Baylor S3 Welcomes New Director | Kicks-off S3 Zoom Class Reunions

kirk_wakefield 2020, S3 June 12, 2020analytics, Baylor, business intelligence, Center, Department, director, major, partnerships, professional selling, program, S3, Sales, sponsorships, sports, strategy 0 Comment

Welcome to the new S3 Director

S3 Alumni + Business Professionals: Would you like to be involved in S3 this coming school year? Dr. Lane Wakefield invites you to let us know how! Click here.

With co-founder of the S3 program, Dr. Darryl Lehnus, retiring close of Fall 2020, Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business is bringing in Dr. Lane Wakefield (Baylor MS ’11) as the incoming Director of the Center for Sports Strategy and Sales (S3). Lane followed in his father, Dr. Kirk Wakefield’s footsteps to create a program patterned after S3 at Mercer University after completing his PhD at Texas A&M in 2016. After a national search, Lane was selected as the incoming S3 Director.

At Mercer University (Macon, GA), Lane helped build their Sports Marketing & Analytics program and launched the National Collegiate Sports Sales Championship. He has published research in prestigious marketing journals, including the Journal of Service Research and Journal of Interactive Marketing, as well as upcoming articles in the Journal of Advertising and Journal of Advertising Research. At Mercer, Lane worked closely with the professional sports teams in Atlanta and throughout the Southeast, as well as with companies and agencies, to educate, train and place students.

With two Dr. W’s in the Center for Sports Strategy & Sales in the Marketing Department, Kirk will continue as the Executive Director, while Lane is the Program Director. As Marketing Department faculty members, both report to the Department Chair, Dr. Chris Pullig, and together will continue the innovative efforts initiated by Dr. Lehnus and the senior Dr. Wakefield. As Lane noted,

“We have always worked well together. Not only through childhood, but even the last few years on research papers. The potential synergy is exciting. It usually takes years to get to know your colleagues, to develop trust and an understanding of each other’s strengths and weaknesses—we’ve got that in spades,” Lane said.

Lane added how it will be an honor to follow the leadership modeled by Dr. Lehnus,

“There should be another version of ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentary ‘Doc and Darryl’ to share what Baylor S3’s Dr.’s Kirk and Darryl accomplished. Most everyone in the sports business world knows and respects S3. A key reason is the Center’s mission to instill integrity. Darryl shared with me how central integrity is to his S3 courses and relationship-building with students. It’s an honor to have the opportunity to build on what he’s done through the Values-Based Leadership course and how the two together established integrity as a hallmark of the program.”

S3 Zoom Class Reunions with Dr. Lehnus

As Professor Lehnus enters his final semester at Baylor this fall, we schedule S3 Class Reunions on Zoom to chat with Dr. Lehnus, each other, and we’ll save a little time to meet the old and new Dr. W’s.

Each meeting will start at 5pm, Thursdays, as follows, with designated class captains helping us get everyone Zoomed in. Click here to register. You’ll need the Eventbrite (free) ticket to access.

September 10 | Classes 2006-2007 | Todd Pollock + Brian George
September 17 | Classes 2008-2009 | Mike Vogelaar + Lauren Ward
September 24 | Classes 2010-2011 | Chase Jolesch + Evin Martinez
October 1 | Classes 2012-2013 | Michael Hurley + Sarah Proctor
October 8 | Classes 2014-2015 | Austin Avery + Blake Pallansch
October 15 | Classes 2016-2017 | Julio Pineda + Erica Moulder
October 22 | Classes 2018-2019 | Ali Harman + Tanner Clark

Other previous or current advisors and friends in the professional ranks are invited to join any of the class meetings.

The Sports Strategy & Sales (S3) Program Expands!

kirk_wakefield 2019, About S3, Careers February 27, 2019July 21, 2022analytics, Baylor, business, careers, college, CRM, jobs, major, majors, marketing, program, S3, Sales, sports, strategy, university 0 Comment

When the S3 program launched in 2004 we were—and are—the only academic program in a business school devoted to developing talent aimed specifically at generating revenue in the business of sports. After placing more than 270 professionals in sales and analytics positions we see even greater demand for Baylor S3 graduates. Notable S3 alumni in management and executive positions at scores of professional teams, corporations, and agencies now mentor, train, hire, and advise students right alongside us, as do many outstanding professionals from coast-to-coast.

As we look forward to the next 15 years we must set the stage for success for those who follow. Much has changed in the past 15 years. Think about it. After the first graduating class of S3 majors in 2006, the iPhone was introduced in 2007. This mobile revolution transformed how fans search, buy and go to the game. Augmented and virtual reality are changing how fans engage with our experiences and sponsors. Venues are beginning to use facial recognition as admission.

With the onslaught of data and digital selling, properties and brands recruit and pay for the talent to manage and analyze data to more effectively and efficiently reach fans where they are—which is mostly (online) on their phones, tablets or desktops. The most productive organizations invest heavily in technology capabilities (in-house and/or outsourced) to enable the salesforce to connect and engage with fans in ways we couldn’t even imagine even 10 years ago.

Our position has always been at the forefront leading the way into the future. In keeping with our WINS values, we need more hard-working, integrated, relationship-driven, spirited people to join us.

Missing Talent

The advantage and disadvantage of the S3 major in the Hankamer School of Business has been its exclusivity. The most successful students consciously committed to a career in the business of sports no matter what the costs. That is still the case. As a side note—conscientious commitment to excelling in your craft, to your career, is still the price to be paid for success no matter the business. Companies still buy from people who know where they are going.

At the same time, S3 missed potential sales superstars. Great salespeople love to keep options open. Not wanting to be constrained to sports, they didn’t take the chance to be sold themselves. The Vice President of Sales at the San Antonio Spurs, along with many executives at other teams, often say, “Hey, just let me have a chance to talk to them!”

S3 missed out on problem-solvers keen to manage and analyze data to answer big questions businesses have in a digital-first marketing world. Marketing majors with a double-major with MIS, Accounting or Finance took their talents elsewhere. The Wide World of Sports has been slow to get up to speed. But, like every company today, they now demand more highly skilled analytically-minded graduates to close the gap.

Opening the Doors

S3 majors have always been well-rounded. Salespeople understand analytics and analysts understand sales. All understand the importance of living lives of integrity. Having integrity means having the courage to face the demands of reality. The reality is sales-oriented students thrive in the sales courses. Analytic types want the freedom to build out technical and quantitative skills.

Recognizing these realities, and the realities of marketplace demands and opportunities, the S3 program has moved to open courses to all Marketing majors. Students may choose an emphasis in S3 Sales (MKT 3310 and 4341) or S3 Analytics (MKT 4342 and 4360), plus an internship, for a total of 9 hours. They can still take all S3 courses (15 hours) if they use additional upper-level business electives. All S3 students selecting one of the two areas of emphasis will complete an internship in sales or analytics in the summer after the junior year. Read more here.

Internships

Our stock & trade has always been internships at the highest levels of professional sports, as well as associated brands and agencies. As Colin Faulkner, Senior Vice President of the Chicago Cubs, famously said in our first S3 promotional video, “In sports, to get a job you need experience. But to get experience you need a job.” Internships provide the job that provides the experience that gets you started in your career in sports.

We will continue placing students in internships for those that declare an S3 emphasis and take the sales or the analytics courses in succession during the junior year. Others may take the courses and interview for internships and positions as available, with priority going to declared S3 program students.

Graduates in the 2021 class and beyond may submit their declarations as S3 program members by completing this form.

The S3 Club

Further priority for internships and positions is given to those active in the S3 Club. The S3 Club will continue under S3 faculty advisement but will be wholly and completely run by students, supported by an S3 Alumni Advisory Group. The objectives of the club will continue to be to network with sports business executives and to learn more about relevant careers.

The End Goal

With the end in mind, our vision continues to be to instill integrity in the business of sports & entertainment. What’s changed? Nothing, except we want more students to catch the vision, to consider the opportunities, and to join us! We’ve removed every obstacle to keep superstars from exploring business careers in sports. Want to talk some more?

Interested in sports sales? Contact Darryl_Lehnus@Baylor.edu

Interested in sports marketing analytics? Contact Kirk_Wakefield@baylor.edu

Baylor S3 Shifts Gears

kirk_wakefield 2018, Lead, S3 July 19, 2018November 2, 2018Baylor, big friday, data, esports, major, partnerships, premier partners, S3, sell, strategy

by Kirk Wakefield – July 2018

Change is good. We can say, “One day….” or “Day one….” Around here, everyday is Day One.

What’s changing with Baylor S3?

New S3 brand

In 2018 we re-positioned as the Center for Sports Strategy & Sales (S3). Why? Because sponsorships is so 2006, when we graduated our first class in Sports Sponsorship & Sales (see below for a fun blast from the past). Brands engage with fans of properties (and S3) as a partnership not a donation. Thanks to Jose Lozano and The Company, we have a cool new logo.

New S3 Tracks

The strategy in S3 is shifting to build career paths in Brand Strategy, Data Strategy & Sales Leadership. Each track has seven senior-level S3 alumni who advise, create and participate in relevant activities. All S3 partners are invited to join us for any and all of these events.

Brand Strategy: Corporations design brand strategies as partners with leagues & teams to attract, engage and keep customers. Agencies help guide brand strategy to reach corporate objectives. Media partners execute brand strategies through event broadcasts and related media. We prepare students for careers negotiating, planning and executing strategic partnerships employing branded content and experiences. The best fit for this track are creative strategists. Partners include:
- Brands: Phillips 66, AT&T, BBVA Compass, SAP,Denny’s, RMC/Pizza Hut, NRG/Reliant, Topgolf, Daktronics
- Agencies & 3rd Parties: The Company, BAV Consulting, The Marketing Arm, Baylor IMG, Learfield, Peak Sports, Friedkin Group, 4Front
- Properties/Teams: Dallas Cowboys, Houston Rockets, Houston Texans, New Orleans Saints/Pels, Texas Rangers, PGA Tour, Space Center Houston, On Location Experiences, Circuit of the Americas, Baylor Athletics
- Media: Fox Sports Southwest, Root Sports
Data Strategy: Sound data strategy enables brands, (eSports) teams, media and agencies to (a) plan, lead, organize and control marketing & sales strategies, and (b) execute digital marketing strategies. We prepare students to create, manage, analyze, report, and deliver actionable data insights & campaigns to drive revenue. The best fit for this track are analytical problem-solvers. Partners include:
- Companies: 4Front, KORE Software, Stone Timber River, E-15 Group, SSB Info, SEAT Consortium
- Properties/Teams: Madison Square Garden, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Astros, Houston Dynamo, LA FC, LA Kings/AEG, NBA, New York Yankees, Orlando Magic, Texas Rangers, Utah Jazz
Sales Leadership: Sales is the lifeblood of any organization. We prepare students to generate revenue through ticket & partnership sales representing professional & collegiate teams, eSports or third-party rights holders (for NCAA properties). As future servant leaders we value people, purpose and performance, in that order. The best fit for this track are competitive high-achievers.
- This track isn’t new, but our approach to developing sales leaders and professional selling is. We now have eight Premier Partners helping us change the face of sports sales: Las Vegas Golden Knights, Madison Square Garden, Houston Rockets, Houston Texans, Phoenix Suns, San Diego Padres, Spurs Sports & Entertainment and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Read more here under “Sales Leadership Partners.”

No Big Board Meeting, but Big Fridays

To enable equal opportunity for students to pursue and partners to recruit to S3 career paths, we have three separate days for partners, alumni and others wishing to join us. These events are on Fridays, typically before an on-campus sporting event.

Data Strategy Day
- October 5, 2018. StubHub, Stone Timber River, KORE, 4Front & SSB join us for a day of data drama and excitement. Read more & register here.
Premier Partner Preview Day
- November 9, 2018. Premier partners are invited to campus to meet students at the S3 Club Lunch (11:45-1:15) and interview juniors (internships) and seniors (careers) in the afternoon.
Brand Strategy Day
- January TBA (until NBA schedule is released) in Houston, TX at BBVA Compass Stadium for day sessions featuring partnership strategy sessions with BBVA Compass, Phillips 66, Toyota, and The Company, followed by activation in action the same evening at a Houston Rockets game. Stay tuned to www.baylor.edu/business/s3 for updates & registration.
Sales Leadership Day
- February 15, 2019. Hands-on training seminars with team sales managers and partnership sales professionals, followed by panel sessions and interviews for internships & careers. Read more & register here.
eSports Day
- March TBA (until match schedules are released) at the new 10,000 seat eSports Stadium Arlington. Students learn from our partners at Envy GG, NGage, Mavs GG, Ubisoft and more. Stay tuned to www.baylor.edu/business/s3 for updates & registration.

Want to join us?

Our S3 Leadership Partners and many industry friends built Baylor S3 into what it is today. With our highly selective major, we continue to place over 96% before graduation across every major league and among leading agencies and brands. Working with distinctly innovative minds like Tami Walker (Phillips 66), Patrick Ryan (Eventellect), Kelly Roddy (Schlotzsky’s), Derek Blake (LQ), Adam Budelli (StubHub), Mary Hyink (Fox Sports SW), Heidi Weingartner (Dallas Cowboys), Greg Grissom (Houston Texans), George Killebrew (Dallas Mavericks) and Marc Jackson (Madison Square Garden), S3 students intern, learn and work with the best in the business.

Starting this year, Baylor S3 and Baylor Athletics, with Mitch Mann and Ryan Eklund, will work hand-in-hand on data strategy and student ticket sales projects. Thanks to support from Baylor Athletics, S3 graduate Ian Young is on-board as S3 Research Assistant while splitting time as Research Analyst for Team Sports Marketing LLC.

If you’re interested in learning more about our program and potential involvement, please feel free to inquire.

Spurs Share Values & Insights with Baylor Sports Sponsorship & Sales (S3)

kirk_wakefield 2017, Lead, Learn, Personal Development, Sell, Sponsorships, Tickets September 12, 2017November 9, 2021Baylor, careers, choices, culture, integrity, S3, sports, sportsbiz, Spurs, Success, values

by Brad Sherrill – September 2017

What can we learn from the Spurs organization?

The Spurs were the first organization contacted before the S3 program launched in 2004. We often say that the Spurs organization is “Baylor South,” because so many of the 250+ S3 graduates started careers in San Antonio.

Nine members of Spurs Sports & Entertainment (SS&E) engaged in a series of small group panel discussions with over 100 S3 students at the September S3 Club meeting. Among these nine were Joe Clark, Laura Dixon, David Elkins, Justin Wynter and S3 alumni Stephen Gray, Lindsay Beale, Travis Gafford, Ashley Johnson and Erika Moulder.

These professionals discussed how S3 Values play out in day-to-day life in successful careers.

Take It Personally

Justin Wynter, Manager of Corporate Partnerships for the Austin Spurs, shared a story in support of the S3 Culture tenant to always “take it personally.” Wynter spoke about how he and his associates rose from underachieving to become a top of the league organization. This hard work came to fruition when the team received 8 of 10 year-end NBA G-League awards after receiving zero only a few short years before Justin Wynter and Stephen Gray (S3 2011) decided to take personal responsibility for business performance.

Act with Integrity

Joe Clark, Vice President of Ticket Sales and Service, encouraged students to interview teams and companies. He highlighted the importance of making sure that an organizational culture is strong and a positive fit. Finding those organizations that care and do things the right way is an integral part of experiencing long-term success in the sports industry.

Go the 2nd Mile

Laura Dixon, Head of External Relations, exemplified the broad landscape of positions available across the sports industry. S3 Club members heard about her journey from working on an Olympic bid proposal to her current position where she works to strengthen stakeholder relationships on behalf of Spurs Sports & Entertainment. In going the “2nd mile,” Dixon does a little bit (or a lot) of everything in this role, going beyond the job description people typically associate with the sports industry.

Group Sales Representative Ashley Johnson shared a story of how Sales Representative Erika Moulder’s group were recently given a goal of making five in-person sales appointments for the week. Ashley noticed on the sales board that Erika set 19 appointments, going the second, third, and practically the fourth mile.

Redefine Success & Failures

S3 Club Member Tatum Lowe spoke highly of the insight she gained over the course of the evening. Lowe said she learned, “the idea of redefining our successes and failures . . . focus on the small victories that you achieve every day, before you know it these will add up to major successes.” She was inspired by how visibly passionate SS&E executives, managers and employees are about their careers, exemplified by the core principle of going the 2nd mile, in San Antonio as much as it is in Waco. In fact, they traveled 200 miles each way to freely share their time with S3 students.

How to Choose Among Job Offers

Lindsay Beale, Senior Manager of Group Sales, shared a common theme to the Spurs and S3: Pick your next position based primarily on the character and values of the manager who will directly supervise you. This person plays an integral role in developing your abilities and determining the opportunities for success. When they move up, you’ll have chances to move with them.

Next Up

Our next S3 Club outing with the Texas Rangers is on Tuesday, September 26! We will join Nick Richardson and four more S3 alumni at the Rangers, Taylor Bergstrom, Mike Segoviano, Jeff Brown and Jonah Erbe, as the Rangers take on the Astros from Globe Life Park in Arlington.

What’s new in S3 for 2016-17?

kirk_wakefield 2016, Learn, S3, The S3 Program April 12, 2016October 31, 2018analytics, Baylor, Board Meeting, campaigns, companies, mentors, S3, sports, teams, tickets

by Kirk Wakefield – April 2016

April 2016 Newsletter

We have big plans for the 2016-17 academic year. Here’s some of what’s in store!

Friday, November 4, 2016

S3 Senior Pro Day

Texas BBQ on Thursday Night: S3 Advisory Board members meet the students & network with managers the night before interviews.
S3 Senior Interviews All-Day Friday: Managers meet each senior for 10 minutes in the morning, speed-dating style; then call back your top draft picks for afternoon interviews.
Stay over for the TCU-BU game on Saturday, November 5, 2016.
All S3 Advisory board teams and companies are invited to interview our 40 seniors for 2016-17! Board members should feel free to invite HR personnel to join us for the Senior Pro Day!
Virtual interviews may also be set-up for those who cannot make the physical trip to Waco.
Mark your calendars now. Official invites will arrive via email.

Tuesday & Wednesday, January 17 & 18, 2017

S3 Board Meeting

Based on insights provided by the S3 Executive Council and input from board members, we recognize that focusing on recruiting seniors in November and juniors in January better fits the schedules of many teams and companies. Hiring managers will get to meet every senior at the fall Pro Day and can still interview seniors at the January meetings. An additional benefit is that juniors will have a semester completed in the S3 program and be better prepared to meet board members and interview for internships.

Held right after Martin Luther King Day (1-16-17), the S3 Board meetings will include:

Junior Internship Recruitment & Senior Follow-up Interviews:
Phillips 66 Banquet & Corporate-Property Networking: Focused time to develop relationships with other S3 Board members.
Mentorship Hour: Share career advice with your mentorship group of S3 students. Board members will have the opportunity to volunteer as mentors and role models as a way of giving back to students as they begin their careers.
Ticket Insights: Roundtable discussion on pricing analytics presented by new S3 partners Eventellect & Stubhub.
Campaign Management: Roundtable discussion on best practices in strategy. Stay tuned, board members, for the opportunity to submit your best campaign strategy to present at the meetings.
S3 Brand-Building Brain & Barnstorming: Board members will discuss ways to strengthen and spread the good word about S3, as we continue to grow on a national and international basis.

We thank the S3 Board Members who recruit seniors for full-time positions and juniors for summer internships, as well as provide financial support for the program. We especially thank our anchor (1) corporate partners at Phillips 66, Eventellect, Schlotzsky’s, and La Quinta Inns & Suites, and (2) team partners at the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans and Dallas Mavericks. These organizations have gone above and beyond!

Welcome to New Board Members!

Dan Fleetwood, Vice President, Global Sponsorships, SAP

Patrick Ryan, Co-Founder of Eventellect

Geoff Lester, Head of Partnerships & Business Development, StubHub

Katie Scallan, Senior Manager, Engagement Marketing, Gulf States Toyota

Chris Talley, Vice President, Corporate Communications, USAA

Garrett Smith, Manager, National Soccer HOF Club Sales, FC Dallas

Doug McNamee, Senior Associate AD, Baylor

Katy Young, Director of Recruiting, Learfield

We also welcome, Christine Stoffel, CEO, SEAT Consortium, who will share some exciting news with us next month!

This month in the S3 Report we begin features on the culture, values and practices of some of our great team partners. This month, read about the San Antonio Spurs Sports & Entertainment:

Cover Photo: April S3 Club Meeting with San Antonio Spurs Brooke Gaddie (S3 2014) and Lindsay Beale (S3 2010) sharing insights with S3 students.

Happy New Year! What’s New?

kirk_wakefield 2014, About S3, S3 January 1, 2014November 1, 2018academics, Academy, AT&T, BAV Consulting, Baylor, Dallas Cowboys, growth, Houston Texans, S3, Schlotzsky's, social media 0 Comment

by Kirk Wakefield – January 2014

We hope you like the new look of the site that allows us to feature the most recent articles on top and to randomly display some of the 110 articles written in 2013 by leaders in the sports sales industry. You can pull up any month’s articles from the Archive pulldown menu on the lower left or use the search function or navigation bar for topic or author searches.

Sales Industry Survey. Thanks to those who completed our 2013 sports sales industry survey! The NBA, among others, is helping us distribute league-wide. We look forward to sharing the overall results throughout the spring. The survey is still open if you or your organization would like to participate. Click here to take the S3 Sports Sales Industry Survey.

By the numbers.You helped us grow together in our inaugural year in 2013 to attract over 71,000 page views from over 10,000 unique visitors from 114 different countries. We began last January with only 75 of the Baylor S3 advisory board registered to receive S3 Report updates and one year later you have helped us grow to nearly 600 registered users. If you’re not yet registered, we’d like to know who you are–you can register here.[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”350px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]

Top Attractions in 2013

Posts with most views in 2013.

Three Steps to Creating an Effective Entry-Level Sales Contest (August 2013)
Which comes first: Happiness or success? (June 2013)
The Sales Commandments According to This Disciple (April 2013)
No more cold calls: Three steps to making informed calls and increasing close rates (May 2013)
Sales Training: How to Handle Objections (May 2013)

[/dropshadowbox]

Lead partners. This past year has also seen our corporate and team support grow for the Baylor S3 program and the S3 Report. These organizations are leaders who partner with us in the classroom offering dedicated projects for S3 students and also lead the way in financially supporting the educational process for students and the industry alike. We’re proud to include Academy Sports + Outdoors, AT&T, BAV Consulting, the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, Phillips 66 and Schlotzsky’s in this group. If you are interested in supporting education with a gift to the S3 academic program which produces the S3 Report, you may do so here.

Contribute. The S3 Report is an open forum for exchange of ideas and best practices in sports sponsorship & sales. If you have ideas or interest in contributing content for the common good, please email here. The S3 Report offers you a way to give back to others by sharing what you’ve learned to be successful and to receive help from so many others who want the industry to grow. Maybe your article will be in the Top 5 in 2014!

S3 Alum Spotlight on Katy Gager

kirk_wakefield 2013, S3, S3 Spotlight, The S3 Program October 7, 2013November 2, 2018Baylor, college, degree, major, placement, Sales, sponsorship, sports, Success, university 0 Comment

by Justin Pipes – October 2013

Katy Gager (Baylor S3 ’08) is a Senior Account Executive at The Marketing Arm an agency based in Dallas, Texas. She represents and manages AT&T’s brand through corporate sponsorship of professional & collegiate sports properties in the Southeast Region.

Willing to move

Katy transferred to Baylor for the S3 program to begin her junior year. One of three transfers in the class, Katy was torn between UT and Baylor when deciding to transfer. Gager felt like Baylor was home and believed the S3 program gave her the best opportunity to start a successful career in sports. After moving halfway across the country from California, Gager experienced challenging projects through the curriculum from selling tickets for the Rangers (back in their losing days) to presenting sponsorship ideas for the AT&T Challenge.

Finding Her Niche

Gager quickly found she enjoyed the relationship focus in the field of sponsorship. All S3 majors are given a DISC assessment (DiSC Profile Website) to determine their own personal behavioral style and what types of careers are likely to fit them best. Katy has a high Steadiness trait, which “place[s] an emphasis on cooperating with others within existing circumstances to carry out the task <ref>DiSC Profile Steadiness Overview</ref>.” Being a high S and having a more conscientious, detail-oriented personality helped make Katy a great fit for contributing to an agency sponsorship team.

Gager started her career at The Marketing Arm (TMA) in Dallas working on the Insights and Analytics team. She had the opportunity to work with over 25 different accounts including AT&T, State Farm and Frito Lay conducting research for each brand related to their sponsorships with properties nationwide. After becoming an account executive for TMA, she was able to pull from her knowledge of the brands objectives and her research background to manage programs for AT&T that would yield results and drive sales.

S3 Model

Eric Fernandez, Senior Vice President of MEDIALINK LLC, says,

“Katy is a great example of an S3 student who seized the opportunities presented to her. While the S3 program prepared her for entering the sports marketing business, her work ethic, positive “can do” attitude and natural curiosity have contributed to her professional growth and advancement. She’s achieved quite a bit in a short time and continually is a model representative of the S3 program.”

High praise also comes from Travis Dillon, Vice President of Activation and Property Management at The Marketing Arm.

“Katy is one of our rising stars at TMA. She has been an integral part of our national college football program the past 2 years with AT&T and ESPN College GameDay and is quickly establishing herself as a leader on the team. In addition, her insights and analytics background make her a valuable strategic asset to the team since day one.”

This work ethic, “can do” attitude and natural curiosity led to a recent promotion to Senior Account Executive.

Three Tips from Katy

[dropshadowbox align=”center” effect=”lifted-both” width=”425px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]

Approach to Networking: Sports is a small industry. No matter where you are or have been, your name and personal brand will come up again with come up again. Continue to build your personal brand equity.
Be a Problem Solver: Look for different areas of your client’s business and your business to solve problems all across the board. Be known as someone who finds solutions.
Have a Great Attitude: Be a team player with a positive attitude when approaching all projects, including that those aren’t exactly your favorite.[/dropshadowbox]

March Madness! Selling sports, sponsorships, social media platforms, and your personal brand

kirk_wakefield About S3, Relate, S3, Sell March 1, 2013November 2, 2018basketball, Baylor, brackets, Britney Griner, consultative selling, March Madness, personal brand, selling, social media 0 Comment

by Kirk Wakefield – March 2013

Brittney Griner Sells

No one rises above everyone else like Brittney Griner. She’s the tall one in the picture.

Brittney has scored over 3000 points (currently 4th all-time) and over 700 blocks (1st all-time, men or women). Brittney sells Baylor sports. Attendance for Baylor’s women’s basketball continues to rank near the top in the nation, frequently filling the Ferrell Center near or at its 10,347 capacity. We expect Brittney to take her skills to the WNBA next year, but she could succeed in the business of selling sports. Brittney has developed her own personal brand and communicates it clearly through her behavior and performance.

What about you?

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”raised” width=”150px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]March Authors [slideshow_deploy id=’1318′]

[/dropshadowbox]Each of us can do the same. We need to think carefully about our own personal brands. One of the ways we do that is to be intentional about our leadership style. Jeremy Walls introduces the Daniel Sports & Entertainment Leadership Summit to help us do just that. The Leadership Freak, Dan Rockwell, shares three qualities traditional leaders lack and that successful leaders need to adopt. This article has already been shared by over 500 Leadership Freak fans.

Ken Troupe introduced the basics last month. This month we learn how to communicate our personal brands through social media. Teams would do well to learn HOW NOT TO RUN A TWITTER ACCOUNT.

Taking it a step further, Ben Milsom explains how social media has changed the nature of successful consultative selling in sports.

Social media platforms have proliferated in the last three years. Nick Schenck, Director of Integrated Media at the Houston Texans, shares what social media strategies and tools work best in the NFL.

Phil Grieco, Director of Sponsorships with the NBA, inspires us to think beyond the normal soup and bolts of sponsorships and ticket sales. What can we blow up and make bigger? Read about the Soup Nazi here.

If you are in charge of hiring new talent or maybe you are the new talent, Jeannette Salas (HR Director, Houston Texans) provides what job candidates need to know. Pass this series of articles along to prospective job applicants and keep on file yourself for the next time you’re on the market.

[dropshadowbox align=”right” effect=”lifted-both” width=”150px” height=”” background_color=”#ffffff” border_width=”1″ border_color=”#dddddd” ]March Insights [slideshow_deploy id=’1319′][/dropshadowbox]Dr. Darryl Lehnus, Director of the S3 Program, shows how Baylor students can work with teams, companies, and agencies to produce relevant, innovative sponsorship activation strategies. The AT&T Challenge, initiated by Eric Fernandez, brings student creativity to the forefront each year with AT&T and one of its partners. The S3 Program also announces its Sponsorship Incubator (SI) for those who would like to draw upon the brainstorming skills of young people in the S3 major.