The Sports Info Business

See his video below

Hi all.  Please wait one second for me as I get on this soap box and try not to fall off.

Ok.  There.

I have made it a point to try and never preach here, but after watching a recent episode  The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, I thought it was time we spoke about sponsorship.  During Stewart’s 30 minute nightly broadcast, the comedian and his talented team of writers, comics and  crew went after Bank of America during one of the show segments.  Before we get to the video, I wanted touch on a few things.

1) I am not a customer of Bank of America

2) I have nothing against Bank of America

3) I am only using them as an example for this blog since Stewart skewered them on National TV

That said, let’s take the old 20,000 foot view of sponsors and sports sponsorship.  Anyone involved in sports knows corporate partnerships help both team/organization and potentially the sponsor itself.  Some obvious benefits:

1) Off-sets expenses for the team

2) Tying the sponsor close to the team potentially improves how fans see the sponsor

3) Delivers a new venue for the sponsor to deliver their message

4) Provides the sponsor a new venue to sell their product.

Bank of America is no exception.  They spend a considerable amount of money on sports sponsorships.  Taking a look at their sponsorship website revealed the following:

* The compamy is a Major League Baseball Sponsor

* They also sponsor NASCAR

* They began a sponsorship agreement with the National Football League in 2007.  It appears they are still a sp0nsor.

The web page showcase a few major sponsorship, but I am sure they do much more to generate goodwill as well as some of the points mentioned above.

Now take those thoughts and watch this BBQ.

Part of that comic bit was taken from this video, which Jackie Ramos, a former Bank of America employee, made and posted to YouTube.

Okay, if you have watched either or both of those two videos, you now know that Bank of America took a serious hit to this November, 2009 video .

As a company, you can invest all you want in sponsorships to make you look better and sell more, but if you are not operating in a way that consumers or employees expect, then these videos will become more and more common.

It makes a significant impact on all of the company’s other efforts while still making money.

I do not know Jackie and I do not know if all her claims are true.  However, the damage can be significant (see Dominos scandal which made it to The Today Show).

So, here are a few general thoughts.

1) Always operate in an ethical manner

2) Treat employees like you would like to be treated

3) Always associate with quality people and other quality companies.

File this post under you never know who you will meet.
Earlier this week I received an email from Tyrone Brooks of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
We had not met but as it usally turns out n sports knew a few of the same people. Tyrone is the director of Baseball Operations for the Pittsburgh Pirates. There are still a few old friends who are working for the organization since my Dodger days and it quickly became a small world.

How I came to meet Tyrone is directly related to social networking and in this case via LinkedIn. Tyrone saw that I used to work for the Dodgers and Angels and invited me to join his group.
About six months ago, Tyler started a LinkedIn group for people that worked inside professional baseball. This group includes major league staff, minor league employees, vendors associated with the game — really it is targeted to anyone working or wanting to work in baseball.
He has seen the list balloon during the six months to more than 3,800 members.
For the most part Tyrone believes people want to learn and network with others with the same interests. Obviously, by the sheer number of people interested on his list, his intuition was correct.
Tyrone says he just wants to give back and help others. He is a person who says he is thankful to be in a great position and since we has provided with opportunity, wants to do the same for others.  Here is a  bit of background from our conversation.

Tyrone began his career with the camera. As a student at the University of Maryland he took pictures of the college’s sports teams for five years.

“I wanted to stay close to sports,” he admits during our conversation.

Right before graduation he learned of am internship program with the Atlanta Braves. He applied and was accepted.
Within a year, Tyrone was made a full-time employee, an admin assistant as he calls it.

That opportunity turned into jobs that included area scout, assistant player personnel to Director of Player Personnel all with the Braves.
Tyrone also enjoyed am opportunity with the Cleveland Indians before landing in his current position with the Pirates.
Now, he assists Pirates GM with the day to day baseball operations and has the ultimate goal one day of being a General Manager in baseball.

As for his growing LinkedIn list, he says, “I have always enjoyed meeting other people in our game and this is a way for me to give back.”

I enjoyed meeting him too, Tyrone, and I am joining your list today.

Pete Carroll (then) USC head football coach with Charles Harris (me) before a fundraising event in Orange County

It has been a few days here on the West Coast since USC football coach Pete Carroll announced he is leaving the Southern California college coaching scene and heading to Seattle to coach the Seattle Seahawks.

Carroll, ressurected the USC football program and in nine years took it from oblivon to center stage.

National Champions, Heisman Trophy winners some of the best recruits in the nation, the Trojans had it all.

What I didn’t know until reading Los Angeles Times sports columnist Bill Plaschke’s story this morning on Carroll was that he was USC’s fourth choice to coach the football team.

The first three had turned down the position and luckily for Carroll, the others didn’t see what Pete did.  He didn’t exactly start off in the best of times at USC.  Plaschke, who was the Dodgers beat writer while I was with the team in the ’90’s and one of the best sports writers today, pointed out “But none of it mattered because USC was in relative tatters, without a bowl win in five years, without a 10-win season in more than a decade, without a national title in 22 years.”

Nine years later, the story has changed and someone will inherit a program in much better shape, NCAA investigation and all.

Carroll arrived at USC after a less than stellar NFL coaching career where he was booted from the NY Jets after a 6-10 record and a three year mark at New England (27-22).

Four is certainly the new number one.  He is not alone, however.

I tend to stay away from tell all sports books.  After having been around the business for so long, my reading interests have become pretty diverse.  These days, I am more likely to read Devil in the White City or The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind than read the latest tell-all sports book.

That said, I did pick up Joe Torre’s book, published last year and called The Yankee Years yesterday and plowed through the first 100 pages late into the night. I mention it only because of the way the first chapter and the first page began.

“Joe Torre was the fourth choice.”

Not a bad fourth choice if you are a New York Yankees fan — Or a USC fan.

It is an important life lesson where we can all learn.  In accepting a job or a challenge, it is not important how you receive an opportunity, the important part of any journey is that YOU RECEIVE the opportunity.  What you do with that opportunity is what defines you.

It reminds me of a short story that I used to hear during my time with the Dodgers.  Tommy Lasorda, the Hall of Fame Manager and official bleeder of Dodger Blue was asked how it felt to be replacing a legend like Walter Alston.  Alston had coached the Dodgers from 1954 to 1976.  Lasorda was filling pretty big shoes in Alston.  Lasorda, reportedly answered, “I want you to ask the next guy how it will feel to be replacing Tommy Lasorda.”

I have had the privilege of meeting both Peter Carroll and Joe Torre.  I am picture with Carroll in the photo above (not my best side) and have heard him speak at other fundraising events.  Torre, I met while he was a broadcaster with the Angels.  Both are amazing men.  Four is indeed the new number one.

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Scroll down and watch Pete Carroll addressing media at USC about his departure to Seattle to coach the Seattle Seahawks

A new year.  January 2010 marks one year that I have been writing this blog.

The expereince has been an adventure for me in many different ways.  It has given me the opportunity to share information on the sports business.  I have shared some of my personal stories from my experiences of working with the Dodgers, Angels, UC Irvine, The Anaheim (Mighty) Ducks and more…..

I have showcased leading sports executives, talked about sports management programs, covered technology in sports as well as breaking news.

According to WordPress, which is the platform I use to publish the blog, this is officially the 219th blog posted on the web with 24 more listed in various draft forms.  Some of the ideas will come to light and several more will be deleted and never be read by a single person.

I started the blog with the premise that I could create a brand and to drive traffic from a starting point of zero, nada, nothing — clume.  During this process I have learned quite a few things.

* I learned that people from all over the world are interested in sports management and sports management issues.

*I learned that Blog posts related to breaking news stories often draws the most attention from visitors to the web site.

* I now know that Saturday’s are usually the slowest for you folks coming here since I rarely post on that day and Mondays are usually the busiest.

* After doing this for a year, I can appreciate the journalist even more.  One that writes on a regular basis needs topics and news to speak about.  It is easy to write about Peter Caroll possibly leaving USC for the Seattle Seahawks, the NFL playoffs or even Allen Iverson’s return to Philadelphia.

What is not so easy is to turn out thought provoking content when it is a slow news day and you have writers block.

For 26 retired Major League Baseball players today is a day that could culminate an outstanding career or leave them a bit short of a final dream.

Today at 2:00 p.m., the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame will announce if any of the 26 candidates being considered have received the call they all hope to receive.  The list includes 11 holdovers from the 2009 ballot and 15 first-time eligible players.

In order to gain entrance into the The Hall of Fame, a player must be named on at least 75% of ballots cast by representatives from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America Election (BBWAA) with 10 or more consecutive years’ experience. BBWAA writers can check up to 10 names on a ballot for one year.

According to the Baseball hall of Fame Web site, the following players are being considered in 2010.

Roberto Alomar, Kevin Appier, Andy Ashby, Dave Burba, Ellis Burks, Andres Galarraga, Pat Hentgen, Mike Jackson, Eric Karros, Ray Lankford, Barry Larkin, Edgar Martinez, Fred McGriff, Mark McLemore, Shane Reynolds, David Segui, Robin Ventura, Fernando Vina, Todd Zeile

Who from this class do you think deserves to be enshrined in Cooperstown?

Two veterans who hope to add to their previous vote totals and get in this year are Andre Dawson and Bert Blyleven.

You can read about the Hall’s President, a friend to sportsinfo101, Jeff Idelson. I interviewed him here last here and asked him about his job as leader of one of the most famous baseball destinations in America.

Happy holidays to all.

Please find enclosed a few sports jobs that have been recently advertised.  The companies below include Nike, the Fox Sports network and the Chicago Cubs

Field Marketing Manager for Nike

Description

As our Field Marketing Manager for Nike 6.0, you’ll assist in the creation and execution of category and seasonal initiatives for 6.0 that drive brand strength, fuel consumer demand and strengthen our connection with consumers. You’ll be the voice of the 6.0 consumer and protector of the brand. You’ll maintain a close relationship with key consumer groups and work closely with Sports Marketing, Event Marketing, Geography Marketing teams and Field Representatives to identify influencers and stay current on market trends. You’ll support the development of strategic marketing plans and briefs, as well as complete the field-work/research needed for the plans. You’ll assist in the gathering of information, communication and progress on 6.0 initiatives and in leading categorical and seasonal event execution that ensures excellence with functional and regional groups. You’ll contribute to the team’s development of strategy, implementation and evaluation of plans for category and seasonal marketing initiatives and to the definition of 6.0 marketing strategies that support the broader brand plan. You’ll also support the Integrated Marketing process for 6.0 and assist in leading processes that enable timely and effective execution by cross-functional business teams. You’ll participate in the creation of seasonal product outlines that detail all key products for 6.0 and communicate product support to cross-functional teammates responsible for other key seeding packages. In addition, you’ll meet monthly with accounting to track expenses against each assigned budget. You’ll also work closely with the Inventory Management and Promo Planning team to place product buys and ensure the timely product delivery and program execution.

Link to Apply

Production Coordinator, Fox Sports Network

Description

Fox Sports Network Digital Production is recruiting a Production Coordinator. Under close supervision, this position is responsible for assisting in all digital production group projects and events as well as perform general administrative support to the Vice-President, Coordinating Producer, and Manager of Digital Production. This Coordinator will produce and maintain necessary documents related to all Digital Production group projects. The position will report into the Vice-President, Coordinating Producer, and Manager of FSN Digital Production, and will be located on the Fox Studio Lot in Century City, CA.

Responsibilities:

• Assist the group with hands on production duties related to Digital Production group projects

• Assist with the flow of content from capture to distribution

• Support the group administratively; produce and maintain necessary documents related to all Digital Production group projects

• Maintain a variety of correspondence and general administrative files and records

• Coordinate all group and inter-division meetings, aligning meeting personnel schedules and providing necessary documentation for each meeting

• Schedule and arrange all group travel and assist with expense report submissions

• Performs various special projects, as required

• Attend training classes

• Actively contribute ideas during group meetings

• Become well versed in the regional sports networks and the personnel in each region

Requirements:

• College degree preferred/experience within TV production is preferred

• Excellent writing and communication skills required

Link to Apply

2010 CHICAGO CUBS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

The Chicago Cubs have advertised several internship opportunities for 2010.  These include the following departments: Entertainment, Mezzanine Suites, Sponsorship Sales, Special Projects, IT, Publications & Creative Services, Event Operations, and Media Relations.

Qualified candidates should possess or be near completion of an undergraduate/graduate degree (any major).

Interested candidates should submit a cover letter containing their area of interest, date of availability, and resume to:

Chicago Cubs
Attn: Human Resources Dept.
1060 W. Addison Street
Chicago, IL 60613

Email: cubsjobs@cubs.com
Fax: (773) 404-4747

Here is a link to the page to see the entire description

December is here and the holiday rush to buy presents is on.  In a related move, I recently posted a one question poll and asked, would you consider purchasing a comprehensive 2010 event schedule with a focus on sports?  The overwhelming majority, 66% said, yes, there is an interest in this solution.

Since then, I have been hard at work creating something that would fit everyone’s need.  You can visit it here at SportsCalendarPro.com

First, I created a master sports calendar.  It has every major sports event in the United States.  What did I include?  In no particular order, here is a listing of just SOME of the events.  The Super Bowl, The 2010 Winter Olympics, the 2010 World Cup, College Bowl Games, The Kentucky Derby, the Indy 500, the men’s and women’s college basketball NCAA tournament and Final Four, sports conferences for sports related events like the IEG Sponsorship Summit and the 2010 World Sports Congress.  There are about 100 sports events in all.

As a sports executive and dedicated sports fan, I want and need to know what is happening and when it is happening.  It would be nice to find everything in one place for the enter year.  I am tired of searching for the Next event.  It is also great for planning events.  Not a sports fan, but you may be involved in major life events like getting married or you are just planning major events like fundraising dinners?  Then this is ideal for you as well.  I cannot remember how many times a major golf event or fundraising dinner collided with a major sports event and either a TV was wheeled in an event or continuous updates were given to keep people informed.

Belowis a snap shot of the calendar for two weeks in April.  If you click on the image you can see it in a full screen view.

If you want additional details of the event itself, you can click on say The NCAA Frozen Four dates and you will see this

At SportsCalendarPro.com, I created the site where you can view it online via a gmail account and from there, you can easily download this or sync it with Outlook and iphone.  I did it and it now runs as event dates on my master calendar.

The second option is to purchase the 2010 Master Calendar.  This includes not only al of the sporting events, but also includes the 2010 Entertainment Calendar, the 2010 Technology Calendar and major U.S. holidays.  For example, want to know when the 2010 Academy Awards take place or the ESPYs?  Maybe you want to visit the Sundance Film Festival, CES in Las Vegas or Macworld?  Then, this option is for you.

Last, which you won’t find on the home page but you will find on the ordering page, is the 2010 Custom Calendar.  It includes all of the above and allows you to add four (total) sports team schedules to the mix. For example, say you live in New York or the Boston area.  You can add the 2010 schedule for the Yankees, Mets, Nicks and Islanders in one place.  Hate NY teams but love Boston sports?  Then you can choose the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics schedules.

You write a sports related blog?  This allows you to preview the event since you know what is coming up.

Okay, it is the first time I have blatently plugged a product in the year I have been writing this sports business blog, but it is my product and I really believe in it.

Please, visit the site, Re-Tweet and Post this onto facebook or Digg for others to see.

Consider purchasing this unique holiday gift for the sports fan or event planner in your life.

I thought to myself, since baseball has entered the off-season a few jobs will begin to open up.  Maybe I should scour the listings to see if I can be of help to others that want to work with an MLB team.  I found more than a few baseball jobs.  From communications to Sales and marketing to internships, we have the live links and places to apply.

Remember, all red text are live links.  Hope you find this valuable and please, re-tweet this if you are using Twitter or pass along the web site address t0 others.  There is nothing like word of mouth to let folks know about this site.

Communications Jobs

The Atlanta Braves had three jobs listed:  Community Affairs Trainee, Publications Trainee and Media Relations/Baseball Information Trainee.

The Atlanta Braves Trainee Program is designed for applicants who are interested in pursuing a career in professional sports. Each year, the program attempts to hire individuals from around the nation with diverse backgrounds who are ambitious, intelligent and creative candidates to work in various departments from January to November. This not only provides them with a valuable experience in the day-to-day operations of a professional sports franchise, but it also gives them the opportunity to build a network with those in the sports industry who can provide guidance, advice, and possible connections for job opportunities upon completion of the program.

The Atlanta Braves Trainee Program is open to any qualified applicant who has a college degree and a GPA of at least a 3.0 at graduation. Trainees are expected to work at least 37.5 hours per week and may have additional game day responsibilities (depending on department assignments). The individuals who participate in this program are paid $9.50/hour, but are not entitled to benefits (i.e. insurance, vacation, etc.)

The Oakland A’s have one communication job listing.  it is for a Public Relations Seasonal Assistant.

The Oakland Athletics are seeking a qualified candidate to work as a part-time seasonal assistant in the public relations office during the 2010 season. The seasonal assistant, who will receive a $6500 stipend for the entire 2010 season, is expected to work between 8-10 hours a day when the team is at home. This position begins on March 29 and concludes at the end of the baseball season.

The Cardinals also have one communications job.  The listing is for a Senior Editorial Coordinator.

Experienced editor that can supervise outside resources and execute all facets of production for a monthly magazine and Club yearbook.  Specifically, this position will assist with creative content, assign stories and photography, and act as liason with free-lance writers. Act as writing coach to freelancers; edit submissions to meet deadlines. Write feature stories, headlines and cutline that meet “SI” standards.

Candidate must have: 1. Successful track record as editor/writer in sports/baseball. 2.  Proven ability to manage multiple production deadlines at once.  3. Experience in coaching free lance writers. 4. Have deep knowledge and appreciatin for the baseball and the Cardinal “brand.

Bi-lingual in Spanish helpful.

Sales and Marketing

Anyone who can sell will have a job in sports.  It is that simple.  Once the off season hits, jobs tend to upen up by the bus load in this area.  There are just too many to individually list each description.  Click n a specific link for a team and or job that interests you.

Internships

Once again, a lot of jobs here so there are the lsiting and the live links.  The opportunities are there.  Make it happen.

Sunday mornings offer me a time when I’m able take you on a personal road trip with a sports related story that has happened during my career.  Today is no different.

Ever since I was a young kid, I have always enjoyed playing racquetball. It started when I was living in Chicago and my parents used to take me to a racquetball club. My father says I have a great memory and if I am not mistaken it was called the Courthouse and was located in Northbrook.  During one visit as a young boy, I was able to meet a couple of heroes of mine in Cubs shortstop Don Kessinger and Ron Santo. If you are an older Cubs fan who know who these guys are. I remember watching them in awe and they seemed larger than life.

I have played on and off throughout college and well into my adult life.  Never consistent but have always had fun.

Until they build a good Pickleball court near my home I will continue to play racquetball.  One of my favorite stories happened on a fog filled morning during the off-season after the 2004 Major League Baseball campaign.   I was invited to play cut-throat with Angels closer Troy Percival.  My days of looking at players as if they were an idol were lost a long time ago, yet  I had immense respect for the Angels legend as an athlete.  I immediately began to wonder as I took the court if I even had a chance against the 6′-3″ right-hander from Fontana, CA.

Cut-throat, by the way, is a three man game of racquetball where each player plays against the other two in a rotating fashion.

One of the advantages I have always had playing sports, be it baseball, basketball, tennis or racquetball was that I am left-handed.  Most people are used to playing other right handers and in a racquet sport, it certainly can help.  Well, I was dreaming if anything was going to help in the first game of cut-throat.  I did not win the game.  When it was finished, my friend tossed me the ball and said, you guys go one and one and I will take on the winner.  He disappeared to another court and I was left to see if I could keep up with Percy.

He began serving and immediately scored a point.  I do not recall point for point, but we had a decent battle of a game.  I certainly remember that I could not use a ceiling shot easily to move him to the back of the court since he was so darn tall.  In the end I was able to close out the game and beat the Angels pitching legend.

What made it so interesting is that I am an average athlete yet was able to beat a world class athlete in a different sporting event.  There has been no stopping Troy on the mound, but on this morning, I had enough for a win.

It is not the first time I have played a major leaguer in racquetball.  While working for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1990’s I was often asked to travel with the team on road trips and serve as the company spokesperson.  I was always happy when we would travel to Philadelphia to play the Phillies.  The hotel that we stayed at always had a half a dozen racquetball courts built into the facility.

The problem was, I was not able to ask a player to play racquetball and risk injury.  Those types of bonehead moves could have cost me my job.  I did find a player however and it came in Dodgers coach Ron Roenicke. Currently the bench coach on Mike Scioscia‘s current Angels team, Rags was always up for playing when his back cooperated.  He did be me some, but I think I got the better end of our times on the court.  I do not think there is a nicer man in baseball.  Ron Roenicke deserves his shot at being a manager.

As for racquetball, I still remember the day I beat Troy Percival.

If you not know the rules of racquetball, I have included a short video I found on the web.  it is not more than a minute.

Though it may be the off-season in baseball, Derrick Hall and the Arizona Diamondbacks are hard at work preparing for the 2010 campaign.  Hall, the team’s president and CEO, earned his stripes during a 12 year stint with the Los Angeles Dodgers.  He joined the the organization’s Single-A Florida State League affiliate in Vero Beach, Fla., in 1992 and departing as the club’s Senior Vice President, Communications in 2004. Derrick was kind enough to take time out to answer our 10 questions about his experience, vision and the game of baseball.

1.   Tell us about the your job and your responsibilities

As President and CEO of the Arizona Diamondbacks, I oversee the entire organization, both from the business and baseball operations sides. I have surrounded myself with a talented leadership team of Vice Presidents, who I allow to do their jobs. Though much of my time is spent with my direct reports as we concentrate on growing our team’s revenues, much of my days are consumed with speech-giving, board meetings, and governmental relations.

2.   Tell Us what your average week is Like?

My weeks are hectic, but I would have it no other way. I overheard my assistant on the phone last week trying to schedule a lunch for me saying that my first availability was almost two months out. I check my calendar each night for the next day’s events, and take it one day at a time. I typically start at a board meeting or early breakfast meeting around 7:30 and finish around 6:00 or 6:30 on non-game days. I often have dinners to attend, but try to reserve my early evenings for my family. After dinner, I go straight to my home office to catch up on the day’s e-mails and shut it down around 11:00 PM.

3.   Tell us about your career path including jobs in the sports industry

I attended Arizona State University and Ohio University for undergrad and graduate respectively. After leaving Ohio, I joined the Los Angeles Dodgers as an intern in Vero Beach, Florida, working with both the big league club during spring training and the single-A team located there as part of the Florida State League. The minor league work prepared me perhaps best for who I am as an executive today who cares about fans and fan experience. I did everything from pulling the tarp, to stocking the concession stands, to selling program ads.

After a year or so in Florida, the Dodgers sent me to the big leagues in Los Angeles, initially as Assistant Publicity Director, before becoming Director of Publicity, and ultimately Senior Vice President of Communications. I left the Dodgers for one year to host my own morning drive sports talk show in Los Angeles, as well as the Dodgers pre-game show,, and also did some weekend sports anchoring on NBC.

I left sports for one year to try my skills in a Fortune 500 company, where I served KB Home as Senior Vice President of Communications. That was a phenomenal experience at the height of homebuilding with some of the smartest business leaders I have ever been around. This lasted for an action-packed year before I realized I missed baseball and the state of Arizona.

I was able to marry the two when I came to the Diamondbacks in May of 2005. This has been the perfect setting for me and my family and I truly love this franchise.

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

I absolutely do follow it today. We were in the midst of a workplace campaign and our owner, Peter O’Malley said he noticed I had not taken part yet. I told him, “With all due respect, I don’t make that much.” Without missing a beat, he looked at me and said, “Then don’t give that much.” That has always stuck. That is a philosophy I embed in my family and staff. Those who have should share with those who do not.

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

I have a fond memory of the first time I met Sandy Koufax at a Dodgers Old-Timers Game. He and I became very close friends after that introduction. I also remember the amazing night in Colorado when Hideo Nomo did what experts believed would never occur – he pitched a no-hitter at Coors Field. And, he did so after an hour-long rain delay and the need to pitch from the stretch all night because of the wet and muddy mound. Most recently, I will never forget going to the NLCS in 2007 with such a young and exciting team. We need them to get back there now.

6.   Tell us about some of the unique programs the Diamondbacks have started to help people in community during the downturn

We have created so many great programs and initiatives for our fans. To start, we are the most affordable average ticket price in baseball for the third straight year. We created value pricing this season, offering caps for $7, t-shirts for $8, $1.50 kids menu items (hot dog, corn dog, popcorn, soda, milk), $4, 14-oz beers, $5 ticket prices in the upper deck, $15 ticket prices in the bleachers, just to name a few. Additionally, we provide our President’s Pass for all Title 1 schools within a 15-mile radius, giving principals and teachers cards to distribute at their discretion that provide the students with six free tickets.

Two years ago I started a first-of-its-kind in sports Season Ticket Scholarship program. We provide full season tickets and parking (often food vouchers as well) for season ticket holders who have had a change in circumstances and can no longer afford tickets, or for fans in general who apply and qualify.

7. If you were not working in baseball today, what kind of jobs would you consider and why?

I enjoyed my time in broadcasting and believe I would revisit that. However, since becoming a CEO, there is no other job I would prefer.

8.   Name a few mentors you have had and why they’ have had an impact

First and foremost, Peter O’Malley, my first owner in baseball. Peter taught me the importance of valuing your fans and your employees. To reward and recognize them while putting the franchise first at all times. He and I are still very close and keep in contact.

Secondly, Commissioner Bud Selig. I admire where he has taken our game. We are achieving all-time highs in revenues, attendance and ratings. He is responsible for Inter-League play, the unbalanced schedule, realignment, the Wild Card system, the World Baseball Classic, and so much more. He is deeply committed to the health and welfare of our sport.

9.   Where do you see opportunities for growth in major league baseball in the coming year and why?

I believe we have tremendous opportunities, even in this economy. Fans need to escape and they want that affordable entertainment option for their families. We are the most affordable of all of the major sports. And in a new age of the “stay-cation,” we will benefit from residents staying in town and coming to the ballpark for family fun. We need to continue challenging ourselves to remain affordable and priced correctly. If we treat the fans well and provide them with a safe, clean and entertaining fan experience, regardless of the outcome of the game, we will remain on our growth path.

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

I am passionate about my job and my employees. I always say that if you truly love what you are doing, you will never work a day in your life. I created what we call our “Circle of Success.” It is displayed prominently throughout our hallways and offices and displays our five main areas of focus – Performance, Financial Efficiency, Fan Experience, Community and Culture. In order to survive, we must exercise financial efficiency and performance. My passion is for culture in the workplace, community involvement, and fan experience. I preach them to our leaders and staff constantly, with a desire to treat our fans, employees and players better than any team in sports. Three years running, we have been named “Best Places to Work,” the first sports team to receive such recognition in Arizona.

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Past Interviews and links to sports business leaders

Dennis Bickmeier — VP, Michigan International Speedway

John Olguin — VP, Communications, Chip Ganassi Racing

Dan Rossetti - Founder, Ascension Sports Partners

Tom Simmons — Athletics Director, Ohio Northern University

Mark Schwartz – National Advertising Manager, SportsBusiness Journal

Nicole Alison – National Hockey League Executive

Josh Rawitch – Vice President of the Los Angeles Dodgers

Chris Hibbs — Senior Director, Chicago Bears

Bill Robertson — Vice President, Minnesota Wild

John Drum — Vice President, Arizona Cardinals

Fred Claire — Former GM and Executive Vice President, Los Angeles Dodgers

Lawrence Cohen — Sports Consultant

Bill Shumard — CEO Special Olympics Southern California

Brad Mayne — President and CEO American Airlines Center

Tom Ford — Associate Athletic Director, Cal State Northridge

Tim Mead — Vice President, Los Angeles Angels

Jeff Idelson — President, Baseball Hall of Fame

Sam Piccione — AEG China

Buffy Fillipell — Executive Sports Recruiter, TeamWork Consulting

Jim Small — Vice President, Major League Baseball for Asia

Bill Chapin, Director, Seattle Seahawks