The Sports Info Business

Lawrence Cohen is currently President and Founder of Beyond the Arc Sports Consultants, a sports marketing firm established to assist non-sports entities in utilizing sports assets to grow their business.

Before launching his own firm, Cohen served as Vice President of Sales for the Philadelphia 76ers. During his tenure with the 76ers, Cohen introduced multiple key ticketing initiatives including All You Can Eat tickets, Guys Night Out, Family Packs, Buzzer Beater Club, Club 76, and secondary ticketing (Ticket Rebound) that generated nearly $2 million in annual sales.

As the sports management industry continues to change, I thought it was about time to feature a consultant, in the sports management business.  Lawrence is the feature for our 10 questions with a sports executive this week.

1. Tell Us What Your Average Week is Like?

Now that I am a consultant, my week is very different than when I worked for a team.  I spend a lot of time networking with people in the industry, either via phone, in-person or e-mail.  I also spend a lot of time developing proposals.  Finally, I have to do the work I promised!

2. Tell us about your Career Path, including your Current Job.

I started as an intern at a company called Spectacor Management Group, where I was hired following the conclusion of my internship.  At SMG I worked as both a consultant on public assembly facility projects and as a marketing manager, coordinating our RFP responses, presentations, and presence at tradeshows.

After about 5 years at SMG, I decided to return to school and got my law degree.  I thought this would help me in my career, as I had spent a considerable amount of time reviewing legal documents.

Upon completing law school, I was recruited by Disney Sports to assist with their integration of the Anaheim Angels (Disney owned the Ducks at that point).  I held several positions while with Disney Sports including Director of Ticket Sales and Customer Service, Director of Advertising Sales and Broadcasting, and Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

After Disney Sports, I joined Tickets.com, where I was responsible for managing the company’s baseball portfolio, including both Major and Minor League baseball teams.  Ultimately, Tickets.com was purchased by MLBAM.

Prior to going out on my own, I served as Vice President of Sales for the Philadelphia 76ers.

3. What was the best advice you ever received and let us know if you follow it today?

The best advice I ever received was “don’t be a chicken.”  I have adhered to this concept throughout my career, as each position I accepted was not a “safe” job.  Always be willing to accept new challenges, no matter how daunting they appear.

4. What are your top sports memories you are most fond of telling others?

My memory is going to make me sound like a washed up high school jock!  But, here goes.  In High School, we were playing for the league basketball championship.  I was assigned the unenviable task of guarding the other team’s center, who was 6’7” and 200 lbs. (by comparison, I was 6’3” and 150 lbs soaking wet!).  Well, I fought this kid tooth and nail the whole game.  Fought him for position in the post, boxed him out, and generally frustrated the heck out of him.  We ended up winning the game and one of my teammates scored 25 points.  In the locker room after the game, the coach asked who should get the game ball.  Of course, all of my teammates said the player who scored all of the points.  Coach yelled at them and said “Larry should get the game ball!”  He then went on to sing my praises about how my determination to shut down their center was the reason we won the game.

Lesson learned:  It is the little things that will make you successful in life.

5. Describe the areas of opportunity for growth for the rest of 2009.

I think there will be continued growth opportunity in the social media space.  I don’t know that anybody has in sports has really figured out how to monetize this yet, but somebody will and therein lies the opportunity.

6. For someone still in college, do you suggest experience with internships or going on to Graduate School and Why?

I suggest a combination (sorry!).  I think someone in college should gain experience through internships and even work for a couple of years.  Then, go back to graduate school.  I think the practical experience and maturity you gain by working before returning to school make the graduate school experience that much more rewarding.

7. Name a Few Mentors you have had and Why They’ve Had an Impact

Father – Always tells it to me straight and has had my best interest at heart.

Tony Tavares – Provided me great opportunities to grow in my career.  Constantly challenged me.

8. In the last 6-9 months, the Economy has changed the way we do business? What are the biggest changes you have seen?

From the sports side, we all became reliant on corporate dollars to feed our need for more revenue.  As a result, we lost our way with “true” fans (based on the definition of fan).  Now, with corporate dollars drying up, I see many teams trying to re-connect with fans’ passion.  I think this change will be permanent and necessary for the survival of sport.

9. Executives always talk about passion in your job.  What are you passionate about and why.

I am addicted to sold-out buildings.  The electricity in the air is what makes sports so much fun for me.

10. If I had it to do all over again, I would change the following things about my path…..

Not a thing!