Interview

Interview with Krueger from Britteny Walker What got you interested in marketing for a sports team? "I took a class in college where they offered us an opportunity to apply for an internship with the San Antonie Spurs. I love sports and wanted to see what it was about. I went through an interview process and filled out an application. I got the internship and got $250 a month.

What was your specific job? "An intern, I worked on the Spurs reward program. It was basically the fan appreciation program for the team. After I got hired full time, I became a member of the makreting department. My job title was an accountant excecutive."

Was it hard being a women in your profession? "Not really. There were many females in my department. Although most sports staff are mainly male dominated, a lot of the staff are females. It is highly competitive though and you have to be interested in sports to work in this profession."

Were there any disadvantages to working for a professional sports team? The hours would be the biggest disadvantage. You work 9-5 on regular work days, but on game days you work from 9-12."

What didn't you know about your job before you started? " I didn't know that the best way to get involved in a program is to get an internship."

What were the most stressful parts of the job? "During games was the most stressful. Fans, mainly season ticket holders, would complain and I had to learn how to handle them. I eventually learned that you cannot always please everybody."

How big of an impact would you say marketing and advertisment has on a sports team or entertainment? "Marketing and advertising with the sports teams are a two way street. If the team is doing well, it helps the marketing team increase awarness of the team. If the marketing team is doing well, it helps people know who the team is." "The biggest challenge with the Spurs is that everyone in San Antonio is easy, but beyond San Antonio, it is difficult to market to other cities and other states. We don't just want fans in San Antonio, we also wasnt them around the country and that is a big challenge. "

If I would like to strive to be in this profession what would you suggest I do now? " I would suggest to volunteer for games. For most teams they use 50 volunteers for game nights. This is a great way to meet people and get your name and face known."

Interview with Liz Coates- Promotional and Special Events Coordinator of the Colorado Rockies  What got you interested in marketing for a sports team? “I was always interested in sports growing up and after taking marketing classes, I decided that this was a great way to mix both of my passions into one job.  What did you do to get your current job? “I got a paid internship my senior year of college with the Rockies and worked my way up. I went through the interview process and received an assistant position in the department and was later promoted in 2004 to my current job.”  What do the hours look like for your position? “ The hours include nights, weekends, and holidays. My department usually sees late hours. If there is a night game we can be here until midnight and if there is a day game the next day we will be here at seven or eight in the morning. Many people in my department work about 70-75 hours a week.”  What do you suggest someone wanting to be in your profession do? “In high school I suggest taking marketing classes and being involved in DECA. Then in your later years of college I highly suggest you get an internship. They are a great way to test the waters to see if this is what you truly want to dedicate your life to. It also gets your foot in the door for a full time position within the company you intern for.”  What do you feel is the most stressful part of the job? <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">“The most stressful part is the time crunch, because there are so many games and it is a longer season then most sports, there is little planning time. Another part of the job that is stressful is that there are thousands of fans watching you and if you mess up it makes the newspapers because the sports industry is high profile.” <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;"> <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">Would you say it is difficult in your profession as a young woman? <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">“There are small things that limit me because of my gender. I don’t have access to the club house and can’t usually work directly with the boys. This is a mans game but in my department I can do all the jobs that the men can do just as well. I learned to drive the fork lift, I can lift boxes, and do all those type of jobs.” <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">