Michael Kelly is the newly-hired COO of the Bowl Championship Series in College Football. Charged with operating a unprecedented four-team national championship playoff system, with scores of folks still against the entire BCS voting system in general, Kelly has his work cut out of him. Kelly talks about some of the challenges that he will face upcoming, jumping from the Atlantic Coast Conference as a senior associate commissioner, and where he sees college football headed in the next 8-10 years. Twitter: @MKellyBCS
The NHL's Phoenix Coyotes have undergone a remarkable transformation in a comprehensive sales effort to prove that hockey can work in the desert. The Forum, a first for the podcast, includes the four Coyotes' sales managers, offers up expertise on the ground floor of the franchise. Guests: Nick Myers (Manager of Group Sales), Lindsay Kray (Manager of Customer Service), Justin Brickner (Manager of New Business Development), and Ian Winklmann (Manager of Inside Sales). Each of the guest offers up a unique view of professional and personal growth within a major league franchise, as well as how to break into sports and stay in after someone gets there.
Ted Johnson has made a career out of gathering masses of people to events. Whether that be in his former life as a part of a political machine such as the Clinton-Gore campaign or Minnesota statewide offices, or as the Senior Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves. Johnson talks about his career in ensuring brand quality, filling the house during the down times, and how to make a proper marketing effort when attempting to gain footing in a state arena funding fight. Johnson talks openly about some of the ways in which marketing sectors can be opened up further to sports fans in the future.
President of STR Marketplace Preston Hill talks about NFL teams and the opportunity to push personal seat licenses sales higher through online portals. Hill talks about the current state of the PSL, different opportunities that the teams have in order to ensure that the “waiting list” grows instead of shortens, and what teams are doing to re-engage fans with luxury suite and premium seating options.
Bakersfield Condors President Matthew Riley has the task of making hockey cool in the desert. Riley talks about initiating various promotions, including Charlie Sheen Night, taking the Teddy Bear Toss from Canada, and bringing a live Condor to a game only to have the bird break free & sit on the bench for a youtube clip that wound up on ABC’s Good Morning America. Riley talks about the tasks in front of the team in terms of ensuring that Bakersfield is a hockey town despite the arid temperature.
VP of Partnerships & Strategy at Adrenalin, Bryan Kimball has helped some of the largest professional teams in the country realize and re-establish their brand identity with fans. Kimball talks about advertising, fan perceptions, how giveaways can harm a brand’s value, and feel for logos.
Christine Stoffel is at the forefront of founding & developing the premier information technology conference in the country for professional teams and college athletic departments. The SEAT Conference has already gained a reputation for engaging IT professionals, working through various issues, as dynamic pricing, WiFi and other technology transform the fan experience at the ballpark.
Guest relations may be one of the saving graces to protect the in-stadium attendances for all professional and college sports. Guest Relations Expert Anthony Cangelosi has both a background in professional sports sales, and secret shopping at large stadiums & venues. Cangelosi talks about some of the ways that third party vendors may be damaging a team’s relationship with the fan without the franchise ever knowing it.
Sr. Associate Athletic Director of External Relations Paul Ladwig oversees one of the more dynamic university athletic department revenue streams in the country at Fresno State. Ladwig talks about how the 1990s model of FBS before others made it cool. Ladwig talks about his philosophy on sales, especially reducing the amount of papering the city and how success means team work, thus it starts at hiring the right people.
The Golden State Warriors have achieved some remarkable ticket sales goals in 2012-13, and one of the members of the team responsible is Account Executive Andrew Rossi. The NBA team was highlighted in the Wall Street Journal for their efforts to win in sales despite the product on the court. Rossi talks about engaging customer service, trying to seek out what the customer really wants through a conversation, and doing whatever it takes to ensure quality for each customer down the road.