| Indiana University Sport Marketing Alliance |
Indianapolis Networking Trip Recap
By Jon Brown
On November 12th, the IUSMA set out on their second networking trip of the year in Indianapolis. Representative members of the organization met with Butler University athletics, Star Media (Indy Star), the Indiana Pacers, and the Indianapolis Indians. This trip was packed full of excitement, invaluable advice, and experiences to last a lifetime.
At Butler University, the group met up with athletic director Barry Collier to hear his thoughts on college athletics and the industry in general, as well as take a tour of some of the Butler athletic facilities. Mr. Collier told us that Butler has three goals for their athletic programs: 1.) provide exceptional student-athlete experiences, 2.) field competitive teams, 3.) serve as a source of pride and unity for the school and the community, and 4.) be fiscally sustainable. Mr. Collier emphasized the challenges that Butler faces as a small, private university, for instance simple amenities like food and drink for the athletes, equipment, facilities, and travel are often difficult to fund. He mentioned that for a university Butler’s size, the most important duty is to know when and where to allocate resources to achieve the greatest balance of effect and cost reduction. These comments really put our IU athletics department into perspective for our members, because a lot of us take for granted the resources that our athletic teams have at their disposal as a result of being a large, public university.
Mr. Collier wanted our students to learn from the Butler model. He told our group not to try to do too much with too little, because it’s better to do it right on a smaller scale than to settle for mediocrity on a large scale. He reiterated that we as undergrads need to acquire broad experiences (through volunteerism, organization involvement, internships, etc.), and that often, “you can’t do anything without changing something,” so don’t be afraid to take risks and learn as you go.
Our next stop was Star Media, the home of the Indy Star newspaper. There, we met with Jim Lefko, the Senior Sports Editor. Jim provided insight on an industry most of us as Sports Marketing and Management majors didn’t know much about: the journalism industry (which Sport Communications majors probably do know a lot about). Jim told us that the Star’s goal is to put out the best product every day. I think this is advice that we should apply to all fields. Striving to deliver the best product or service to the consumer should be the primary concern of every company, no matter the industry. Jim discussed the setbacks the print journalism industry has faced over the last 5 years or so as a result of digital technology. He said that digital is the future, and while he hates to see print popularity decline, the ultimate duty he as a journalist is to provide the consumer with the most up-to-date information in whatever medium is most coveted. This being said, the Star’s website boasts 1.5 million hits per day, ranking it the #1 news site in Indiana.
The Star’s marketing department manager, Anne Templeton, accompanied Jim Lefko. Anne told our group about some of the marketing strategies Star Media utilizes to gain market share. She highlighted the Star’s sponsoring of Indiana high school basketball’s “Mr. Basketball,” now a nationally recognized and renowned award. Anne also talked about how we as undergrads can add value to ourselves, by performing results-driven tasks in school, extra-curricular activities, and work experience. She left us with the advice, “Have a personality and show it. Leave an impression, be indispensible, act on your instincts.”
From Star Media, we went over to Conseco Fieldhouse to meet with the Indiana Pacers. We sat down with the VP of Entertainment and former IU student, Jamie Burns. Jamie was really inspirational and spoke to us about how his unconventional way of getting into the industry taught him and allowed him to grow to where he is now. Jamie encouraged us to immerse ourselves in the industry. He told a story about how he dropped out of college in his second year to go to LA in an attempt to capture his dream of being a film producer. While he never became a famous Hollywood director/producer, he learned a lot about what it takes to get into the industry—the kinds of hands-on experience they couldn’t teach you in a classroom. Jamie urged us all to embrace any opportunity that comes our way, to develop relationships and foster them, not to limit ourselves to one niche in a particular field, and to learn how to “sell yourself.” Jamie continued, saying, “Every time you’re in front of people is an opportunity to prove your worth.” We must always raise the bar and, if we have a dream, go for it. The Pacers’ Directory of Season Ticket Sales, Allan, also shared some professional advice to the group. Allan told us that companies often purchase season tickets to 1.) find new clients, 2.) take care of (entertain) existing clients, and 3.) provide employees with incentives. Allan also stated claim to the importance of networking, saying, “Meet and stay in contact with people. It’s all about connections.”
Our final visit was with the Indianapolis Indians, the Triple-A affiliate to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Victory Field, home of the Indians, is regarded as one of the nicest minor league parks in the country, and it showed. Despite being several years old, the park looked brand new, with perfect grounds-keeping and beautiful architecture. We met the Indians’ Ryan Bowman and Mark Shoemocker, who spoke to us about the retail/merchandising side of an athletic organization. They offered insight as to how the creativity of various promotions and other events are thought up and how they leverage those events to draw fan attendance and help the community. The visit was really informative, and after getting to go onto the field, our group really appreciated what kind of work goes into running a minor-league club.
Overall, the Indianapolis networking trip was an experience that proved of boundless opportunity. We received professional advice from industry leaders, toured some of the most prestigious athletic facilities in the country, and spent time with some of the members of the world’s best student organization devoted to a career in sports—the IUSMA!
At Butler University, the group met up with athletic director Barry Collier to hear his thoughts on college athletics and the industry in general, as well as take a tour of some of the Butler athletic facilities. Mr. Collier told us that Butler has three goals for their athletic programs: 1.) provide exceptional student-athlete experiences, 2.) field competitive teams, 3.) serve as a source of pride and unity for the school and the community, and 4.) be fiscally sustainable. Mr. Collier emphasized the challenges that Butler faces as a small, private university, for instance simple amenities like food and drink for the athletes, equipment, facilities, and travel are often difficult to fund. He mentioned that for a university Butler’s size, the most important duty is to know when and where to allocate resources to achieve the greatest balance of effect and cost reduction. These comments really put our IU athletics department into perspective for our members, because a lot of us take for granted the resources that our athletic teams have at their disposal as a result of being a large, public university.
Mr. Collier wanted our students to learn from the Butler model. He told our group not to try to do too much with too little, because it’s better to do it right on a smaller scale than to settle for mediocrity on a large scale. He reiterated that we as undergrads need to acquire broad experiences (through volunteerism, organization involvement, internships, etc.), and that often, “you can’t do anything without changing something,” so don’t be afraid to take risks and learn as you go.
Our next stop was Star Media, the home of the Indy Star newspaper. There, we met with Jim Lefko, the Senior Sports Editor. Jim provided insight on an industry most of us as Sports Marketing and Management majors didn’t know much about: the journalism industry (which Sport Communications majors probably do know a lot about). Jim told us that the Star’s goal is to put out the best product every day. I think this is advice that we should apply to all fields. Striving to deliver the best product or service to the consumer should be the primary concern of every company, no matter the industry. Jim discussed the setbacks the print journalism industry has faced over the last 5 years or so as a result of digital technology. He said that digital is the future, and while he hates to see print popularity decline, the ultimate duty he as a journalist is to provide the consumer with the most up-to-date information in whatever medium is most coveted. This being said, the Star’s website boasts 1.5 million hits per day, ranking it the #1 news site in Indiana.
The Star’s marketing department manager, Anne Templeton, accompanied Jim Lefko. Anne told our group about some of the marketing strategies Star Media utilizes to gain market share. She highlighted the Star’s sponsoring of Indiana high school basketball’s “Mr. Basketball,” now a nationally recognized and renowned award. Anne also talked about how we as undergrads can add value to ourselves, by performing results-driven tasks in school, extra-curricular activities, and work experience. She left us with the advice, “Have a personality and show it. Leave an impression, be indispensible, act on your instincts.”
From Star Media, we went over to Conseco Fieldhouse to meet with the Indiana Pacers. We sat down with the VP of Entertainment and former IU student, Jamie Burns. Jamie was really inspirational and spoke to us about how his unconventional way of getting into the industry taught him and allowed him to grow to where he is now. Jamie encouraged us to immerse ourselves in the industry. He told a story about how he dropped out of college in his second year to go to LA in an attempt to capture his dream of being a film producer. While he never became a famous Hollywood director/producer, he learned a lot about what it takes to get into the industry—the kinds of hands-on experience they couldn’t teach you in a classroom. Jamie urged us all to embrace any opportunity that comes our way, to develop relationships and foster them, not to limit ourselves to one niche in a particular field, and to learn how to “sell yourself.” Jamie continued, saying, “Every time you’re in front of people is an opportunity to prove your worth.” We must always raise the bar and, if we have a dream, go for it. The Pacers’ Directory of Season Ticket Sales, Allan, also shared some professional advice to the group. Allan told us that companies often purchase season tickets to 1.) find new clients, 2.) take care of (entertain) existing clients, and 3.) provide employees with incentives. Allan also stated claim to the importance of networking, saying, “Meet and stay in contact with people. It’s all about connections.”
Our final visit was with the Indianapolis Indians, the Triple-A affiliate to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Victory Field, home of the Indians, is regarded as one of the nicest minor league parks in the country, and it showed. Despite being several years old, the park looked brand new, with perfect grounds-keeping and beautiful architecture. We met the Indians’ Ryan Bowman and Mark Shoemocker, who spoke to us about the retail/merchandising side of an athletic organization. They offered insight as to how the creativity of various promotions and other events are thought up and how they leverage those events to draw fan attendance and help the community. The visit was really informative, and after getting to go onto the field, our group really appreciated what kind of work goes into running a minor-league club.
Overall, the Indianapolis networking trip was an experience that proved of boundless opportunity. We received professional advice from industry leaders, toured some of the most prestigious athletic facilities in the country, and spent time with some of the members of the world’s best student organization devoted to a career in sports—the IUSMA!
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