Inaugural Sport Management Conference spotlights careers in sport industry

In conjunction with the Sport Management Department, members of this semester’s Event Management class, led by Associate Professor Hal Walker, hosted the inaugural Sport Management Conference on April 30. The evening event held in Lakeside drew more than a dozen sport industry professionals from across the country, including speakers from Stewart Haas Racing, Duke University, IMG College, the Durham Bulls and the New York Yankees.

The conference’s speakers and panelists included several Elon alumni, including Nolan Elingburg ’11, G’12, Grace Hanlon ’16, Kelsey Harris ’14 and Lauren Rhyne ’14.

Photos of the conference are available on the School of Communications’ Flickr account.

The event kicked off with welcomes from Walker and Zach Reuveni ’18, who explained the class’ involvement and the individuals who supported the on-campus conference. “We wanted to take on a challenge and do something new,” the senior sport management major said.

In a candid keynote address, Tyler Key, general manager of IMG College, walked the 50-plus attendees through his own inauspicious start at Florida State University and the decisions that ultimately impacted his professional career in the sport and marketing industries.

“To work in sports, you have to sacrifice,” he said. “There is not going to be a 9-to-5 job.”

Key’s first sacrifice was as a college student, forfeiting tailgates to intern with ABC Sports to help broadcast Seminole football games.

He encouraged the students to find joy in their work, something he realized early on while working in a sales rep position he disliked. He successfully transitioned to positions at Retail Sports Marketing and then eventually Michael Waltrip Racing, handling a variety of marketing, advertising and sponsorship programs.

But business decisions outside of Key’s control ended his tenure at the family-owned NASCAR team as well as his next role with Nature’s Bakery as a sponsorship marketing manager. Ultimately, he landed at IMG College last fall, the nation’s leading collegiate sports marketing company, where he oversees athletic marketing and sponsorship initiatives on Elon’s campus.

Key implored the aspiring professionals in attendance to make each position they get their own. “Take a job where you can take nothing and turn it into something,” he said. And make sure to fun while doing it.

The conference then transitioned into three 45-minute panel discussions highlighting fan engagement, brand management and innovation.

The fan engagement session featured Tyler Beck, ACC assistant director of communications; Nolan Elingburg, associate director of Blue Devil Network at Duke University; Grace Hanlon, assistant director of special events at Duke; and David Cross, general manager and vice president of the Danville Braves.

The quartet highlighted a variety of topics, ranging from how to promote their brands – particularly on social media ­– to their most unique fan interactions. Hanlon’s interaction actually involved a request to move a casket onto a basketball court during a game. The inquiry was denied, not surprisingly.

Hanlon noted that persistence – getting in front of as many possible employers as she could – ultimately led to her landing an internship at Duke that transitioned into a full-time position. She charged attendees to take on responsibilities outside their roles, which will help them climb the professional ladder. While the occasional 22-hour workday can be exhausting, she said she enjoys that her career has her close to athletics.

Cross echoed Key’s sentiment that one must be prepared to sacrifice to succeed in the sport industry, taking on any task that is needed. That includes everything from selling tickets to pulling the tarp on the field.

“But if you love what you are doing, it’s worth it,” he said.

The event’s second panel on brand management featured Ty Norris, vice president of Spire Sports and Entertainment; Mario Oliveri, manager of inside sales for the New York Yankees; Ryan Simon, ticket services coordinator for the Philadelphia Phillies; Ben Trachtman, corporate account executive of the Durham Bulls; Mike Verlander, vice president of sales and marketing for Stewart Haas Racing; and Key.

The conference panels concluded with a discussion on innovation in sport. Panelists included Emily Bockino, director of advertiser insights for ESPN; Kelsey Harris, ACC director of women’s basketball operations; Lauren Rhyne, director of educational resources for USA Baseball; Lindsay Robertson, Kids ‘N Community Grant and event specialist for the Carolina Hurricanes; and Bill Squadron, visiting professor of sport management at Elon and former president of Bloomberg Sports.

The event wrapped up with a network reception. In addition to Elon students, several students from High Point University, N.C. State University and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro were in also attendance. 

The Student Government Association and Student Professional Development Office also supported the student-organized conference.