations and suspensions will have an impact on the business of sports and it's time to discuss and prepare for the ramifications.---Joining me today to discuss the short and long term effects of the coronavirus outbreak is professor Kenneth Shropshire. Mr. Shropshire is the CEO of the Global Sports Institue at Arizona State, and has held consultative roles with the NCAA, Major League Baseball, NFL, NFLPA and the United States Olympic Committee -- Dr. Shropshire thank you for joining me. --This conversation can break into two different categories – we aren’t doctors so we won’t speculate on the virus itself – but we can discuss what this means for the now, and what this means for the future.Let’s start with the now.Questions for Dr. Kenneth Shropshire, CEO of the Global Sports Institute on the Economic Impact of Coronavirus on the Sports Industry1: Is the decision to suspend the seasons of the NHL, NBA, MLB, March Madness and other major events like the Masters and the EPL the very definition of discretion being the better part of valor? Is this the right move?2: When leagues do the prudent thing and suspend play, there is an affected class of daily workers. Do the leagues and ownership bear any responsibilities to these workers who depend on these roles for their survival?3: In the short term, outside of game day staff, will this lead to further-reaching layoffs across sports?4: Outside of the teams and leagues themselves, who do you see being most affected economically by the suspension of play?5: Major leagues will survive this, but what about smaller leagues with razor-thin margins for success – like the XFL? the Professional Lacrosse League? Lower-division soccer leagues throughout Europe?6: I wonder also about the mental health of the athletes themselves – especially college athletes. Men and women competing for championships one day and then the next it is over, or players set to start their spring season, and then poof, that part of their identity is gone – how damaging can this be to them?7: Looking forward to when teams and leagues return to play because eventually, they will. Do you think they’ll try to make up the lost revenue, or will they have to go the other way and incentivize people to come back?8: When will we start to see the broader economic impact? Obviously, the stock market is affected immediately, but what about employment? When will the decrease in revenue start to affect jobs and opportunities moving forward?9: The NCAA tournament brings in over 900 million in revenue to the NCAA – take $900 million of revenue out of the pocket of NCAA athletics – who will this affect most in the long run?10: I’ve seen it written that Corona is more likely to have a worse economic impact in the US than China – primarily because of our societies propensity to spend their discretionary dollars on social gathering spots like sports, fitness centers, concerts, restaurants --If this consumer spending stops for a long period of time, will the US potentially face greater challenges in recovery than other countries?11: After 9/11 there was a massive change in security at arenas – do you foresee any major changes in the way arenas and stadiums are operated after Coronavirus?12: During the last recession The Economist stated that “Sports in particular are,

Mary Pink: Iowa State Associate Athletic Director for Marketing – Work In Sports Podcast Mar 11, 2020

Show notes

Mary Pink, Iowa State Associate Atheltic Director joins Brian Clapp on the Work In Sports PodcastHey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast.I’m going to date myself a bit here. In 1996 I graduated from college, got offered a job at CNN/Sports Illustrated in Atlanta, told I was going to start in 2 weeks...and moved to a city I had never seen before outside of a map. Heck, I had only been south of Virginia on a weekend trip to Disney World.7 years later, I moved to Seattle. A city I had never seen, a state I had never visited. I had a phone interview or two, flew out for an in face interview and was asked to start in 2 weeks. I gave my CNN peeps two weeks' notice, stopped working on a Friday, traveled that weekend to Seattle and started on Monday. Looking back this was ludicrous. 10 years after that I moved to Denver. 3 years after that I moved to Philadelphia. And multiple times I have spoken on this podcast telling all of you to prepare yourself for the inevitable. If you want to work in sports you will relocate. You will go where the jobs are. You will move on in order to move up. The theory is sound, the jobs in sports are in high demand, there isn’t a lot of turnover ahead of you on the career path, so if you start out with the Washington Nationals, you will likely have to move to the Pittsburgh Pirates to advance...or the New Jersey Devils or the LA Chargers… you get the drift. Even if you aren’t working for a team, the challenge is the same. If you start our at GSE Worldwide in Atlanta, you may need to jump to Octagon to grow. The examples are endless. This past fall I interviewed Chris Grosse, Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing at Penn State. Prior to Penn State, he worked at Florida State, the Naval Academy, Georgetown and New Mexico State.Just last month I interviewed Tim Duncan, Athletic Director for the University of New Orleans -- his prior stops -- Memphis, UNC-Wilmington, Paine College, Clayton State, Northeastern and now... the University of New Orleans. So it’s settled then, right?Nope. Enter exhibit A, today’s guest Mary Pink -- one of the most respected names in college athletics. Mary is the Associate AD for marketing at Iowa State, and has been rocking it in Ames Iowa for 24 years.So it is not a mandate that you have to move around -- it may be likely - but it is not written rule. It is not a fact. For mary -- she’s been a part of 24 years of athletic, attendance, revenue and branding growth -- and going to explain it all. Here’s Mary Pink…Questions for Mary Pink, Iowa State Associate Athletic Director for Marketing1: Before we get into sports marketing in college athletics and life at a major university like Iowa State – I want to go back to your beginning… did you always dream of working in sports?Follow: how did you discover your fit in marketing college athletics?2: I’ve interviewed many people in college athletics and often they’ve worked at a multitude of schools, jumping around in order to grow their career.This always seemed like a necessity, a pattern you’d see everywhere, and yet you’ve been at Iowa State for 24 years and grown into a top role in the athletic department – why was it important to you to stay and develop within Iowa State?3: Your job description is vast and the expectations enormous. You seem to have your hands in everything --marketing, branding, ticket sales, communications, sponsorship, special events, budgeting, negotiations, fundraising, coach and employee supervision, strategic planning and event management.Clearly you can’t do it all yourself and you have a team of people helping you execute on your vision – so I ask, what are the most important traits you look for when assembling your team?4: How would you describe your leadership style?5: Looking for your guidance here – should young people who want to work in sports marketing try to become a jack-of-all-trades learning all of th...

Four Keys for Getting a Promotion at Work — Work In Sports Podcast Mar 09, 2020

Show notes

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning with WorkinSports.com and this is the WorkInSports podcast…A couple of quick updates before we get into today's podcast -- I want to welcome sports management students from Farmingdale State, you’re incredible leadership team led by Sab Singh, just signed one to be a part of our Sports Career Game Plan curriculum and in the next month we’ll be rolling out your program. Farmingdale joins the University of Dubuque, University of Florida, University of Findlay, Wilmington College, Middle Georgia State, Ball State, East Carolina and a handful of other colleges and universities around the country.If you are listening and you are a college professor, or know a college professor, or are a student who would like your college program to implement our program -- which is awesome, and teaches you how to become a Master at Getting Hired in Sports, and includes a screaming deal for WorkInSports.com premium memberships -- reach out to me. bclapp at workinsports.com -- that’s two p’s.If you are an individual who wants to learn how to become a master at getting hired in sports - check out workinsports.com/academyAlright, welcome Farmingdale State -- let’s get into today’s show.The question comes in today and it kind of calls me out. Which I love. I seriously love it when people call me on my sh!t. Well, when they do it productively. For example -- emailing me and saying “you are the biggest moron I’ve ever listened to” I don’t love that. But if someone says ...hey, you talk a lot about this, but not enough about that”I love it because you are telling me what you want to know. I want that, I want to hear from you all. I don’t want to make up what I think is relevant, I want you all to ask!So hit me up on LinkedIN, ask questions, email me, bclapp@workinsports.com -- that’s my legit email. I want to hear from you all.OK, let’s get to the question from Ben in Alabama “Hey Brian, I love the podcast but I am a little bored with the Monday podcasts lately. I feel like you are spending so much time preparing people to work in sports, but not helping those of us in the industry advance.I started in the business a year ago, and I’m anxious to grow. I don’t want to hear as much about internships or resume building, I want to hear about other topics that will push me forward.”Ben thank you. I’ll be honest, I read this at first and felt defensive… like wait, are you for real? My immediate gut reaction was to send you a list of podcast episodes you should listen to, and to explain to you the expert interviews that are all about advancement… but really,. When I took a deep breath, waited a second and thought about it… there is some good learning in here for me too.I guess that is your first tip for today. Take a breath before responding. I used to be the most emotional person in the newsroom. Someone challenged my work, I’d be ready to rumble. Someone asked a question about why I made a certain decision, I’d be on the cusp of war. I look back at how I performed in my earlier years and wonder how I survived. I had talent, I worked hard...but I was so confrontational and defensive. I was probably impossible to work with. Take a deep breath before responding, don't immediately feel like your honor is on the line. Don’t assume people are out to get you. Be willing to constructively improve. Alright, that's a freebie -- didn’t even expect to talk about that.Ok, let’s get into some year one things you can be doing to improve your chances of being promoted and growing.1: Improve your Communication skills - this is not the old man saying “twitter has ruined grammar!”Quite the opposite. In some ways young people today communicate with more confidence that in my time. I would attribute that to social media. YOu arent afraid to say and share what you feel -- and that is good. BUT - there has to be an emphasis on quality. I receive emails almost daily from students and young professionals asking care...

Dan Duquette, Former MLB General Manager Talks Player Development – Work In Sports Podcast Mar 04, 2020

Show notes

Dan Duquette, former 2-time MLB Executive of the Year and General Manager for the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles joins host Brian Clapp on the Work In Sports podcast!Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast…There is a bit of an unfortunate truth in the sports industry… sometimes job titles can mean very different things to different people in different organizations.Take the term marketing for one. People tell me all the time, I want to work in sports marketing! And I say...OK, what specifically in marketing, because that is a very broad term. Marketing could be project managing billboards, or email outreach, tossing t-shirts on game night… or it could be google paid advertising, sponsorships, and activation. So when you see a job listing for a marketing Manager -- make sure you read the job description and tailor your resume and cover letter for that specific role and the demands of it.Another term that has a pretty wide berth is player development. Taken on its surface, you are in charge of developing the player. Makes sense right? But there are really two different aspects of this -- on the field of play, and off the field of play. You will see player development roles that involve assisting athletes, whether they be in college or in the pros, adjusting to their new life, getting settled, knowing their way around town, where to get food, how to get set up with a financial advisor. These are vitally important roles that colleges and pro organizations take on to make sure they get the most out of their investment. If a player is worried about having a place to live or knowing what classes to take - they are more likely to be distracted and not perform at their best.But there is another type of player development, and that’s what we are going to focus on today. That is the magic that happens in organizations between acquisition and true potential. Let’s use baseball as an example. Player gets drafted, they are 18 years old just graduated high school, and now they are in your system. Unless their name is Mike Trout, it is a long way to a major league city. Player development is everything that happens between acquisition and making the major leagues.How to playHow to eatHow to trainHow to mentally prepareHow to practiceHow to identify and work on your weaknessesHow to understand game strategy and organizational philosophyThese development plans are all customized for each individual in the organization. Having a plan, and executing it, is the best way to make your investment in a player reach its true potential.It’s a fascinating process, one that happens behind the scenes of sports organizations at all levels. Because success equates to value...and failure costs time, money and effort. Over the last 40 years one of the most respected men in baseball team management, and player development has been Dan Duquette, former GM of the Red Sox, Orioles, and Expos. The list of players he has acquired and developed into major league talent is stunning. I won’t list them all here...it’s too long. But what is really exciting, is that Dan is teaming up with our friends at Sports Management Worldwide to share his knowledge and teach an 8-week online course in baseball player development. He joined me earlier this week to talk about his career, becoming an executive, decision making, trusting yourself and a breakdown of what he’ll teach in his upcoming class... Here is 2-time MLB executive of the year...Dan Duquette...Questions for Dan Duquette, former General Manager for the Red Sox, Orioles and Expos 1: There is so much we have to talk about and discuss – but let’s start out with this. You’ve reached the highest heights of the sports industry and… you were an English major in college.I ask you, in today’s sports industry can you still become a 2-time executive of the year as an English major…or are we living in a completely different world with di...

Shaking Hands and Changing Roles – Work In Sports Podcast Mar 02, 2020

Show notes

Is it OK to respectfully decline a handshake prior to a job interview? That and more on the Work In Sports podcast!Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast…I feel like we have a lot to talk about today. Big picture stuff. So we’re just going to jump into things. Great question today coming up from Giovanna P, Giovanna is a member of our private facebook group and posted a really great question yesterday that we’re going to dig into soon.But first -- a question from a friend of mine, someone who wishes to remain anonymous, but presented a very, very timely and important question.This friend asked:“Hey Brian, I have an interview coming up this week I am very excited about, I’ve heard you talk about first impressions a lot on your show, and I value it’s importance as well. Handshakes, eye contact, smiles -- all important stuff.But I have to admit - normally, I hate handshakes, I’m a bit of a germaphobe by nature, but I struggle through it in these instances. But now, with coronavirus and the instances of community transmission...is it fair for me to avoid a handshake completely?” Friend who slipped into my DMs… yes. 100%.I won’t deny there is a part of me that thinks, ugh, I hate this catch 22, because that awkward first moment could be damaging and we should all just suck it upBut that is crappy advice. Let’s be real people -- if someone is offended right now, by someone not wanting skin to skin contact - that person is an a-hole. I think there is a way to do it respectfully, and proactively that helps avoid any awkwardness. You have to think ahead and start your motion before someone else moves to shake. At this time you raise your hand higher, shoulder height, and start to wave courteously.Hey John nice to meet you, waving at them. If anyone says – “oh we’re not doing handshakes” because some people can’t help themselves, they have to be a meathead, its lodged in their DNA. Just be respectful and say something while smiling like, “it feels like an appropriate choice”If they push any further – this is a red flag, and likely not someone you’d want to be around in a work role anyway. Put this in your data file and remember you are choosing them as much as they are choosing you. Alas, I don’t think this will happen – a polite wave, with eye contact, sends the signal quote clearly – we’re not doing that…and in this time in our history, quite understandable.Again, you have to make your move early -- and take charge with a wave. So, there is no awkward hand out-stretched and you start retching, like they are handing you tetanus.You who listen to this show know I am not a big quotes guy -- not a big fan of the posters with quotes. BUT, I have a few movie type moments that bounce around in my head a lot. One, is from the movie “the girl with the dragon tattoo” great book series, decent movie, which is very applicable here.I won’t get into the full scene, but the bad guy says to the good guy: “Sometimes the fear of offending can be stronger than the fear of pain” Let’s break that down into everyday life. Would you shake someone’s hand, knowing it *could* harm you, because you are afraid to offend them?Really think about that.Would you shake someone’s hand knowing it could hurt you, just because you are afraid to offend them?Think about this in your daily life – have you ever made a choice that you really really questioned, just because you were afraid to offend the other person?I’ve known women, who went out on dates with guys they hated because they were afraid to offend them.I’ve known guys, who went base jumping, or some other risky move because they didn’t want to offend the friend who booked the surprise trip.Are these smart choices? Don’t make decisions, important decisions, based on your fear of offending. Make them based on what you truly believe is right, or safe.My wife and I deal with this all the time with our kids -- we’ll get an of...

Dennis Adamovich, CEO College Football Hall of Fame – Work In Sports Podcast Feb 26, 2020

Show notes

Dennis Adamovich, CEO of the College Football Hall of Fame joins host Brian Clapp to discuss leaders that inspire him, the steps to becoming a CEO, negotiating techniques and much more. Hey everybody, I'm Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast.We all have big dreams for the sports industry right? I mean none of us grew up thinking I dream someday of being a mid-level manager, working nights, weekends and holidays with the hopes of eventually moving out of my parent's house. No of course not, we all dream bigger than that. We dream of being a sports agent, leading an organization, anchoring sports center, coaching LeBron's kid, being a CEO, running an NFL draft.These are big goals, big dreams. But, you have to leave them in the background for a bit. Don’t ignore them, don’t forget that they are what guide you -- they have a huge role in your life and success - but for right now, you have to focus on the steps. You see no one starts out at the big goal, they build, systematically to reach the dream. Anchors on SportsCenter start out as a sideline reporter for the rodeo in Pocatello Idaho. They learn their craft, they make mistakes, they build their style and point of view, the refine their writing and communication skills, they understand the entire production and staffing and budgets.And then they graduate to Champaign Illinois. Maybe 5 years later ESPN notices them, and they end up doing sideline for a Wednesday night Toledo vs. Akron college football game. It’s a build. I’ll task every one of you listening with this chore -- take your big dream, and break it down into steps. If you want to be a sports agent -- what are the steps you need to get there? Focus on the steps. Take today’s guest - Dennis Adamovich, CEO of the College Football Hall of Fame. He didn’t graduate college and become CEO of the College Football Hall of fame. He spent 8 years at a major brand, Coca Cola, he worked up within this global brand, to a point where he had 110 staff members he was responsible for. He oversaw the sports marketing and sponsorship efforts for the brand, he managed over $150 million in brand funds. And that was just the first 8 years of his career. Over the next 15 years, he was SVP of Turner Broadcasting. He took the steps, he mastered the business of sports, he managed people and budgets, he landed sponsorship deals and much much more. These were his steps. Now, after making all these moves, and proving himself, becoming a CEO was a natural extension of all he had done to that point in his career.Dennis Adamovich has helped turn the College Football Hall of Fame into a jewel of downtown Atlanta -- I’ve been twice now, and it’s one of the must-see stops when you visit Atlanta. And he joins us this week to share a little more insight into his role and how he’s grown in the industry… here’s Dennis Adamovich CEO of the College Football Hall of FameQuestions for Dennis Adamovich, CEO College Football Hall of Fame1: We’ve had guests of varying experience in the sports industry on this show to help provide the entire picture of what it’s like working in the sports industry – but we’ve had very few with as much experience as you, so thank you for lending your expertise.Let’s start with this – at what point did you decide on sports for a career path, and why?2: I want to get into the details of your various leadership positions - you’ve been an executive at Coca-Cola, Turner Broadcasting and now CEO of the CFB Hall of Fame - but I’m curious about your mentality as much as I am about the day-to-day roles. What would you consider the most important traits or skills you developed which have allowed you to thrive in executive leadership?3: Would you consider yourself a competitive person?4: I had a boss once that told me the most important part of my job wasn’t the day to day journalism, it was hiring a strong staff around me. What has been your approach to hiring and develo...

Getting Noticed in an Applicant Tracking System World – Work in Sports Podcast Feb 24, 2020

Show notes

Don't try and defeat Applicant Tracking Systems, learn how to work with them! We explain in this edition of the Work In Sports Podcast with Brian ClappHey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning with WorkInSports.com and this is the WorkInSports podcast.I have to tell you all, later this afternoon I am interviewing Dan Duquette for this podcast and I’m a little more than fired up. Dan Duquette was the GM of the Expos, the Red Sox and the Baltimore Orioles. He’s a 2-time MLB executive of the year. He traded for Pedro Martinez!He signed Manny Ramirez!He traded Heathcliff Slocumb for Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek!As a die-hard Red Sox fan….I’m in mind-blowing don’t mess this up, mode right now. I usually prep about 10 questions for each interview subject… with Dan, I wrote 25 questions down in like 10 minutes. And for all you Orioles fans out there, your team may be terrible now, but I’d like to remind you it was he who led them to the playoffs in 2012 for the first time since 1997, and won the American League East in 2014. The guy is a baseball genius. He’s going to be talking about his career. But also about a new online course in Baseball Player Development that he’s launching with our friends over at Sports Management Worldwide. Can you tell I’m excited?Alright,m tune into that next Wednesday -- this Wednesday is another great interview with Dennis Adamovich, the CEO of the College Football Hall of Fame. We talk a lot about leadership, event management and who he admires in the game today. Really fun stuff, that’s on Wednesday so tune in. Alright, so what is on tap for today… fan question!Well, before we get into that...a little perspective and inspiration. I don’t appreciate cheesy sayings people put on their wall to motivate themselves. BUT, I absolutely love when someone LIVES in a way that represents truth and perspective.Maybe you’ve heard this story, maybe not. Sadio Mane, The Liverpool Star from Senegal who earns approximately 10.2 million dollars annually, was spotted by fans carrying a cracked Iphone, and somehow it became a story. People asked him why… why do you a man of great means, suffer through a cracked iPhone, oh the horror.His response is legendary. "Why would I want ten Ferraris, 20 diamond watches and two jet planes? What would that do for the world? I starved, I worked in the fields, I played barefoot, and I didn't go to school. Now I can help people. I prefer to build schools and give poor people food or clothing. I have built schools [and] a stadium; we provide clothes, shoes, and food for people in extreme poverty. In addition, I give 70 euros per month to all people from a very poor Senegalese region in order to contribute to their family economy. I do not need to display luxury cars, luxury homes, trips, and even planes. I prefer that my people receive a little of what life has given me," I love this man.Floyd Mayweather...are you listening? Hat tip to Alina Menuhkin for sharing this on LinkedIn earlier today. Alright...now today’s question.It is from Nick in Salisbury, Maryland. “Hi Brian, I’ve heard you talk tangentially about how to optimize your resume to defeat the Applicant Tracking Systems -- but I haven’t heard you specifically address how. So...how do you do it?”Nick, I am going to read and answer your question primarily because you used the word tangentially in it. I found that impressive. I think that is a fair critique, I may have mentioned the importance of defeating the Applicant Tracking systems in passing...but never got into the nuts and bolts of it all. So let’s do that!Quick explainer on how ATS systems work.They scan you, and if you don’t hit the mark, I never see you.1: Apply only for jobs you are qualified for!2: Don’t try any tricks you see on the interwebs that seem like they are bypassing your lack of qualifications. Either you are qualified for the job or not. 3: Do not apply for multiple jobs at the same company 4: Include the right keywords5: Co...

Bryan Van Den Bosch, Minnesota Twins New Business Development Manager Feb 19, 2020

Show notes

Minnesota Twins New Business Development Manager Bryan Van Den Bosch joins Work in Sports podcast host Brian Clapp to discuss sports sales jobs, leadership and building a strong teamHey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast.As I have admitted many times on this podcast, I am not a natural networker. It is not my comfort zone, I am not the type that will walk up to someone and engage in conversation with ease. I wish I was. Oftentimes getting out of your comfort zone is essential to growth. And I like growth. I am a curious person who likes to learn and challenge myself, so last week’s National Sports Forum, with 1,000 people deeply connected to the sports industry, was somewhere I needed to be. But I was feeling both anxious and cowardly leading up to the event. You see we all tell ourselves a story in our head that is loud. It echoes. It has power and weight. We tell ourselves, “these people won’t want to talk with me” or “they’ll find me uninteresting or I’ll struggle with relevant things to say”Even deeper we tell ourselves “I’ll never get that job” or “I’ll never lose that weight” or “I’ll never be able to speak in a crowd”Boy, do we have a lot of voices in our head. So ask yourself the next time you feel this happening -- ask yourself -- is this self-doubt helping me? I broke out of my comfort zone last week. In fact, today’s guest was one of the people who helped me do it. Minnesota Twins New Business Development Manager Bryan Van Den Bosch said hi to me in the line for food the first night of the conference… we struck up a conversation, he’s an awesome guy with tons of sports career experience so we shared a few sliders at Mercedes Benz Stadium and booked a podcast interview. So let’s get to it - Bryan is an expert at building relationships in the sports industry, and he’s here to share his world in baseball with the Minnesota Twins…Questions for Bryan Van Den Bosch, Minnesotas Twins New Business Development Manager 1: For the last 10 years since graduating from Valparaiso you’ve worked for a multitude of teams in various leagues – and we’ll get into all of those details – but I’m curious first, your roles have been all connected to revenue generation – account executive, inside sales, premium hospitality, new business – what led you in this direction, how did you figure out this was your fit?2: Let’s talk about your first two roles – we’ve often talked about how jobs in the minor league or in your case independent league baseball are great training grounds – what was your experience like with the Gary SouthShore RailCats & Lake County Fielders?3: After the independent league, you join the Chicago Sky of the WNBA as an Account Executive -- what was the biggest eye-opening moment for you as you grew from independent league baseball to a big city pro sports team?4: Account executive is a pretty broad term, explain to us what your role was like there and what you enjoyed most about it?5: You were prolific with the Sky.Multiple sales awards, beating your yearly sales goals with months to spare, in fact in one month you led the entire WNBA in new ticket revenue – so at this time what were you learning about sales and how to connect with potential buyers? What was it that was working so well for you?6: In addition to your role with the Sky, you also became part of the Premium Hospitality team with the Chicago Bears -- you’re a Chicago guy, was it hard working for your various hometown teams, or was it a dream come true?7: Would you consider yourself a competitive person? And if so is that a valuable attribute for working in sales?8: Chicago Sky bumps you up to Manager of New Business Development, now your managing a team of account executives…what were some of the big things you learned jumping into managing people?9: Now you are evaluating and motivating staff, setting goals, holding people accountable and more -- so after all that,

Finding a Sports Job as a Student-Athlete – Work In Sports Podcast Feb 17, 2020

Show notes

Hey, everybody, it’s Brian...I have to admit, I never really considered getting my Masters because I thought it would be restrictive on my career. I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but really, I didn’t want to stop my job to get my Masters.But the world has changed, Master’s programs are more flexible than ever, and they can really vault your career forward. Check out Georgetown for example. It used to be if you wanted a Master’s from Georgetown you were relocating to Washington DC… but now, Georgetown offers a part-time Master's in Sports Industry Management that is ideal for working professionals, offering flexible options to take classes online, on-campus, or through a combination of both—so you don't have to interrupt your career to earn your degree. The program prepares you to excel in the global sports industry by learning the communication, business, and leadership strategies that will position you for success.To learn more about the program, visit scs.georgetown.edu/workinsportsAlright, let’s start the countdown…Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast. I have to apologize for no episodes last week -- I failed all of you! I was at the National Sports Forum in Atlanta last week and wow what an event. I’m not a huge conference-goer -- but this was pretty cool. Lots of learning opportunities, I booked a ton of new podcast guests and got out of my comfort zone and networked. I know right, kind of crazy, I actually went up and talked to people. A lot. And I didn’t die. Who knew!One other note I thought of and wanted to share before we get into this week's fan question -- there were about 1,000 people at this conference. That’s a big number, right? There was a huge hall with all 1,000 people packed in to hear Arthur Blank owner of the Falcons and Atlanta United, speak. I looked around and thought -- wow, this is a lot of people hanging on his every word! And then it dawned on me. Every week, twice a week, we get about 2,000 of you listening to every episode. Two of those conference halls, packed with all of you, our listeners. And it made me feel extremely grateful. So thank you. Thank you for listening, and sharing and trying to learn and improve yourselves. I’ll tell you what, I guarantee I’ve learned as much from all of you, and all of our guests, as you have from me. Alright, enough sappy stuff, on to today’s question which comes in from Spencer:Hi Brian -- I will be graduating in May with a degree in marketing. I have also been a 4-year student-athlete which has consumed most of my time meaning I do not have much internship experience (8 months). Some of the positions I have applied to respond saying the lack of experience is an issue. Is there anything you recommend for a student-athlete with a 3.7 cumulative GPA in their job search in collegiate/professional sports? Thank you!This is a question I get a lot - and it is a good one - so let’s dig into it because I have a lot of thoughts on the subject and even if you aren’t a student-athlete they will help you. Student-athletes lack the time to complete internships. But so do people that have to support themselves through college, so this scenario isn’t limited to those who play. Let's dig into it.. (for a more detailed explanation listen in to the podcast episode!)1: Your job search starts with Networking2: lean into your special skills -- tell your storyLeadershipTime managementCoachabilityCompetitivenessTeamworkAbility to handle pressureMaturityDependabilityTime management3: Play the 8mile game in your cover letter. The cover letter is your weapon of choice. 4: Consider starting in sales.5: Find the right culture. I hope that helps Spencer -- remember to lean into your unique skills and attributes rather than trying to walk down the same path as everyone else. Blind resumes and applications won’t work as well for you because you won’t pass the skills filter.

John Mellor: CEO & Co-Founder WorkInSports.com – Work In Sports Podcast Feb 05, 2020

Show notes

Sports entrepreneur and Co-Founder of WorkInSports.com, John Mellor, joins host Brian Clapp on the Work In Sports podcastHey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkInSports.com and this is the Work In Sports podcast…I guess it’s time for a little history talk... But not too far back, we’re not talking Roman gladiators or Mesopotamia. We’re talking about 22 years ago, when the internet was the most fertile ground in the world. 1998 ish -- everyone was on the hunt for their dot com get rich quick idea. Internet companies were formulating daily, popping up all over the place and establishing a new culture and expectation for workers. My wife worked for a few different dot com startups in this time and their culture was much different than the buttoned-up, role defined, performance review world I lived in at CNN/Sports Illustrated. They had the stereotypical ping pong table in the lobby - a slide going from the 2nd floor down to the first, they had pods of working desks and at random times someone would play the theme song to the family feud and they’d all drop whatever they were working on and rush to compete against each other in an online version of the game. They’d play half-life throughout the day and have food catered in. The culture and work environment was awesome -- unfortunately, the product of most of these companies was speculative at best. INvestors wanted to throw money at these companies, despite their lack of financial fundamentals or even a product worth getting behind. BUt again. The investor flocked because they all told themselves this is a new world, we have to adjust our way of evaluating these companies… and the money is really green coming out of these wins. The venture capitalists wanted their lottery ticket, they all wanted to get in on the action and get in early on the next big thing. So now you have these really young companies, led by young visionaries without much business experience being handed tons and tons of money to make their idea grow.In this era, this concept of money and growth translated into advertising and branding. So many dot com companies went crazy trying to get their name out there. One of my wives companies...true story...hired a guy who was considered a bit of a viral youtuber back then, to hand out company-branded velvet pouches with $5 in coins in them at Times Square. Just randomly giving out $5 to people and thinking - oh yeah, this will have a return on investment. Sure sure sure.21 different dot-com ads were run in Super Bowl 34 in January 2000. These ads amounted to nearly 20 percent of the 61 spots available,[1] and $44 million in advertising.Let’s run through some of those companies and see how things played out for them…E1040.comEpidemic.comLastminutetravel.comLifeminders.comOnMoney.comNetpliance.comOurbeginning.comWe could go on. Perspective -- OurBeginning.com's revenue jumped 350% in Q1 of 2000, but its $5 million in advertising costs were still ten times what its customers spent.[8] Short-term gains were not enough to recoup advertising losses, and Pets.com, Computer.com, and Epidemic.com, among many others, would fold before the end of the year.Why is this important? -- well, a couple of reasons. 1 don’t forget the fundamentals - in everything you do it’s important not to get swept up in the hype and wishing, it’s important to stay focused and rely on what is proven and works. And 2 -- during this bomb cyclone of negative activity, CEO and Co-founder of WorkInSports.com John Mellor decided to launch a dot com business. January 2000 -- WorkInsports.com was incorporated… May 2000 first paying customer!January 2020 -- still in business, leading the sports employment industry and helping XXXXXXX users find information on sports jobs.Now, I want to be really clear about something as we venture into this interview and conversation with the guy who pays my check… this is not a prolonged advertisement for our site,

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Work in Sports Podcast – Insider Advice for Sports Careers

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected