The Work in Sports Podcast - Insider Advice for Sports Careers

Latest Episodes:

James Kimball, UFC Performance Institute VP of Operations – Work In Sports Podcast Aug 14, 2019

Show notes

James Kimball, VP of Operations for the UFC Performance Institute joins the Work In Sports podcast to discuss getting hired at UFC, being part of the development team behind UFC's 30,000 square foot Performance Institute and what it's like to have a leader like UFC President Dana White.Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…Every time I see a list from Forbes or some other magazine, touting the most valuable sports franchises in the world, I’m blown away. Dallas Cowboys worth 5 billionReal Madrid worth 4.2 billionEven the damn New York Knicks who haven’t won a game in 5 years and have a nutbag owner are worth 4 billion. Of course, that is hyperbole - the Knicks have won a few games. So often when these numbers are posted, the fans revolt. You see snide comments all over the place about greedy, money-grubbing owners, high ticket prices...you hear labor complaints about guaranteed contracts and health issues of former athletes.The organizations and leagues are painted as cold, manipulative monsters only out for the bottom line - dragging their athletes along, using them like cattle and then getting rid of them when they provide less value. But that is never the whole story - it’s kind of the easy story to tell. Dig a little deeper and you find that the soul of these organizations is a little more subtle than some revenue sheet. There are efforts that aren’t in the public eye organized by teams and leagues to help and support their athletes. Take the UFC for example. President Dana White recently stated that UFC was worth 7 billion dollars. That’s a jaw-dropping number. And you wonder -- how much of that goes to the athletes in one form or another, how much is done to support them?The short answer -- a lot. They have support programs for retired fighters, athlete development programs to assist the fighters outside the octagon, and recently unveiled the UFC Performance Institute - a $14 million, 30,000-square foot facility that serves as the world's first Mixed Martial Arts multi-disciplinary research, innovation, and performance center. This center, with its altitude chambers, nap pods, nutrition center, therapy rooms, underwater treadmills and more -- is 100% free to athletes on the UFC roster. Free.Completely focused on helping the athletes cut weight the right way, to build a solid plan for their fight needs and for their recovery. The man running this facility, and who played a major role its overall design, is James Kimball, VP of Operations for the UFC Performance Institute...and today’s guest:Questions for James Kimball, UFC Performance Institute VP of Operations1: Everyone I speak with seems to have a moment they can pinpoint where it became clear they didn’t just love sports; they knew they wanted it to be their career. What was that moment for you?2: Your first job out of college is in the NBA with the Washington Wizards in sales. We tell people all the time, the vast majority of the jobs in sports are in sales. Some love it, some hate it… where did you fit on that sales spectrum?3: You jumped around a bit after that, tennis, college recruiting for baseball, SB Nation on the content side – was this just part of the journey, or were you feeling a little lost and a little confused about what you really wanted?4: Boom. UFC in 2010 in fan experience. I’d imagine working in UFC is a little different than your other stops – how did it differ from those other environments, and were you hooked right away? 5: You’re a VP now, but back then you were an entry-level fan engagement coordinator – what was that specific experience like and what did you like most about it?6: Fan engagement, Community relations, Athlete development, now operations – how important was it for you to get in with an organization you wanted to be a part of and just growing from within? 7: I’m speaking as a fan of the UFC, but also someone lacking some knowledge – explai...

Samantha Wood: Philadelphia Eagles Director of Digital and Social Media Aug 07, 2019

Show notes

Samantha Wood Philadelphia Eagles Director of Digital and Social Media joins host Brian Clapp on the Work in Sports Podcast.Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…Everyone wants to work in sports social media. Ok, that’s hyperbolic, it isn’t everyone, but it seems pretty darn close. No one, or at least very few people, remark that they want to work in sports sales, despite it having a really high career ceiling, and money making potential. Very few share their love and desire to work in facility management, or consumer goods, despite the enormous opportunities at sports facilities around the globe and massive consumer brands churing out shoes apparal and equipment and monumental clips.Nope, it seems most of you have sold your soul to Twitter. I’ll admit, I’ll see a tweet from friend of the show Katie Gillen from Atlanta FC when she shares a cool graphic, or behind the scenes video, or incredible photo, or funny comment related to the team… and think to myself, she’s got a pretty awesome job.Or I notice today's guest Samantha Wood, Director of Digital and Social Media with the Philadelphia Eagles do the same, and there may be a tinge of creative jealousy. As a creator myself, you see people put in positions to be creative and thrive… and sure, I can absolutely see the excitement behind working in social media for a team or organization.BUT - I don’t want to dampen the dream, but I want to be very clear with all of you. I believe wholeheartedly in settingreasonbale expectations. Telling people the truth about the industry and it’s roles…Social Media in sports is not just a content party.I lifted this directly from a job posting for a social media coordinator from our site WorkinSports.com - where if you hadn’t noticed, there ar 14,482 active jobs right now on our site… so for all you people struggling to get started in the industry… we have the jobs!Anyway, I lifted these details from one of jobs currently active on our site for a social media coordinator. Track & analyze social media insights, trends and new platforms.Execute paid social media campaigns and budgets.Assist with website content via the content management system including but not limited to events, weekly promotions, photo galleries, general info (contact info, hours, FAQ, inquiry forms), news articles, etc.Help with database collection through contests, promotions, campaigns and events.Ability to learn and create visually appealing graphic designs using Canva. Assist with coordination and management of photography and videography assets.Plan, design and manage the outbound emails including database management and content.Work with sponsors on activations and implementation of their contracts.Work with operations to execute Game Day promotions, sponsorship implementation and in game program elementsLet’s pull out some key skills there -- Tracking and analysing data. Budgeting. Executing paid campaigns. Database management. Creating graphics on Canva. Managing content assets. Activation. Contracts. Game Day promotions. Now a coordinator is an entry level role, imagine how this ramps up as you become a director! As I said, Sports social media isn’t just a content playground, it’s a function of the business operations of the team or organization, and you need to have more than just the ability to tweet to get these jobs.No one better to teach you that, than todays guest Samantha Wood - Director of Digital and Social platforms with the Philadelphia Eagles!Listen in to this great episode of the Work in Sports podcast to hear Samantha Wood discuss her role and challenges.

Jump Starting Your Job Search – Work in Sports Podcast Aug 05, 2019

Show notes

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…Before we get into today’s topic, I’m still a little stunned about something that happened this weekend. Longtime NFL reporter Don Banks died in his sleep at just 56 years old and the world is a worse place because of it. I didn’t know Don well, but I knew him a little. During my tenure at CNN/Sports Illustrated we would often reach out to the various Sports Illustrated reporters for more details on some of their reporting, or to get a quote from them, or have them jump on our shows live to answer a QA session.Most of these conversations were civil, well mannered and to the point. For a young producer, I was often intimidated a little, making requests of Peter King or Tom Verducci or Leigh Montville. They were all incredibly gracious with their time, but as busy people just wanted to get it done.Don was a little different. He wasn’t loquacious, not overly talkative, but he just had a different warmth to him. I remember having some technical issues once and was apologizing to him madly, and he just kept saying, it’s OK, not a big deal, don’t worry about me, just do what you need to do. He would ask you questions about your favorite team, make a comment from his reporting like -- oh they could be in for a really big year. He would make you feel like you were more important than your rank. He didn't judge you on your value to the corporate entity, he just valued that you were the person on the phone with him, and why not make it pleasant. You never felt like a means to an end with Don, just another cog in the machine, he always made you feel like you were reuniting with an old friend after you hadn’t spoken in a while. Don will be missed. Let’s get to today’s question from Ashley in California. Hey Brian -- I’m embarrassed to admit this, but after graduating in May, I’ve kind of slacked off the last two months. The summer has been great, I’ve enjoyed the beach, done some hiking in national parks and just enjoyed a life a little. August is my month to get back on track can you help me build an August game plan?YES, I CAN!First things first experiences are great and super important - now that I am in my 40’s I kind of wish I had done more exploring in my 20s. So do not apologize and do not regret enjoying your life. These experiences will last you forever. Not to get off track, but we have three pretty young kids, and we’ve made it our family mission to give them experiences they won’t forget. We go to national parks, we stay in log cabins in the woods, we go on road trips, we visit osprey nesting spots in Maine. That’s what we love to do as a family -- find out what you love, and do it. Not just in your career but in your life. That is really important stuff. You need balance. Don’t make it all about the rise and grind...because you’ll look back someday and wish.Ok, but since you are through your summer of fun...Listen in to the podcast episode for more details:1: LinkedIn Connections2: Refresh your LinkedIn profile, pictures and status - upate your resume while you ar at it.3: Clean up your social media accounts4: Organize your references5: Research your ideal companies to work for,6: Research your ideal roles and where your gaps are.7: practice your elevator pitch -- what you want. 8: Get active networking either through email or social media or events - maybe hit a conference9: Make a targeted outreach -- not a blast - to let the right people know that you are out there. 10: Interview prep -- once you start applying you could get a phone interview, or a video interview at any time, better be ready for it.That’s it for today, thanks for listening -- I have some really cool interviews coming up on the show from the NBA, UFC and MLS so subscribe and stay tuned.If you have guests you think would be great -- let me know via LinkedIn -- Dasmine Evans did that, she recommended that I look into Nicole Lynn an...

Sports Agent Nicole Lynn, Young Money APAA – Work in Sports Podcast Jul 31, 2019

Show notes

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Vice President of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…I was cruising on twitter a few weeks ago and saw an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the New York Jets and 1stround draft pick Quinnen Williams. Something from Schefter I’m sure, remarking how the holdup was due to offset language in the contract or some other technical detail.And in response to this little factual nugget...a responder says “The reason he hasn’t signed yet is because his agent is a woman”Another piles on, "A qualified man would have had this done by now"A third “she’s probably too busy doing her nails” There should be a special place in hell for twitter trolls. I don’t know why but I took personal offense to all of this chatter. I felt enraged, questioning society, wondering what the hell are we doing here in this world thinking this behavior is OK.Quinnen Williams agent is Nicole Lynn, the first and only black female sports agent to represent a first-round draft pick, one of our favorites around this office, and an immensely talented agent.But again, the twitter champs don’t pay attention to facts, they rush to pass judgment on others far smarter and more talented than they are. The pick before Quinnen Williams in the NFL draft was Joey Bosa. Joey Bosa is represented by Agent Brian Ayrault of CAA ..who is ….hold on for it… a man!Guess who wasn’t signed to a contract yet? Joey Bosa.So was he doing his nails? Shouldn't a qualified man have had Joey Bosa’s contract negotiated by now? Is the reason he hadn’t signed yet because his agent was a man?I find social media tough guys to be some of the lowest, spineless scum there is. And I beg you all, I know you are smart enough not to listen to trolls, but I beg you all to take comfort in FACTS. Strive for truth, look through the bs and find the real. Now, this is my favorite part of the story. While I act like an offended old man stomping my feet and wanting to take on the social media trolls. Nicole Lynn - she just keeps being the best version of her. She dances with her clients. She connects with them. She uses social media to ask questions - like “What should I wear to the NFL draft?” And that is a huge part of why her clients love her.I laughed last week when I saw she posted this tweet:Dear @OgboOkoronkwo,I hope you’re killing training camp.Signed,Your agent that you haven’t texted back.(no one worse with the phone than my guy OBO).She has a unique ability to connect with her players in a relationship but also brings the heat with her intellect. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 2011 with a degree in Business Administration, Business Management. She then graduated with honors from the Oklahoma College of Law in 2015 and has worked on Wall Street and as a litigation attorney for Norton Rose Fulbright in Houston.She’s legit. And anyone who questions her ability because of her gender is a fool.Here’s Nicole Lynn - one of my favorite guests from last year

Finding Your Most Confident Self – Work in Sports Podcast Jul 29, 2019

Show notes

Hey, everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning at Work in Sports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…I had a moment last week that really helped refocus me. As you all know I am highly transparent, and I think I am pretty self-aware. I can tell when I’m not feeling as inspired, or a question the impact I am making or wondering if I’m hitting the mark with all of you.Yes, I am a worrier, and I don’t think for a second that I have it all figured out. I am flawed and learning. And that isn’t some statement hoping for compliments, it’s just to show we are all the same in many ways. As you have doubts, guess what, so does everyone else. If you worry and have anxiety and think you are all alone..well guess what, you aren’t and I hope it gives you some solace to know you aren’t alone. Anyway, my point is, I go through ruts for sure. I go through times where I struggle to book guests and I wonder, why is this still so hard, haven’t I established an audience yet, don’t people know the good we are doing?Or I go through a rut where I’m worried my message isn’t getting through, I’m not growing the audience like I should, or I’m not hearing from the audiences very much… and I wonder and stress over what is wrong.Again. I share this because you need to know it is totally normal and rationale. People like Gary Vaynerchuk may not admit it, but I’m pretty sure they go through moments of vulnerability and doubt too. I’m just willing to admit it. Well, this week Nathan Brown really helped me out, whether he knows it or not -- so I want to share this story. Nathan is a relatively new fan of the show, and is a student at the University of Dayton - he messaged me this week on LinkedIn:Brian, I got a funny story for you... So I recently took a shot and applied for a gameday position with the marketing department for the Cincinnati Bengals. I had no expectation I would hear back from them, but they liked my resume and invited me for an interview (woo hoo!). However, I am currently interning in NH so I asked if we would be able to conduct an interview over Skype. It took them awhile to get back to me, and what happened was I basically had less than 12 hours to prepare. I did my best to do some of the tips and tricks you talk about in your podcast, but then I remembered something, I am staying in a pretty rough, not attractive, dorm room/student housing thing right now and this is not the place for an interview. I then went searching around town at local libraries and what not trying to find a place to conduct this interview and I struck out (not being very familiar with the area did not help and how do these libraries not have study rooms?). I come back to my dorm room and was like, "were gonna make the best of this," but as I come into my room and turn on the lights, you guessed it, the light bulbs blow out. Long story short, I get a call about an hour later and did my best to own the fact that I was conducting this interview with nothing more than a desk lamp and my bed in the background. I could have been much more embarrassed and stressed by the situation, but I was able to make everyone laugh about it and own it. The rest of the interview went on to be very genuine and fun since the ice had been broken very early on in the conversation. I wanted to share with you that I was offered the job this morning. I thank you for your knowledge and advice. I was able to use the things you have mentioned, stay calm, be myself, and make the best of a tough situation. Thanks again to you and what you do.Great story from Nathan, and to be honest I couldn’t be prouder. This is a great life lesson for all of us - Nathan had a choice -- panic, and let that come through in the interview...or own the situation, make a bit of a joke out of it, loosen the mood, laugh at yourself a little and then nail the interview.Not only does the latter show you have a personality...it also shows real confidence.

Don Jackson, Sports Attorney “The Sports Group” – Work in Sports Podcast Jul 24, 2019

Show notes

Sports Attorney Don Jackson helps break down some of the major ongoing legal issues in sports and adds perspective for anyone who wants to pursue a career in sports law. Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast... The summer months can provide quite a lull in the sports calendar - now before all you seamheads get on me, I know baseball is alive and kicking, but it’s a long season and these middle months can be a little… draining.As I’ve admitted before I have sports ADD -- I want college bowl season, NFL playoffs, March Madness, spring training and a full slate of NBA and NHL games every night of the year...but my dream is yet to become a reality. Lucky us, this summer we had another event on the schedule that could draw our attention...the US Women's National Team competing in the World Cup. Huge global events like these bring out casual fans who likely wouldn’t watch a Tuesday night friendly against Norway, but will pack bars, sing songs, and wear the good old red white and blue with pride as our national team competes. I was glued. I have a young soccer-playing daughter, so to watch those games with her and see how she admired these gals and their compete level was awesome. A proud parenting moment, to see how she understood the calculus behind hard work, training and discipline leading to success and glory. Nothing is given. She also asked questions. Not just about formations and attack methodology - but about equal pay, and why the men get paid more than the women.Uh oh -- some of you just got angry - some of you just thought to yourself, here we go, another lecture about equal pay! Well, I’ll spare you, no lecture involved. But I would like to add some perspective that I fear many people are missing. I see the same exact response from every person who has an issue with the equal pay debate. It’s some iteration of:‘This is a business first and foremost. In the context of business, salaries of players are based on "viewership" numbers and attendance at the stadium. Nothing to do with gender. If and when the women can draw attendance numbers and viewership at par with the men, sponsorship and salaries would automatically follow. Supply and demand. if you draw large numbers, the paycheck gets bigger for both the owners and players regardless of gender.”I lifted this from one of about 600 like it on a recent article. Like most people, this person made a lot of guesses and assumptions in their argument. What if I told you, according to NIKE the Womens’ national team home jersey is now the #1 soccer jersey, men’s or womens’s ever sold on Nike in one season.What if I told you the women’s team contributed more than half of the revenue from games since fiscal 2016 -- and between 2016 to 2018 the women's games generated about $900,000 more revenue than the men’s games. Going back even earlier -- in the year following their 2015 World Cup win, women’s games generated $1.9 million more than the men’s games. Now, gross revenue — especially for games — isn’t everything. Matches are expensive to produce and players have to be paid, so games don’t always turn a profit for the federation. That said, in fiscal 2016 and 2017, the women’s team generated more cash than expenses, bringing in net revenue of $8 million and $1 million, respectively. The men’s team in fiscal 2015 and 2016 posted net revenue of $350,000 and $2.7 million, respectively.This isn’t a lecture -- this is a lesson in facts. Sure, there is more nuance to be explored, there are subtleties in revenue reporting, that’s why we have a legal process deciding what is fair and what is not.And that is true for just about every situation in sports. As much as I hate to even mention it, deflategate was a legal case. Colin Kaepernick became a legal case, Zion Williamson being sued for 100 million is a legal case, college athletes amateur status, sports gambling … all legal cases.

David Plati: Hall of Fame Sports Information Director, University of Colorado Jul 17, 2019

Show notes

Hey it’s Brian -- coming up today on the Work in Sports podcast, David Plati University of Colorado Associate Athletic Director and Sports Information Director - we’re talking all about the business behind the scenes in college athletics and how he identifies traits in people that lead to sports career success.But first, talking about success -- we want you to be successful in your sports career, and one way we help you become successful is through our new online courses, the Work in Sports academy! We’ve created 4 online courses - videos, articles, downloadable worksheets, cheatsheets, checklists and more, to help you become an expert at getting hired.Everyone needs to get better at building their network of contacts right? We have a course for that. What about interviewing skills? We have a course for that. Resume, cover letter, personal brand. Yes we’ve got that covered. Gaining the right skills and experience -- yep that too.Our courses have my best stuff. My best advice and information - so come check it out. WorkinSports.com/gameplan ...one more time, WorkinSports.com/gameplan.Alright - time to start the countdown…Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Vice-President of Content and Engaged Learning at WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast.Getting a new boss can be one of the scariest moments of your career. Whether you like your boss or not, you’ve come to know them, their actions are predictable, you know how they will rewact to certain stimuls, what they expect, how they operate. You may not always agree, you may not see eye to eye, but you at least know what’s coming.A new boss is the unknown. They could be great! But they could be awful. There is a feeling out process, you have ot prove yourself all over again. And in truth… most new bosses like to bring in their own people, people they know, that they have a level of familiarity with...and that means their people might be coming in to replace you.When I first left CNN and headed to Fox Sports in Seattle my first two months I kept thinking, I wish I had someone here I knew and trusted. I wish I had one of my people around me to rely on and help me teach and train my new staff the way I expected things. At that time I didn’t consider the fear going through my new staff… they were probably feeling as challenged as I was, wondering how best to work with me, wondering if I was going to start firing people, or replacing them with “my people.” There is anxiety in the building when major change happens.My GM at the time told me “the routine when a new person comes in is you fire an anchor or two anchors and bring in new people to freshen things up, you fire a few producers and bring in your people you trust, and then you bring in a few nw lower level people and give them a chance to grow.”And then he paused...and said “Let’s not do that this time.”My GM liked and trusted the staff in place, he wanted me to help them grow not just remove and replace them, which I appreciated.But this is the norm. New people come in, and the bring their old people with them. Change is a certainty. That is why today’s guest David Plati is even more impressive than his resume. He’s worked under 5 different athletic directors. At no time did an AD come in and say - let’s replace this guy.He’s worked under 9 different head football coaches - at no time did they say “I want to bring in my own person and replace David"Sure, we can list the accomplishments - He’s worked or covered over 2,200 CU sports eventsHas worked 5 BCS National Championship games, all 5 college football playoff title games, 8 Rose Bowls and 2 Fiesta Bowls.In the pro's he has worked 398 Denver Broncos games and has been the Rockies official scorer for 320 games.But at the end of the day, he made himself irreplaceable everyday. People wanted him to stay, demanded that he stay. This is the kind of loyalty and commitment we should all strive for. Here’s the Hall of Famer David Plati…Questions for David Plati,

Networking on Twitter – is it possible? Work in Sports Podcast Jul 15, 2019

Show notes

Hey everybody, I’m Brian Clapp, Vice-President of Content and Engaged learning for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…Before we get into today’s question - which I love -- but I’m a simple man, and love mostly all questions I get.Quick pitch for Wednesday’s episode -- coming up later this week is David Plati, Associate Athletic Director and Sports Information Director at the University of Colorado. That right there is an impressive title and a good reason to listen if you are considering a career in college athletics, but let me give you a little additional perspective on the legend David Plati.Worked with the Buffs for 42 years.Inducted into the CoSIDA Hall of Fame (College Sports Information Directors Association)Has helped hundreds of students become employed full-time in sports information, Media Relations and Public Relations staff in pro and college.Has worked 5 BCS National Championship games, all 5 college football playoff title games, 8 Rose Bowls and 2 Fiesta Bowls.In the pro's he has worked 398 Denver Broncos games and has been the Rockies official scorer for 320 games.This guy knows what it’s like to be in D1 college program… and the Pros! He’s like a walking encyclopedia of knowledge! So excited to have him on, make sure you tune in on Wednesday to that.Now, let’s get to today’s question from Tyler in Missouri. “Hi Brian, I love the new Work in Sports Academy -- I just recently purchased all 4 modules as part of the bundle and I’m just blown away by the information and resources you provide for such a reasonable price. My favorite section so far is the coursework on networking. I am not a natural networker, but your advice is making the process easier for me. One question - you talk a lot about networking on social media, but you primarily focus on LinkedIn...what about Twitter, is it possible to network on Twitter? Thanks for all you do -- Tyler in Missouri.”Thank you, Tyler! For all of you who haven’t heard, what Tyler is mentioning is our new online courses. I’ve created four different online courses as part of our new Work in Sports Academy, which are all geared towards making the participant an expert in getting hired for sports jobs.You can purchase individual courses - or bundle them together for huge savings. Tyler likes the course on Building and Maintaining your Network, and I have to say, I really like that one too. I had to put a lot of deep thought and introspection into it because I am not a natural networker either. I teach the course from the perspective of, everyone needs to network, so how can we make this as painless and productive experience as possible. Oh and if you are interested in the Work in Sports online courses -- check out WorkinSports.com/gameplanTyler makes a good point, I talk about LinkedIn a ton for networking efforts but didn’t put as much emphasis in other social networks. Here's the cool thing about the Work in Sports Academy courses -- once you purchase you have lifetime access, and that includes all updates. So if I decide to add a section on Twitter networking next week, but you bought it last week… no worries you get it too! For life!So let’s talk about this issue. Twitter networking. I’ll admit, I’ve sat back and watched and waited for many of you to show me how you network on twitter. I’ve waited and watched to see some great ideas on how to leverage Twitter… but to date, I haven’t seen it. I’m not scolding you -- but I’ll tell you what - no one has taken the ideas I talk about on LinkedIn, and tried to use tweak and manipulate them a little to fit other platforms. For example - I always talk about networking being based upon finding a common thread, an ice breaker, some common ground, and utilizing that to start building a relationship. That can be a really strong thread, like, we attended the same school, or it can be a more abstract threadlike, I heard you on the Work in Sports podcast. I know from my guests you guys and gals are great about co...

Steve Delsohn: Investigating Sports Careers in PR and Journalism Jul 10, 2019

Show notes

Steve Delsohn, Founder and President of Delsohn Strategies Public Relations firm and former Investigative Reporter for ESPN's Outside the Lines joins us on the Work in Sports Podcast!Hey It’s Brian --- today on the WorkinSports podcast Steve Delsohn former investigative reporter for ESPN’s Outside the Lines and current owner operator of a sports PR firm representing clients all across the sports landscape… but before Steve, let’s talk about the Work in Sports Academy.Everyone listening to this show is trying to learn things that will help them in their sports career, right? Maybe you’re looking for that first job, maybe you dream of getting hired by ESPN like Steve, or maybe you’re in college trying to find your way through the sports career options. Well, we’ve created a series of online courses that will teach you the strategies and tactics necessary to get hired in sports. You don’t want to just blend in with a bunch of other resumes applying for jobs, you want to stand out, and our courses are there to help. Extremely affordable, each course is just $39 or you can buy all four courses for a massive cost savings. Check it out today - WorkinSports.com/gameplan Alright let’s start the countdown... Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Vice President of Content and Engaged learning at WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…When I first started in the sports industry back in 1996 as a production assistant at CNN/Sports Illustrated, I was a sports fan. I loved watching games, debating players, arguing strategies and playing as often as I could in my spare time.Sure, I had some skills for the job or else I wouldn’t have been hired, I could edit video and audio, operate a camera and things of that nature. But I lived for the events.I grew up with a subscription to Sports Illustrated, and while my grandmother, who got me the yearly subscription, thought I was really engaging with all the longform storytelling, truth is I was lazy. I’d read the opening 20 pages of short stories based on what happened with the teams I know and loved… and then when it came to the langer articles with meaning, from Frank Deford, Leigh Montville, Tim Layden and Sally Jenkins… I’d skip through and look at the pictures.It wasn’t until March 14th, 2000 -- four years into my career at CNN Sports Illustrated that I truly grasped the power of journalism, reporting and storytelling.Our investigative reporting team toiled for months and month on a story about Bob Knight, the bombastic coach of Indiana University. A man feared for his temper tantrums, but admired for his winning. He was a God to many in Indiana, but not everyone. I won’t rehash the story - I can link to some old articles if you arte interested in reading more - but suffice it to say our reporters blew open a monumental story into events that happened behind the scenes of his empire that would have made your head spin. I’ll tell you, as someone who had nothing to do with the story, but had access to the reporting, there were dozens of horrifying stories that didn’t make the final cut….and that final cut was still a full 30 minute story that left people with their jaw dropped.Bobby Knight was fired shortly after our programming aired.I remember talking to one of the people who worked on it closely, he was being pressed on what it meant to be part of a story that got the great bobby knight fired… and he consistently said - the job of the journalist is to present the story as reported, not to strive or reach for any result, he wasn’t trying to get Bobby Knight fired, he was trying to present the truth. I admired this approach -- this idea that now people know what happens there. You can still decide to go to Indiana, or later Texas Tech and play for knight, but if he strangles you on the sidelines, or does some other horrific thing, you have to accept it because the truth has been presented to you. This was when I first became obsessed with the art and craft of story telling.

Going from Internship to Full-Time Role – Work in Sports Podcast Jul 08, 2019

Show notes

Going from internship to full-time role, that's the goal! We explain some techniques and strategies to get you there in this weeks episode of the Work In Sports podcast.Hi It’s Brian - before we get into todays’ episode - I want you all to check out our new Work in Sports Academy courses - you all reach out to me daily with questions about your sports career - and I love it, but it also showed me there is a huge demand for sports career advice. You all want to know about subjects like gaining the right experience to impress employers, building your network, mastering your resume, learning how to interview… so we built some incredible online courses full of videos articles, worksheets, cheat sheets and more.Check out workinsports.com/gameplan for more information on all four of our available courses. You can purchase them individually, or as a price chopping bundle of all four.If you like this podcast, know these courses are the best of what I have to offer, deeper and more impactful than anything I’ve created prior. And when you buy, you’ll have lifetime access to them including all new content and concepts I add! Check it out -- workinsports.com/gameplanAlright, let’s start the countdown…Hi everybody, I’m Brian Clapp VP of Content and Engaged Learning for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…I just got back from a weeks vacation, and I have to tell you, please don’t take this the wrong way, but I didn’t think about anything related to my job. I didn’t consider the podcast, my coming guests, questions I should ask, angles I should delve into or anything really. I completely unplugged and it was glorious. Yes, I still peeked at my phone and checked in on sports news, but that’s because this is the industry I love, I want to keep up, I don’t feel obligated to do that. So yes, I checked in on Kawhi and Kemba - and then I went back to being outdoors and out of reach. I was never good at this when I was younger, I never unplugged and it damaged my relationships. I was never present, I was always somewhere else thinking my mental presence was necessary at all moments. That not the subject for today’s podcast, but I just wanted to let you all know, in the future, you won’t remember the extra phone call or the micromanaging of a project, but you will remember the experiences you are fully present for. Years from now my kids will remember sliding down a 60 foot rock into a 55 degree river in the Pisgah National Forest...and so will I. Don’t starve yourself of experiences in the name of grinding out a work life.Alright, preach complete. Today’s questions comes in from Marnie from Mississippi -- “Hi Brian, I love the Work in Sports podcast. I have learned so much. I signed up for the online courses and I am already blown away. The depth and step by step advice you share is just so helpful. I have so much more confidence now I am making the decisions that will change my career![Ok some of you may be thinking - that is self-indulgent of Brian to read a rousing review of his new online courses and you know what I’d say to that… you are 100% right, it is self-indulgent. And I want more of you to purchase the course, so of course I’m going to share when people like it!]Ok back on track -- Marnie’s question - i just landed and internship at an organization i have always wanted to work for. I am so hopeful this turns into a full-time role. I know I am supposed to focus on doing my absolute best in the role first, but how else can i try to turn this experience into a full time role?”Marnie - great question and thanks again for joining on for our online course, and for being such a fan of the podcast. I’m glad you find the courses to be unique and powerful, but just a repeat or overlap.But let’s get to the basics of your question...and then the details:You have targeted this company for a reason and it makes sense you want to work there. That’s part of the strategy of choosing an internship.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Work in Sports Podcast – Insider Advice for Sports Careers

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected