The secret to great sports marketing? 'You have to make it count'
The John Molson Sports Marketing committee following the completion of their 20th anniversary conference in November. | Photos courtesy of JMSM
Concordia students who harbour dreams of working for an NFL or NBA franchise are in luck. This weekend, for the third straight year, the John Molson Sports Marketing Committee (JMSM) is hosting its annual Half-Time Conference.
At the sold-out event on Saturday, March 26, the JMSM's student executive welcomes TSN football analyst Chris Schultz; TSN host Kate Beirness; Ram Padmanabhan, VP Finance and General Council for the Chicago Bulls basketball team; and Tim Zenner, director of Ticketing and Fan Engagement for the Detroit Lions.
The one-day conference features one-on-one meetings with the four invited VIPs, workshops and networking opportunities.
In anticipation of Saturday's summit, we asked Zenner and Schultz a few questions about the sports world.
How has the NFL managed to make football America’s favorite sport?
Tim Zenner: One of the biggest factors has been the NFL’s ability to keep fans engaged with NFL football throughout the entire calendar year.
"Offseason" benchmarks like the NFL Scouting Combine, free agency and the NFL Draft draw tremendous media coverage and help keep fans excited about the NFL even when games aren’t being played.
How do the Lions and the NFL use social media to engage with fans?
TZ: Social media is a tremendous forum to inform fans of team news, contests and community initiatives. It’s also a great vehicle for communicating upcoming stadium events and ticket information.
We primarily use our social media channels to promote our web content and bring fans to Detroitlions.com where we’re also promoting initiatives beyond what we’re doing "on the field."
The interactive nature of social media also gives us a mechanism to monitor fan comments in real time and use this information to help enrich the overall fan experience at our events.
What is your advice to a young person hoping to work in sports marketing?
TZ: Entry level positions in sports often require long hours for modest pay, but competition for these opportunities can still be quite fierce.
Being flexible with what you are willing to do and where you are willing to work will greatly expand your potential opportunities. When you do get your first opportunity, you have to make it count.
There is no substitute for hard work and managers quickly recognize the employees that are willing to put in extra time to help advance the business objectives of the team.
Stanley Cup champion Bill Clement, delivering the keynote address at JMSM15
What attracted you to this event?
Chris Schultz: It's great working with university students, because they are mature minds. These young men and women are a unique and wonderful age group. They look up to you and are very attentive and respectful.
I remember my times as a university student. As you approach senior year, you begin to ask yourself what you want to do with your life.
I'm more than happy to come to JMSB and impart my wisdom and experiences to help the students learn and deal with these diversities. I'm flattered to be a part of the event.
Find more about Concordia's John Molson Sports Marketing Committee (JMSM).
