Day 19 of MSBA 2013: Recap of Internship at IMG

Post by Alexandria Bernard for June 20, 2013

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I didn’t know what to expect from the sports industry before coming to New York City this summer. After three weeks at MSBA and my internship with IMG, I have come to realize that the sports industry is more competitive and diverse than I previously imagined.

My first three weeks in New York have been defined by the whirlwind of new information coming at me each and every day. I’ve had the opportunity to hear from top executives within IMG and other sports business entities.

I have heard more than 15 professionals speak about the business of sports thus far. These speeches have approached topics ranging from the speaker’s personal experience of entering the sports industry to what the speaker’s do in their line of work on a daily basis. I am already more familiar with topics, such as marketing licensing, consulting, and media after three weeks. I came to New York with a personal goal to listen and soak up as much information and take advantage of every opportunity provided by IMG and MSBA. I have succeeded in carrying out my goal thus far.

IMG has exceeded my expectations as well. It has shown me that those who love their jobs can have it all. Every person that I’ve encountered at IMG is passionate about their work and willing to give advice. Employees of IMG are collaborative and are constantly working together on projects, which helps promote a healthy office environment. I work with five other interns, and we are encouraged to explore new ideas and think outside of the box throughout our daily duties. We are also given the opportunity to meet with IMG executives.

An example of an IMG executive who intrigued me is Hilary Mandel. Hilary is Senior Vice President of IMG Media and she spoke to me about how she started at IMG, and I was intrigued to hear from a woman who has had great success in the sports industry. Her passion goes beyond sports. Her passion is for her job and the work she does every single day. I leave to continue to listen to even more speakers at MSBA after each work day at IMG. I am not only excited to see what’s in store from each MSBA speaker but I am also happy to see my colleagues each day. There have been a lot of excellent speakers that have been extremely knowledgeable and were generous enough to share their knowledge with our group. My favorite speaker thus far has been Richard Weiss, Publisher of the Sports Business Journal.

He fascinated me because he had a passion for sports business and did everything possible and worked diligently to start SBJ. He had a vision and followed through on it to become successful. The information I have learned from both programs complement one another because I am able to apply what I learn at MSBA at by internship with IMG and vice versa. I have learned to be proactive and passionate about my work and I am so excited for the next five weeks at MSBA and IMG.

Day 18 of MSBA 2013: A Chat with Featured Speaker, Andy Krafsur, CEO of Spira Footwear

Post by Ryan McKenna for June 19, 2013

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We are already cruising through Week 3 but it feels like just yesterday that we were all moving into the dorms to begin the best summer of our lives. For the most part, we have adjusted to the hustle and bustle of the New York City lifestyle. We have also comfortable with our internships after a small adjustment period. 

My internship is with Platinum Rye Entertainment, where I work as Marketing Research Intern for the Sports Department. Platinum Rye is a talent procurement agency that works to broker sponsorship and endorsement deals between many Fortune 500 companies and celebrities, athletes, models, and entertainers. 

With nine offices located around the globe, Platinum Rye Entertainment is the world’s largest broker of celebrity talent, models, recording artists, sports figures, and other celebrities for advertising campaigns and public relations events, according to Forbes magazine.

Sine I'm in the sports department, I specifically work to help broker deals between brands and professional athletes. This internship is everything I could have hoped for and more. On any given day, I could be listening in on calls between my bosses and a premier professional athlete’s agent. Some days I can even sit in on face-to-face meetings between clients and Platinum Rye. This past week, I conducted research to help identify a potential match for a very well-known brand and a professional basketball player. All of the projects I work on are confidential in nature but keep your eyes peeled to the television this summer and you may be able to pick up on who I am talking about!

On Wednesday, the work day at Platinum Rye wrapped up around 5:00 p.m., and I made the easy 20 minute subway commute back to the EHS dorms to prepare for the Featured Speaker of the night. We had the amazing opportunity to hear Andy Krafsur speak. Mr. Krafsur is the President and Founder of Spira Footwear. Spira is an up-and-coming footwear company that is very unique due to its patented “WaveSpring” technology that no other competitor has. Wavespring is a laterally stable, lightweight and compact spring that not only cushions but manages energy return better than traditional midsole materials. This results in far less strain on the body, reduced recovery time, and injury prevention. I highly recommend checking out his website and getting yourself a pair of Spira’s.

If you are interested and want to learn more about Spira check out their website. I also want to take this time to thank Mr. Krafsur on behalf of the MSBA team being a sponsor to the program and providing all of us with a pair of Spira’s to try for ourselves. The shoes are great for all occasions, whether it be a jog through Central Park or a stroll down the streets of New York City. So far this summer has lived up to and far exceeded any expectations I had; I can’t wait to see what the remaining five weeks has in store.           

Thanks again to Spira Footwear's Andy Krafsur. @goMSBA is proud supporter of your innovative shoes! #MSBA13 http://t.co/49ThnuXdJf
— Myles J. Robinson (@mylesjrobinson) June 20, 2013

Day 17 of MSBA 2013: NY Cosmos Travel to Newton, Connecticut for Charity Game

Post by Dan Forstot for June 18, 2013

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As the days fly by, it becomes harder and harder for me to believe how quickly the summer is moving. Everyone I have talked to about MSBA always stressed how swiftly everything goes by, and we are now experiencing this effect first hand.

Hailing from just across the river in New Jersey, I visit New York City quite frequently. Although I have developed a certain familiarity with what is in my opinion the greatest city in the world, it has been a completely different experience actually getting to live here.

My internship this summer is in digital media with the recently re-born New York Cosmos soccer club. It has been a fascinating opportunity to see this once world-renowned team rise from the ashes right before my eyes as the first regular season game quickly approaches.

This past Tuesday night, I travelled up to Newtown, Connecticut, to see the Cosmos take on Newtown Pride FC of the Connecticut Soccer League. Newtown is known by most of us as the location of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, a tragedy during which 26 innocent individuals lost their lives. The game was part of an event coined “Soccer Revolution” and all of the proceeds from the game were donated to the Newtown Parent Connection, a local charity designed to help young people with substance abuse problems, as well as the families affected by the shooting.

1: Kickoff! The #NYCosmos return to the field for the first time since 1984. #CosmosReboot
— The New York Cosmos (@TheNYCosmos) June 18, 2013

Due to the 80-mile trip taking an absurd four hours to complete, a number of my co-workers and I were unable to make it in time for kick-off. Nonetheless, I was able to help once I arrived by taking pictures of the coaches and players, conducting post-game interviews and writing a recap for the website.

This was the first time the Cosmos played in a competitive match since the club disbanded back in 1984. However, this night was not about that. It was about using sport to give back to the community. The world of sports has been expanding at a fleeting pace, especially over the last few years, and there is so much good to be done with its growing influence. It was incredible to be able to be part of such a special event.

This program is not only about our internships, but also networking, listening to captivating speakers and as a whole, getting to experience life in the fast lane. Possibly my favorite aspect has been listening to some of the most unique and brilliant minds in all of sports who have taken the time to come chat with us.

One of the speakers that stuck out to me was Reddit General Manager, Erik Martin. Erik stood out to me because I am a huge fan of Reddit.com and because his area of work, centering on providing digital content, is very much in line with what I hope to do with my life.

He had some very specific and helpful advice for me when I asked him a few questions during our discussion, so I decided to send him a follow-up e-mail to seek further insight.

Since Time Magazine named him as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2012, I certainly did not expect to ever hear back from him. To my surprise, I had a new e-mail sitting in my inbox from the man himself in no more than half an hour.

We went back and forth a few times, as he inquired about my areas of interest. and he was able to offer plenty of helpful hints and pieces of advice that have really helped point me in the right direction. Even though our conversation had nothing to do with sports, I don't believe this exchange ever could have materialized without my participation in MSBA. Another one of the benefits of being in the program has been living with and getting to know 21 future stars of the industry that have similar goals and aspirations as I do. Just being able to sit down and talk sports with anyone involved is one part of being around them that I have truly enjoyed. More than that, getting to know such a great group of individuals has made it even more worthwhile.

It has been a phenomenal few weeks so far, and I cannot wait to see what amazing opportunities the rest of our time here will have to offer.

Day 16 of MSBA 2013: Lessons from the Cowboy and Global Business Celebrity, Jeff Hayzlett

Post by Aaron Bartko for June 17, 2013

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On Monday, June 17, the Manhattan Sport Business Academy Class of 2013 was able to hear Jeff Hayzlett, the former CMO of Kodak, and self titled Global Business Celebrity. Hayzlett now also runs The Hayzlett Group, which focuses on speaking engagements, consulting, and writing business related books, such as the New York Times Best Seller Running the Gauntlet.

During his speech, Hayzlett spoke about different topics such as his journey from Sioux Falls, South Dakota to becoming the Chief Marketing Officer of Kodak, where he led new marketing initiatives to land sponsorship deals with the PGA Tour and NASCAR, while also severing Kodak’s ties with the Summer Olympics. He also spoke about leaving Kodak to start The Hayzlett Group and how he made the transition to motivational speaker and best selling author.

Hayzlett elaborated on his sponsorship deal with Kodak with the P.G.A. Tour, specifically with their scoreboard signage at differing events. Also, he introduced the Kodak Challenge to the players on the P.G.A Tour where they would compete in a challenge comprised of 18 holes from 18 different golf courses for a $1 million prize at the end of the season. This provided Kodak value within their deal, while providing a cool, significant prize for the players. In addition, Hayzlett spoke about the Kodak sponsorship deal with Roger Penske Racing in NASCAR. He discussed how he only wanted Kodak ads on the racecar for eight races, but they were the most important eight races on the NASCAR circuit. Lastly, Hayzlett discussed the tough decision that he made right when he got to Kodak to end their sponsorship deal with the Summer Olympics, even though they were an original sponsor dating back to 1896. He preached the rule of 1/3’s, where one third of the organization will support you, one third will never support you, and one third might support you after time.

Great to have @JeffreyHayzlett at @goMSBA tonight! The quality of our summer speaker series is top notch! #MSBA13
— Chris Stathos (@TheRealStathos) June 18, 2013

It cannot be denied that Hayzlett had many accomplishments in the business world, but he was not done after Kodak. He started The Hayzlett Group centered around public speaking appearances and writing books, which have gone on to become New York Times’ Best Sellers. In his speech to the MSBA class, he left some powerful parting words: network like crazy, take risks, and there is no such thing as a stupid question. He also preached that doing the little things really go a long way, such as something as simple as following someone back on twitter when they follow you. There are so many opportunities to connect with people and in this informational age, if you aren’t doing the little things, you are wasting your opportunities. 

@JeffreyHayzlett talking Sports Marketing to students w/ @goMSBA pic.twitter.com/hxq6IqQ5Tt
— Katelyn Rice (@kricekate) June 17, 2013

Day 15 of MSBA 2013: Sports Business Teachings from Dr. Deborah Stroman

Post by Mark Burns for June 16, 2013

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This past Sunday, the Manhattan Sports Business Academy Class of 2013 had the opportunity to hear Dr. Deborah Stroman, a Professor at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) in the Department of Sport and Exercise Science.

Dr. Stroman is the Faculty Advisor for the Sports Business Club and also concentrates in Entrepreneurship.

During the intimate coversation, she discussed "Golf: The Sport of Business" and how golf can be utilized as not only a networking tool, but also as a foundation for establishing future business with a client or company. She also educated all of the students for a few minutes on some of the particulars of golf.

Following the golf discussion, Dr. Stroman talked about personal and professional development. With personal development, she discussed the N.E.S.S. Model; with the four components — nutrition, exercise, sleep, and spirituality — Dr. Stroman stressed how all of the pieces operate together. To be fully functioning on a day-to-day basis, one must have proper nutrition, exercise a few times a week, sleep eight hours a night, and believe in some Higher power. For me personally, the sleep aspect of the N.E.S.S. Model is something I continuously need to work on, as I think a lot of people do as well. It boils down to being more efficient with your time and maximizing your 16-17 hour days.

Moving on from personal development, Dr. Stroman explained the P.I.E. Model of professional development; the model is based on the book, Empowering Yourself - The Organization Game Revealed, by Harvey Coleman. The three aspects of the model (Performance, Image, and Exposure) all coincide to form a basis for how to conduct yourself as you progress in your career.

I thought performance was the most important aspect of the model, but in fact, it was exposure. Dr. Stroman explained that it is important to have a support system of mentors and older sports business professionals who you interact with on a regular basis. They're the individuals who also can hold you accountable for the decisions you make and the actions you take. Dr. Stroman challenged all of us to find those three or four people like that (if we haven't already) and start building relationships with them. Overall, the dialogue was very inspiring. I think it allowed all of us the opportunity to reflect on our current career trajectories and whether or not we're really headed in the right direction.

@drstroman speaking to @goMSBA students about the business of golf. #MSBA13 pic.twitter.com/mFIKNeiMJB
— Myles J. Robinson (@mylesjrobinson) June 16, 2013

Day 14 of MSBA 2013: Eight Weeks In the Big Apple

Post by D'Bria Bradshaw for June 15, 2013

Connect with D'Bria on Twitter as well as Linkedin.

June 2nd this journey began for all 22 of us and now we’re two weeks into MSBA 2013. We’ve had some amazing guest speakers and wonderful visits from Richard Weiss, Publisher of the Sport Business Journal, to a Madison Square Garden Friday field trip.

We’ve managed to hear and see some of the best that New York City has to offer. This summer is all about building relationships with sport business industry leaders and gaining experience in an industry in which all of us will one day be the leaders of. With everything New York has to offer, the priceless advice from our guest speakers has been very valuable.

From Darren Rovell’s story of how he mailed his resume in a box when working towards landing his first job out of college, Madison Square Garden’s panel who spoke about how they got where they are by having a passion for sports and taking chances, to Robert Simmelkjaer's insight on the sports media industry and how it has developed into what it is today, we've had some great experiences thus far.

Erik Martin, General Manager of Reddit, discussed the importance of maintaining relationships and how a degree in a specific field does not define who you are.

IMG Vice President Carlos Fleming talked about being in the right place at the right time and having as much experience as possible and building the right relationships with professionals in the industry is key. Everything that we've learned so far resonates with me in everything I set out to do, not only this summer but in all of my future endeavors.

Everything that the Manhattan Sports Business Academy team has planned for us this summer is enhancing our knowledge and exposure to the world of sports. Interning at Leverage Agency is giving me first-hand experience on sponsorships, endorsements, and brand management which are the areas which I want to work in.

If it keeps you up at night, follow that passion
— D'Bria Bradshaw (@Bre_Esquire) June 15, 2013

Being in a city where all the top sport and entertainment headquarters are located is daily inspiration and having my idol, Sean “Diddy” Comb’s Bad Boy Worldwide, five minutes from my internship is the icing on the cake for an exceptional summer. With six weeks left in this program, I cannot wait to see what else is in store for our young careers and who we will meet next in the sports industry that will positively impact our lives.

Day 13 of MSBA 2013: The Manhattan Sports Business Adventure

Post by Matt Hittinger for June 14, 2013

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As we recently wrapped up our second full week under the bright lights of New York City, my peers and I are thankful for the chance to finally catch our breath.

Being from a smaller town in Indiana, I quickly had to adapt to the life in the big city ranging from the confusing subways to the fast-paced lifestyle.

We have been basically going non-stop since we arrived two weeks ago in a blur of organized chaos. Between our own personal internships, fascinating guest speakers, and never-ending networking, it seems like we have had barely any time to sleep!

Having said all this, these first two weeks of the Manhattan Sports Business Academy have been two of the most intriguing and productive weeks of my life. Reading the blogs posted before and after mine, one can see the incredible opportunities and events that our team has already experienced and the potential memories that will last a lifetime.

Furthermore, last Friday ended my first full work week at my internship at Modell’s Sporting Goods. Interestingly enough, before my MSBA began this summer, I had never even heard of Modell’s, as its market is solely on the East Coast, let alone even set foot in one of their retail stores. Within my first three days of working at Modell’s, I had breakfast with the CEO, Mitchell Modell, went to three of their different stores throughout Manhattan Island, and currently work in their corporate office in Times Square. Again, all things that were only made possible by my participation in the Manhattan Sports Business Academy.

At Modell’s I assist the retail buyers and help on their e-commerce team. This position is benefiting because it is a very hands-on position as I visit Nike, Adidas, Sketchers, Etc. warehouses and corporate offices and sit in on the actual meetings where my Modell’s supervisors determine what products they think will best fit in their stores. The team views their products every week to determine their best sellers, growing products, and the psychological consumer habits as to why some products are selling better than others. Then based off the season, certain professional teams success, and hot players at that time, they determine what shoes, licensed goods, and apparel they think would sell the best. Needless to say, I’m learning a ton of information every day and gaining valuable workforce experience that is essential to preparing me for my career.

The last aspect of the program that has been my favorite part so far is simply the people I’m surrounded with every day. The 21 other classmates, the members from last year helping out, and the leaders of the program that I entered this journey with two weeks ago have quickly not just become colleagues or friends but true family. I think this connection was bound to form in a group of very similarly motivated, creative, and positive people. I think this is often overlooked in the workforce but the chemistry this group has is obvious. We support each other, we encourage each other, and we motivate each other to get the most out of these eight weeks. We all know each other’s stories, why we are here, and what goals we want to accomplish with the short amount of time we have.

I’m confident that not only will I have lifelong friends after this summer but also future business partners and colleagues in the industry who will forever bring up the many meals shared together, the Sundays in Central Park, and incredible adventures we are going to experience the rest of the summer.