Photos by Ralph Freso
Stadium and arena scoreboards might tell you who's winning a game, but they don't keep score when it comes to the business side of the sports world.
Tami Nealy, vice president of communications for the International Sports Sciences Association who teaches at Grand Canyon University, told students to look beyond the scoreboard.
“Watch SportsCenter with a notepad and don’t look for scores,” said Nealy, who suggested students don't narrow their ambitions and just think of working for a team; there's a whole business world to consider. “Look at what’s happening in the arena. Start writing down brands that you see. Those brands are activating sports.”
Students didn’t need to look far to see Nealy’s point. Sitting next to her on the Colangelo College of Business lobby stage was Jeffrey Lack, chief marketing officer for Discount Tire.
Lack was featured at the “Beyond the Sidelines: Unlocking Non-Traditional Career Paths in Sports Business” panel discussion, and he and Nealy provided insights on the sports and sports entertainment market and preparing for jobs in those industries.
Discount Tire’s sports sponsorships agreements are with Team Penske, one of the most successful auto racing companies, as well as with Major League Soccer.
Lack leads all facets of marketing for Discount Tire, including its sports sponsorships with Team Penske auto racing and Major League Soccer.
Discount Tire is entering its 16th year as a partner with Team Penske, which has won 47 national motorsports championships, including three consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championships (2022-24).
Lack said the sponsorship with Major League Soccer is “a great fit for our brand in terms of values that the organization embodies,” adding that the sport’s popularity is on the rise.
So how does an interested job applicant impress Lack, a sports organization or a company with ties to a team?
It’s essential to show up on time and dress appropriately for an interview, he said. “You can’t show up disheveled."
It’s also imperative to be prepared, and Lack took that one step further.
“You have to come in having thought about what you would like to learn in that process that day,” he said. “And it’s important for you to have questions for that day. Bring questions to the table. Show interest."
Nealy and Lack acknowledged that interviews are scary but not to get discouraged if prospective employers don't respond to telephone calls or applications.
“Somebody will (call),” Lack said. “You've just got to knock on enough doors.”
Nealy shared a story in which she reached out to Lack without previously knowing him, and Lack responded with a free dinner and plenty of wisdom.
The willingness to work will separate you from those who put boundaries on their hours, Lack said.
“You have to be willing to work,” he added, saying that strolling into an interview with a list of demands probably isn't the best tactic.
Once you get hired, you may find yourself working and thinking more independently, which allows you to have authentic opinions about what you want to do, who you want to be, and how you want to portray yourself.
The greatest gift, Lack said, is to call your parents after getting your first job to thank them for their support along the way.
“It would be really great if you said, ‘Mom … I’m an adult now, and I’d really like to pay for my own self," Lack said. “They will be happy you are finding your own path.”
Nealy pointed to the Colangelo Code of Ethics inscribed on a wall at the college that stresses integrity, honesty, respect and responsibility.
She also noticed at a recent visit how Discount Tire displays its statement of integrity. Nealy pointed out that that the company provides some services at no charge, promotes from within the company, and finds ways to maintain a strong culture.
“When something isn’t going right in the store, people don’t get in trouble,” Lack said. “We identify the problem together, then you coach and train.”
The panel made a strong impression on Mateo Malta, a sports management major and chief operations manager for the Sports and Entertainment Business Club. He said he learned a lot about always being prepared for an interview.
And Destinee Duran-Wise, a sports management major and captain of the Lopes women’s soccer team, is ready to take Nealy's advice and pay attention to more than the scoreboards at games.
You get a sense of which companies have connections with different sports, said Duran-Wise, who has served as a gameday operations assistant with the Savannah Bananas.
Another important takeaway for her: To not go into a job too strong, but to listen and pay attention so you know how to handle certain situations, and ultimately, to remember one's own code of ethics.
“The best thing to go into (a job) is honesty."
GCU News senior writer Mark Gonzales can be reached at [email protected]
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