When an acquaintance finds out that you work in the sports industry, there’s a very good chance that his or her first reaction is, “Wow, that’s so cool.” Those of us in sports know that yes, it’s cool, but it’s also a lot of hard work. And it’s not all that easy to break into the business and find the job that you want.
You probably talk with school groups or hear from aspiring sports professionals who might drop you an email to ask, “I’d like to do what you’re doing. How do I get in the sports business?”
Well, we know that there are probably as many ways to get into the business as there are jobs. But recently Kathryn Smith, the first full-time female coach on an NFL team (Buffalo Bills), talked with writer Lyndsey D’Arcangelo about how she got into the NFL, and her advice for others who want to get into the sports business. Among other things, Smith said, “Get in where you can, and do what you can to ...
Member Mentoring is one of the best services the NASC has to offer for new members/partners to the NASC.
Having been involved with the NASC since 1996, I have seen the NASC transform into one of the strongest association in the tourism industry. One of the special aspects of the NASC is the Member Mentoring committee. This committee assists new members to the NASC and helps answer questions, work through issues with event owners or rights holders and helps in creating that fraternity of “been there and done that” so the new member does not feel like they are on an island.
One of my best Member Mentoring stories I like to share from time to time happened several years ago. I was assigned Daniel Rush, Vice President of Global Sports & Event Sales for MGM Resorts in Las Vegas, NV.
Now as first, I am thinking, what do I have to share with the Vice President of Global Sports and Event Sales for MGM Resorts that he has not seen or been thro...
One referendum decided last Election Day will go a long way in deciding the future of the San Diego Chargers.
San Diego voters were asked to approve public funding for a new stadium for the Chargers. Measure C would have raised $1.15 billion from increased hotel occupancy taxes to help pay for a $1.8 billion stadium and convention center annex downtown. Chargers owner Dean Spanos spent more than $10 million on the campaign to approve the measure, but only about 40% of the voters were in favor of the funding. The Chargers needed 66.7% of the vote to pass.
The vote means that there’s a good chance that the Chargers will return to their ancestral home in Los Angeles (they started life as the Los Angeles Chargers in their baby blue uniforms) and share a new stadium with the Rams—the facility is being built by Rams owner Stan Kroenke. The Rams are playing at the L.A. Coliseum until the new stadium in Inglewood is ready after 2018. The Chargers could come up with a similar ...
My life has centered around connecting with people.
Perhaps it was growing up in the small town of Fairport Harbor, Ohio (where everyone really does know each other) that gave me the love of meeting new people, getting to know them, and staying connected to them. That fortunate trait has been my greatest personal joy, and has become my greatest professional strength.
The business of sport that we are all engaged in as members of the National Association of Sports Commissions is conducted through our personal relationships with people from every facet of our professional world, and when we share our experiences with each other we all benefit.
I can still remember the hundreds of hours of benchmarking that it took to launch the Greater Columbus Sports Commission in 2002. Colleagues (many of whom have now become my friends) from dozens of cities such as Richmond, Orlando, St. Louis and Portland shared their budgets and best practices to help get us off the ground.
I coul...
Carolina Panthers’ quarterback Cam Newton has made headlines lately, not just for his play on the field, but for his complaints to the NFL Commissioner off the field. Newton, a strong and mobile quarterback, has been hit hard this season, with few if any penalties called for the hits. He’s said he “doesn’t feel safe” on the field anymore, an issue he and his team have brought up to Commissioner Roger Goodell.
The continuing discussion on when, or if, football is ever played safety was brought up again in a recent article in The Atlantic. The article quotes Christopher Whitlow, chief of neuroradiology at Wake Forest School of Medicine, who wanted to see how head impact affects developing brains. His team studied male football players between ages 8 and 13 over the course of a season, recording “head impact data” using a Head Impact Telemetry System to measure force, which was correlated with video of games and practices.
The findings, publ...
Upcoming Event Webinar - Register Now
November 2, 2016
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USA Curling
Wednesday, November 2 2016
2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. EST
Presented by Mike Dellemann
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Join Michael Dellemann from USA Curling as he discusses the 2018 Olympic Trials for Mixed Doubles Curling and the 2018 Curling Night in America RFP’s. Both of these events will be featured on NBC Sports, and Curling Night in America, in its third year, has already gained a strong following, reaching nearly 2 million views last year. There will be time at the end of the presentation for questions. If you are unable to join us on November 2nd, remember you can download the webinar recording from our Webinar Archives (login required).
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At the October NASC Market Segment Meetings, a lot of the talk among attendees was focused on keeping kids involved in sports. As we’ve noted, by the time young athletes hit early high school, participation drops dramatically and with an organization like NASC, kids playing sports is vital to keeping the organization, and the industry, growing.
A recent article on ESPNW takes the youth sports discussion one step further—why you want your young athlete to be involved in multiple sports in this day and age of sport specialization.
The author, sports reporter (and sports mom) Michelle Smith, gives five reasons why it’s good for kids to play several sports, including fewer overuse injuries, less chance for emotional burnout, exposure to different kids and different roles and not putting all your sports eggs into one basket.
The final point is perhaps important in the discussion of keeping kids playing sports. “Playing only one sport limits y...
Seven years ago I was hired as the Sports Market Sales Account Executive. I was straight out of college and had a lot to learn! NASC was the first trade show I attended and I was a little nervous about attending my first sports trade show for many reasons: I wouldn’t know anyone, I didn’t know what kinds of questions to ask during appointments, how would I choose which educational sessions to attend from all of the options, etc.
I was relieved to find that the NASC membership as a whole are a very friendly and helpful group. I would eat lunch with people I didn’t know and they would be more than willing to offer advice and suggestions. I quickly felt comfortable and now, seven years later, can refer to those helpful individuals as friends.
A few years ago I was looking into joining a NASC committee. I saw the Mentoring Committee as an option and knew that was the committee for me! I can appreciate how new members have a lot of questions and can relate to their e...
We talk a lot about youth sports and amateur associations here—but let’s digress a bit this week and talk about how professional teams reach out to their communities.
The trigger for the discussion is this week’s Hometown Huddle project by the NFL, United Way and others. The annual Hometown Huddle is an NFL/United Way initiative that happens in all NFL markets on the same day, geared toward promoting volunteerism and creating a lasting impression in the community. This year it’s on Tuesday, October 18, when coaches and players will go to a community building, a playground or similar facility and spend the day painting, landscaping and overall making the facility one that the entire community can use.
That’s just one example of how professional teams look to give back: Besides the individual NBA teams planning events in their cities, the NBA itself has an “NBA Cares” all-star day of service; MLB teams often have community funds as a part ...
The NASC Awards and Hall of Fame Committee are delighted to announce that they are now accepting submissions for annual awards and the first class of NASC Hall of Fame inductees.
Nominate an Industry Leader to be Inducted into the NASC Hall of Fame
First Class of NASC Hall of Fame Inductees to be Recognized at 25th annual NASC Symposium
The NASC Hall of Fame Committee was established to honor those who play a vital role in the success and promotion of the NASC. The purpose of the Hall of Fame is to promote the professional management of sporting events and the sport tourism industry as a whole by honoring those individuals who exemplify the values of the NASC in their careers and by acknowledging their legacies to provide guidance for future members of the NASC.
To be considered, nominations must be received no later than December 1, 2016. Submit a nomination.
Direct any questions about the NASC Hall of Fame to Denny Gann, Hall of Fame Committee Chair.
NASC Awards Commit...