A couple weeks ago the Warsaw Center – with the help of Sports Business Radio – held the first installment of the Sports Executive Speaker Series (SESS) with Portland Trail Blazers President, Larry Miller. The SESS is an excellent opportunity for the Center to engage with the Portland sports community and for students and alums to network and learn from industry leaders. The setting was an interactive Q & A (with breakfast) led by Warsaw’s Managing Director, Paul Swangard, and the host of Sports Business Radio, Brian Berger.

Larry was a particularly engaging speaker for this audience since he is the former president of Jordan Brand and can therefore speak to both apparel and team sports. His comments on brand building were particluarly interesting given his background and the stellar repuatation’s of the companies he has led. After this session, I think everybody is looking forward to the next installment with Pac-10 commissioner, Larry Scott.

In the clip below, Mr. Miller discusses how he has attempted to eliminate the divide between the business and player sides of the Blazers.

Over the summer and fall, our own Michael Mosser, 2010 Warsaw MBA candidate at the University of Oregon, had the opportunity to work abroad in Germany at the biggest soccer agency in the world. Michael takes us through his experience with SPORTFIVE, located in Hamburg, Germany…

Working in the company’s International Business Unit, I helped Senior Management orchestrate a restructuring of two of their business units.  I also worked on sponsorship proposals for the 2012 European Championships and comprehensive marketing offerings for several football clubs in Europe.  It was a fantastic opportunity to work directly with Senior Management on key projects that had immediate impact at the organization.

Living in Europe provided me the opportunity for awesome travel experiences!  I went to Oktoberfest in Munich, climbed the highest mountain in Norway, had some great nights in Sweden, caught up with an old pal in Denmark, and hiked along the border between Poland and Slovakia.  SPORTFIVE was also gracious in letting me join the Oregon MBA crew for the annual Study Tour in China…..one of the integral highlights of our program!

The last couple days of the East Coast trip included a jam packed Friday and a relaxing Saturday in New York City. MBA student Michael Speed takes us through the final days of the trip…

Our first stop on Friday morning was a visit with Sal Galatioto of Galatioto Sports Partners. Providing great insight into the world of franchise ownership, Sal took us through some interesting business topics and provided some great laughs.

Next, we made our way to IMG’s offices and met with a few executives of the company. Some topics discussed include the fragmentation of media power, the concentration of media power and the rise of branded media.

MBA students enjoying the night scene at Times Square.

Later in the day, we visited Seesaw Visual Branding and undertook an interactive exercise with Robert Strand of Strand IP. The exercise consisted of breaking into groups and addressing a hypothetical marketing situation that included organizations like the Saudi Arabian Soccer League and the NFL.

To wrap up the night, we met with the VP of Marketing of the New York Knicks, Hunter Lochman. The NBA executive gave us great insight into a variety of industry topics, including the effects of the looming 2010 free agency, how tourism affects Knicks ticketing and how the team balances tradition and promotion. The day was capped off with the us attending a Knicks game against the Toronto Raptors at Madison Square Garden. We were close to the action and our experience in the Garden definitely lived up to its reputation as being one of the most storied sports venues of our time.

Saturday, our last full day in New York, we had free. Many of us walked around and enjoyed the many amenities that the Big Apple has to offer. We visited a variety of spots including the NHL, NBA, and Under Armour stores before calling it a day.

By the end of the trip, we had visited almost ten major sports industry companies and broadcasting organizations throughout the East Coast. The people were great, the networking priceless and the memories we gained were some of the best we have had with the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center.

Bill Walton in the board room with MBA students

We’re going to take a break before the final NY Trip blog to update everybody on some of the going ons this term at the Center. Just a couple weeks ago we had an interesting week as NBA Legend Bill Walton and ex-PGA pro (and current UO coach) Casey Martin came through the business school to talk to students. I would summarize it myself, but a close friend of the blog – and current UO undergrad – Adam Gidaro did such a good job on his blog that I’ll just link you there: Gidaro Sports Management – “Get in that door, elbow your way in”.

Coming up, the Center has an exciting week next week as we’ll hold the first event in the Warsaw Sports Executive Speaker Series in Portland. On Thursday, we’ll have a two hour breakfast session (7-9 am) with Portland Trail Blazers team president Larry Miller. Larry is not only the “NBA’s no. 1 turnaround specialist” (according to David Stern), he’s also had a long career in apparel, achieving the title of President for both Jantzen and Jordan Brand.

If any readers are in Portland and interested in the Miller event, you can learn more and register on the UO Alumni Association web page.

The third leg of the East Coast trip took us on a four-day visit in New York City. MBA student Ken Salmon takes us through the first two days of our journey in the Big Apple:

Gathering at the Warsaw Sports Industry Luncheon

Our first main event in the city brought us to the Harvard Club for the 12th Annual Warsaw Center Sports Industry Luncheon on Wednesday. With over a hundred people in attendance, the event featured discussions with Dr. Stephen Greyser from the Harvard Business School and Dean Howard from our own college of business. This was hands down, a great networking opportunity for the members of Warsaw.

Later that same afternoon, we took off for ESPN’s offices, where Warsaw alums Gil Beverly and Kelly Johnson showed us around the building and provided us access to several key executives and information on that week’s 3-D channel announcement. After this visit, we made our way back to the hotel for a Warsaw Alumni panel with alums currently working in NY for the likes of ESPN, Octagon, IMG, the NBA, and Glaceau. Topics discussed among the alums included how they got from point A to B and what it’s like to live in a big city like New York. The day was capped off with Warsaw members and alumni gathering at a local watering hole to network and connect with each other.

One of the higlights of the trip, a visit with top execs from the NBA

Thursday morning, we started the day with a visit to the NBA offices and met with employees in the company including the COO, Adam Silver, Sr. VP of Team Marketing and Business Operations, Chris Granger, VP of Basketball Operations, Stu Jackson, and VP of Global Merchandising, Sal LaRocca, among others.

The next stop on the itinerary was NBC Sports, where we met with the Director of Marketing, Justin Byczek and VP of Strategic Marketing and Communications, Mike McCarely. In addition to a number of insider topics, we discussed NBC’s Olympic Strategy for the Vancouver games and the company’s re-entry into the NFL with their Sunday night telecasts.

To cap off the day, we met with Brian Flynn from the New York City Off-Track Betting Corporation at a local Irish pub, and learned about the horse betting business. Overall, this was a jam-packed first two days in New York filled with experiences we will never forget. Check back soon for the final recap of our last couple days in New York City.

The second leg of our East Coast trip featured a visit to Under Armour’s headquarters in Baltimore. MBA student Jaehwan Kim takes us through the day:

Adam Peake, Vice President of Sales at Under Armour, graciously greeted us off the bus when we arrived and showed our group around the office grounds. The scenery around headquarters was great with the nearby Baltimore harbor in view.

As we made our way inside the offices, the building and rooms looked about as sleek as the commercials that Under Armour puts on air and in print. With athlete portraits, full wall posters, and “Protect This House” slogans around every corner, we knew we were at the home of Under Armour.

MBA students at Under Armour headquarters

Taking our seats in the conference room, we then had a round table discussion with a few executives from the company, including Chief Operating Officer, Wayne Marino and the Sr. Vice President of Marketing, Steve Batista. We discussed many aspects of the UA business including the launch into running, international plans,  Under Armour’s American-themed brand and the brand’s long-term goals.

After the meeting, we made our way back outside and toured Under Armour’s recently acquired building right next door to headquarters, where the company can host corporate events. To cap things off, we ran into the Chief Executive Officer of Under Armour, Kevin Plank, and had a quick chat with the man who started the company.

The group chatting with the Founder and CEO of Under Armour, Kevin Plank

Under Armour really rolled out the red carpet for us for the day and we were provided with a great visit to one of the more powerful sports apparel companies in the business. Check back soon for a recap of our third leg of the East Coast trip, and our first day in New York City that included an industry luncheon and alumni networking night on the town.

We’re now about a week removed from our East Coast trip and it’s a great time to look back and examine a journey that was full of learning opportunities, alumni connections, and networking with some of the top executives in sports. Our city stops included Washington D.C., Baltimore, and New York. Warsaw MBA student Jonathan Riddle takes us through the first leg of the trip:

Several students at the Washington Monument

Monday morning, we started with a bus tour of each pro stadium in route from Baltimore to Washington D.C. Due to an unfortunate last minute schedule change from Ted Leonsis of the Washington Capitals, we ended up with the morning off and the opportunity to tour our nation’s Capital. It was a great experience since many of us had not been to DC in years - or at all.

Our first meeting of the trip was with the NFL Players Association. We met at their office, less than a ten-minute walk from the Whitehouse. After paying homage to Gene Upshaw, who is prominently displayed around the building, we sat in on a panel discussion facilitated by Allison Tucker, the VP of Sponsorship and Business Development.

The NFLPA is for the most part a union, representing the players of the NFL, but it also markets the rights to players. If, for example, EA sports wants every player in the league for their next NFL game, they have to get rights from the PA for the players (as well as from the league for logos, etc.). If a business wanted a player for a commercial, they too would have to go through the PA.

Group shot at the NFLPA

The two most interesting topics of the day were the future of the soon-to-expire collective bargaining agreement and the American Needle Supreme Court case that would be argued later in the week of our visit. The upcoming CBA renewal (or nonrenewal) could mean an NFL season without a salary cap and The American Needle case will affect all major sports leagues, as it will determine whether or not teams can be dealt with as single entities as opposed to competitive businesses.

After the chat with the NFLPA discussion panelists, we made our way back to Baltimore to prepare for our visit with Under Armour the following morning. Our first full day of our East Coast trip gave us a fantastic start to what would prove a fantastic week.  Stay tuned for a recap of the second leg of the trip in Baltimore.

The winter break is a great time to relax and see friends and family, but it’s also a valuable opportunity to accelerate job and internship searches. It is the first time in months (and for many, years) that three weeks are available for whatever you need to do. Many students use the time to fix resumes, reach out to industry contacts or just create a plan for the upcoming internship hunt. This year, first year student Dalia Ismail took it one step further and began getting experience over the break. I’ll let her tell the rest…

Slopestyle Course

As I rode the Colorado Mountain Express (CME) into sunny Breckenridge, CO, I knew it was going to be an exciting weekend of events!  I was going to get to witness some of the best shredding around since I had the lucky opportunity to work for Alli Sports during their big Winter Dew Tour event.  It is numero uno of the Tour’s three stops and the first chance for each skier and snowboarder to earn points towards becoming the Dew Tour champion. 

As the second Warsaw student ever to get involved in action sports, I took advice from my predecessor Tom Czarnowski, and made myself as accessible as possible throughout the event.  I was initially only responsible for handling the Action Zone Pass holders - a $100 ticket that got fans special viewing areas for the competitions, an exclusive behind the scenes tour of the courses (which I led), athlete meet and greets, discounts, a bag of swag, free hot chocolate, and of course all the Mountain Dew anyone can drink -  but on day one, I was already helping out with responsibilities outside my role. 

Athlete registration this year had a huge turnout which is great for the sport, but left the organizers without enough volunteers. I spent the majority of my first day checking in the athletes, collecting payments for the open qualifiers, and registering each athlete with a coordinating bib number.  Then as soon as registration closed at 4pm, I went out with my AZ team to the festival village outside to set up our tent.  We worked until about 8pm at night on the cold mountain with only one head lamp to shine any light! 

Behind the scenes action

The next day we were back up on the mountain at 7:45am to open up shop and get ready for the visitors and pass holders to pour in!  Each day consisted of manning the tent, taking one or two runs through the course to scope out our behind the scenes tour route, and hiking up the mountain a few hundred feet to make sure only our pass holders had access to the AZ area. 

Yes, that means little ol’ Dalia was acting as security!  Although my size wasn’t intimidating, my credentials and NYC attitude got the job done! 

So, other than being confused for a pro because of the oversized Dew Tour sweatshirt, and the early mornings and cold late nights with very little food, this was one of the best experiences of my life and a great start into my new career path!  Coming from an MBA program like Warsaw, I was more than able to juggle many responsibilities and perform more efficiently than the average volunteer. The people at Alli took notice too as they asked me to come back for the last two stops (in Utah and Vermont) and to possibly be the Portland representative for the summer tour! 

It’s nice to know that just a little effort can put the Warsaw name on the map in the Action Sports industry – where more MBA’s are definitely needed.

It’s Saturday in New York and we’re winding the trip down. Yesterday was our last day of visits in what was a monumental week of learning and networking. Some of the highlights include sitting in front of a candid group of execs from the NBA for 6 hours, visiting Sal Galatioto and hearing his many opinions, interactive branding exercises at Strand IP and a visit to Madison Square Garden that included insights into the New York ticket market (from the Knicks VP of Marketing) followed by a game.

Keep checking back to the blog for more specifics on each day, but for now, I’m turning it over to first year student JJ Own for his take on something oh so important to the NY trip (and one of Jim Warsaw’s many legacies): the Warsaw Network…

As many current Warsaw students and alums know, and many future Warsaw members will find out, researching and lining up internships is one of the more difficult tasks for first year MBA students.  The difficulty isn’t so much in the search for the internship itself, but rather all things associated with it.  It’s about making time in your already hectic schedule to track down the opportunities that pique your interest.  It’s a waiting game to hear back from people and the wondering of whether or not your email was spammed. These are just a couple of reasons why internship hunting takes some thick skin and perseverance.  That being said, there are ways to lighten your load and make the search a little less arduous.
 
One such way to do this is the use of your network.  You often hear people talk of the value of your network, and actually, it was one of the major selling points for me when I decided to come to Warsaw.  Over Christmas break, I took the three weeks of free time as an opportunity to meet with people within my network and the Warsaw network, and discuss with them their career paths and get their insights into the lay of the land in regards to the sports industry. 

I was able to set up a meeting with the San Francisco Giants through through their director of human resources and she in turn arranged four different meetings for me, two of which were with Warsaw Alums in the roles of VP of Consumer Marketing and VP of Ticket Sales.  My meetings with them were incredibly informative and gave me a great chance to hear about their experiences in the sports industry and with the Giants in particular.  In adition, I also had interesting conversation with the Director of Sponsorship Services, which gave me some great insights into the revenue model they used when opening AT&T Park in March of 2000.
 
After my visit to San Francisco, I had an opportunity to sit down with a Corporate Account Executive with the Los Angeles Angels as well as a Warsaw Alum, Cesar Sanchez, who is the Sponsorship Services Manager for the Halos.  Once again, it was great to see the value of the Warsaw network in action.  I had great conversations with both of them, and was given a different perspective on front office marketing operations.  It was interesting to note that they were being flooded with Japanese sponsorship inquiries given the recent signing of Godzilla, Hideki Matsui (1 year, $6M).
 
When I first committed to Oregon and the Warsaw program, I had some grand illusions of their alumni network.  Thus far, I can honestly say that Paul and the rest of the Warsaw Center have been worth their weight in gold when it comes to their network.  Without their help, it would be incredibly difficult to gain traction in my internship search. With their help, the process has become much more fruitful.

New York City Trip 2010

premiere networking and learning opportunities that sets the program apart from others around the country. Through connections created by our program’s founder – Jim Warsaw – staff and alumni we are able to visit and receive insider access to some of the country’s top sports marketing companies.

We have actually been on the trip for 3 days now, but just made it to NY. The last 2 days we were in Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD where we scheduled meetings with the Washington Capitals, NFL Player’s Association and Under Armour. The visits were setup so that we could receive access to some of the companies’ top executives such as Ted Leonsis (owner of the Caps), the NFLPA’s sponsorship and communications directors and Under Armour’s COO and Brand Director. However, the highlight of the trip to date has to be a chance run-in we had on our way out the door of UA. We actually met UA’s founder and CEO, Kevin Plank, and he gave a great pep talk on the value of networking opportunities (like the ones on this trip) and how he started his business working connections from his football playing days. We were all thrilled by the experience and left with an increased sense of enthusiasm and excitement for the NY leg of the trip.

Coming up we have an industry luncheon, an alumni networking night, a full day with the NBA and visits to ESPN, NBC Sports, IMG and the Knicks amongst others. Stay tuned to the blog as we’ll soon have pictures and full descriptions of each day of the trip. It promises to be a memorable experience and we look forward to sharing it with you…