Career Day 2016
For my Career Day this year, I ventured to Sports1 Marketing in Irvine, CA. Sports1 strives to create partnerships between the sports world and local, national, and international sponsors across the globe, often with its employees travelling to major sporting events across the country. On this particular day, I mostly shadowed Brad, the public relations manager, as well as the following individuals: Blane, an intern; Jacqlyn and Colleen in business development, and Derek, the Chief Operations Officer (COO).
Ever since I was really young, I've wanted to have a career in the sports industry. Once my eight-year-old self realized he didn't have a shot at the NBA, I decided to look at other options, from writing to communications to business. When I came across Sports1 in my search for a potential location, I was intrigued by the overall mission of the organization. I had always thought that the field marketing consisted of business professionals dressed in suit and tie making pitches with a PowerPoint slideshow behind them, but that belief turned out to be a falsity. I gained an in-depth perspective of what a career was like in the sports industry, thanks to the wide variety of fields and job opportunities that I was exposed to. |
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While I was familiar with the various aspects of a career in sports marketing, I wanted to learn more about the day-to-day responsibilities that one with such a position had. I was curious to find out what events they might be attending each week, what tasks they would have to complete by the end of the day, etc. Because I am seriously considering either a job in the sports industry or as a marketing manager, I wanted to absorb all of the information and knowledge that I could. Based on my experience – either good or bad – I could more effectively evaluate potential employment options for the future.
The day started with an invitation to a meeting between Sports1 Marketing and X2 Biosystems, which had created a device to assess player concussions in soccer, football, and rugby. The two sides exchanged proposals on how to bring the technology to college football, citing connections with UCSB, Ohio State University, and Tulane University. I was amazed by all of the thought that was put into their plan to move forward, and it was an invaluable opportunity for me. After the meeting, I met with Brad Hartman, my primary shadow and the public relations manager at Sports1. He gave me some insight on how to be successful as a budding professional, and provided me with tips on how I could approach further education and employment down the road. I also met with an intern, Blane, who talked to me about his path to Sports1. I then spent some time with Jacqlyn, who worked in business development, and watched her execute her role of recruiting local companies for sponsorships. I helped her circle potential partner organizations in the Orange County Business Journal, and listened to the spiel she would give to executives of those respective companies. After departing from Jacqlyn's office, I met with Colleen, who also worked in business development, and learned more about the CEO and founder of Sports1 Marketing, the legendary Dave Meltzer. Finally, I conversed with Mr. Derek Shaw, the COO of Sports1, and took notes at a meeting he and an intern from the University of Tennessee had with the Sports Business Journal. I took home some information on future internships, and I am happy with what I heard regarding opportunities for me in years to come.
While I interviewed multiple individuals at Sports1 last Friday, I have detailed the profile and important notes for Brad Hartman below:
Interview Profile
I loved numerous aspects of Sports1 Marketing, but I have highlighted a few of them below:
3 Things I Loved About a Career at Sports1 Marketing
I was struck by many elements involved with a job in sports marketing, but I was surprised by the partnerships that had been developed between Sports1 Marketing and other brands/teams. Some employees were working on a radio show with ESPN and Yahoo! Sports, while others were developing promotional content for the Los Angeles Angels. I was blown away by all of the connections that were being made, and I hadn't even left the building before I overheard conversations with the Orlando Magic, the general manager of the PGA Tour, and the Los Angeles Clippers.
I would definitely be interested in pursuing a career in any of the fields that I explored on Career Day, which included but were not limited to: public relations, business development, general operations, and marketing management. I was able to have a blast at Sports1 while still learning a lot, and I diminished any doubts that I may have had about the industry before arriving in Irvine. Sports1 Marketing also has hosted high school interns in the past, so I think I have a pretty clear idea of where I might want to do my junior internship. I've built a good rapport with everyone there, and it can only go up from here for my future possibilities after such a positive experience.
The day started with an invitation to a meeting between Sports1 Marketing and X2 Biosystems, which had created a device to assess player concussions in soccer, football, and rugby. The two sides exchanged proposals on how to bring the technology to college football, citing connections with UCSB, Ohio State University, and Tulane University. I was amazed by all of the thought that was put into their plan to move forward, and it was an invaluable opportunity for me. After the meeting, I met with Brad Hartman, my primary shadow and the public relations manager at Sports1. He gave me some insight on how to be successful as a budding professional, and provided me with tips on how I could approach further education and employment down the road. I also met with an intern, Blane, who talked to me about his path to Sports1. I then spent some time with Jacqlyn, who worked in business development, and watched her execute her role of recruiting local companies for sponsorships. I helped her circle potential partner organizations in the Orange County Business Journal, and listened to the spiel she would give to executives of those respective companies. After departing from Jacqlyn's office, I met with Colleen, who also worked in business development, and learned more about the CEO and founder of Sports1 Marketing, the legendary Dave Meltzer. Finally, I conversed with Mr. Derek Shaw, the COO of Sports1, and took notes at a meeting he and an intern from the University of Tennessee had with the Sports Business Journal. I took home some information on future internships, and I am happy with what I heard regarding opportunities for me in years to come.
While I interviewed multiple individuals at Sports1 last Friday, I have detailed the profile and important notes for Brad Hartman below:
Interview Profile
- Name: Brad Hartman
- Occupation: Public Relations Manager at Sports1 Marketing
- Education: B.A. in Commercial Recreation from Sacramento State University (4-year runner in track)
- Basic Roles: publicity, social media management, organizing celebrity appearances, researching company awards, increasing image/awareness of Sports 1
- Information: One of Brad's favorite parts about working for Sports1 is the ability he has been given to travel with top business executives in the sports industry to events such as the Super Bowl, The Master's (golf tournament), and the Final Four among others. He also likes that he can help take an organization from being locally-known to an international powerhouse, and he has been able to build a strong network of people in the sports world. Some of the challenges that Brad faces with his current position include not sleeping (PR is a 24/7 job), managing time properly, and learning to manage people. His advice? Always ask people for help when you need it, be ahead of the game, don't be shy, and find the right mentor. With those things in mind, he stresses that anyone can be successful at Sports1.
I loved numerous aspects of Sports1 Marketing, but I have highlighted a few of them below:
3 Things I Loved About a Career at Sports1 Marketing
- The Interview Process - When applying for a job at Sports1 Marketing, previous work experience is not even considered as part of the decision-making process. That's right. Dave Meltzer (see above), looks for: effective communication, accountability, gratitude, and empathy. He calls these four attributes "the keys to success".
- The Opportunities - Employees at Sports 1 Marketing often find themselves at major sporting events across the country, and have incredible opportunities to travel. In fact, the week after Career Day, the company was flying to Dubai for an expansion project they were working on.
- The Culture - Everyone at Sports1 Marketing went out of their way(s) to ensure that I was having a positive job shadow experience, and I admired the relationships that were established between the executives and the interns. Instead of a boss and employee dynamic, it was as if they were friends working together, and that was really cool to see.
I was struck by many elements involved with a job in sports marketing, but I was surprised by the partnerships that had been developed between Sports1 Marketing and other brands/teams. Some employees were working on a radio show with ESPN and Yahoo! Sports, while others were developing promotional content for the Los Angeles Angels. I was blown away by all of the connections that were being made, and I hadn't even left the building before I overheard conversations with the Orlando Magic, the general manager of the PGA Tour, and the Los Angeles Clippers.
I would definitely be interested in pursuing a career in any of the fields that I explored on Career Day, which included but were not limited to: public relations, business development, general operations, and marketing management. I was able to have a blast at Sports1 while still learning a lot, and I diminished any doubts that I may have had about the industry before arriving in Irvine. Sports1 Marketing also has hosted high school interns in the past, so I think I have a pretty clear idea of where I might want to do my junior internship. I've built a good rapport with everyone there, and it can only go up from here for my future possibilities after such a positive experience.