Executive advice for college graduates
IT’S GRADUATION SEASON. Students leaving sports business programs are anxious to begin their careers in an exciting industry. When I speak on college campuses, I always get the question: “What path would you suggest for a young person looking to get into sports business?” My answer is that sales has been the easiest and quickest path of entry. But now there are plenty of opportunities in content creation, business intelligence and analytics in which graduates can get their start.
I turned to executives in across sports for their thoughts, while sharing their first job in sports. I plan to share other responses over the next few weeks.
Endeavor to be a human Swiss Army Knife. In the early days, open the aperture and be somewhere that will allow you to try on a variety of experiences and learn different skills! Lend yourself to opportunities that allow you to learn and grow in different directions. You can always narrow your focus later in your career.”
— KATE JOHNSON, global marketing director, brand, content, sports partnerships, Google, whose first job in sports was in marketing at IMG
Think about roles that give you access to learning the finances, how the businesses are run, and how a P&L is managed. A role like an assistant or financial coordinator may seem dull compared to a sales role out of the gate, but it will set you apart for many years to come. It will also allow you to understand how deals are constructed along with the financial outcome [that] is meaningful for all brands, networks, properties and athletes.”
— EMILY SISSON, senior vice president of sponsorships, athlete and partner marketing, One Team Partners, whose first job was an administrative assistant to a general manager at a golf course owned by the PGA Tour
In some ways the pathway into sports has changed, and in other ways it remains the same. What’s changed is that you don’t have to start cold calling ticket sales. Pick any part of the business you love the most. Read everything you can; ask questions incessantly and you can make any entry point work for you. Agencies, brands, media, tech, teams, leagues, NGBs are all great springboards to a career in sports. What’s not changed is that you need to be the hardest-working team player imaginable. Show up very early every single day; stay very late every single day; offer to help literally everybody at your organization; no job too big, no job too small; don’t ask for any credit or try take any credit; do not promote yourself in any way; be humble with humility, curiosity and a passion for learning. … If you do this, trust me, people will notice you, promote you and your future in sports will be secure.”
— LEN PERNA, chairman and CEO, TurnkeyZRG, whose first job was an associate attorney serving Cap Cities/ABC/ ESPN, before completing the Ohio University graduate program and joining the Detroit Red Wings as an unpaid ticket sales rep
Get internships while IN school, ideally in athletics on campus. For students in/near sports markets, get your foot in the door any way you can. Volunteer on game days or do a marketing internship on campus in athletics. Build relationships, work hard, and don’t be afraid to tell people what you want to do next. Graduating with experience will give you an advantage over the non-experienced graduates looking for the same jobs. Most importantly, you’ll graduate with a network of colleagues who can help you in your journey.”
— CARLOS PADILLA, head of global sports partnerships, Dow, who started working as a game-day volunteer at USF Athletics as a sophomore and continued to work at USF and other sports internships through graduation
Any revenue-generating pathway would likely provide the most opportunity for entry. However, when I look for young talent, I’m most focused on the intangibles of the individual. Is that person genuinely demonstrating curiosity, passion and a willingness to learn? If I think they’re truly demonstrating these key ‘building blocks,’ I try to find a role or will recommend them for one. It’s more about innate characteristics that will help you break into the industry, as that differentiates candidates early on in careers.”
— LI LI LEUNG, CEO of USA Gymnastics, whose first job was a program manager at the University of Michigan Athletic Department, supporting student athletes in their academic and career aspirations