1. Mustapha Sanneh
HP 360
Sport IndustryExperience Part2
11/13/2016
For my sportindustryproject,I chose to remaininmycareer area.I decidedtonot confuse
myself evenmore aboutwhatIwantedtodo in life andstayedfocusedonmycareerpath.My two
examplesIchose tointerviewforthisprojectwere NathanChristenson andTimMarshall fromthe MSU
AthleticsOffice.
Nathanis the AssistantAthleticDirectorof Marketing,andTimMarshall is the Associate Athletic
Directorof Fiscal AffairsandOperations. Bothmenplayvital rolestothe fundsandwell-beingof
AthleticsatMSU. Withoutthese two workingtogethertobringcashintothe programand allocating
where thatcash can go in the program,we wouldnothave such successinour athletics.Nathanisthe
one that retrievesfundsfromanumerousof sources,while Timlooksatcurrent,past,and future
budgetstosee where theycanimprove certainteamsandwhattheycan doto improve the programas
a whole.
SittingwithNathanwasinterestingandmindblowing.AssoonasI sat downwithhimhe was
readyto go and wantedtofeedme informationrightaway.Isatdownand was greetedbya phone
conference he washavingwithaboard he ison. Thisboard isfor collegiate staff membersthatare part
of theircollegesmarketingandpromotions.Thisboardiscomposedof differentmarketingdirectors
fromall kindsof schoolsat the divisiontwolevel.Nathanwastellingme how theyhave conference calls
everysooftenandwhentheydo itis usuallyaboutothermarketingstrategies.
My time withTimwasmore informal thanNathan’sbutstill justaseducational.We hadmore of
a conversationand he spoke tome aboutthe differentfunctionsof his jobandhow himand Nathan

2. workhand inhand.It was more of a comfortable feelbecause he doesnotusuallydojobshadowshe
justlikestohave the personsitand ask questionswhilehe talkswiththem.Timalsomentionedhowhis
jobis notjust one thingeveryday.He saidthathe couldbe performingavarietyof tasks at any given
momentandhisday usuallydecidesforhimonwhat he’sgoingtodo.
WhentalkingwithNathanI askedhow doeshe remainsosuccessful withMSUAthletics.We
spoke aboutmanydifferentaspectsof hisjobsandthe skillsneededtoperformstronglyinhisrole. He
spoke of collaboration,creativity,andcritical thinking.These were skillswere mentionedinclassabout
“What skillsare managerslookingfor?”.Hisoverall drivingfactorwascustomerservice,andthistiesin
withcommunication.Nathansaysthatinorderto be successful inthisindustryasa marketerand
remainingoodtermswithyour sponsorsisto have greatcustomerservice.People will always
rememberhowyoutreatthem and whatyoudid forthem, ratherthan the businessdealsyou
performed.Ilikedhowsimple Nathanputittogether,buthe alsomentionedthatthe customerservice
piece isnotalwayseasy.
Sometimesinsport,everythingcango yourway,and othertimesitcouldgo the complete
opposite way.Youmust be able to thinkquickonyour toesand be creative tomake sure your sponsors
are happy,youraudience ishappy,andmostimportantly,yourathletesare happy.Tohave a successful
program youmusthave athleteswhoare willingtoplayforsaidprogram.There are timeswhere you
will have anathlete upsetabouthowthe programistreatingisthemand you needtoknow how to deal
withthat.Communicate withthemandtryto figure outa solutiononhow toimprove yourprogramto
betterserve yourathletes.
Tim wastellingme abouthowhe handlescustomercomplaintsand how the communication
pathwayfromthe audience tohimhas to be available.Eventhoughyoudonotwant to alwayshearthe
issuesorconcernsthat audience membershave,itcanonlyhelpyouandyour facility.A few examples

3. he gave me wasabout a fan tellinghimthe musicwastooloudinthe gym.Somethingsyoucannotfix so
youshould letthe audience memberknow thatthe volume forthe music mustbe setto a certainlevel
to be heardproperly.Anotheraudience memberwithaseasonticketcomplainedtohimabouttheir
chair beingtooloose.Tim, beingheadof operations, mustmake sure thatthe facilityisintiptopshape.
He wenttothe seatof the ticketholderto tightenthe seatforthemhimself.
What interestedme inmytime withNathanwaswhenhe spoke abouthow the programsgot
theirmoneyandhowit wasallocated.Nathanspoke abouthow he workswiththe Alumni Centeron
campusand howvital theirrole isto hisjob.Whenhe speakstoalumni orgreat donors,itis the Alumni
Centerthatgiveshimtheirnumberstocall.The typesof alumni Nathancallsare doingwell for
themselvesandare makinga substantial amountof income. He receivesdonationsfromthese
individualsforspecial projectspertainingtothe athleticprograms.Forexample,he wastalkingtoan
individualinPhoenix about assistingwithanew scoreboardforthe baseball field.The deal wasthatthe
universityputuphalf of the cash neededandhe will matchit.Nathan’sjobwasto thengetotherdonors
to put upthe otherhalf forthe newscoreboardand make sure that the moneyfromall donorsgoesto
the alumni centerforrecords.Whenhe makeshisdealswithdifferentsponsorsanddonors,Nathan
visitsthemandhas conversationstomake sure thattheytrust himfirstandcan see thathe is a genuine
person.
WhenNathanmakesthese deals,he oftengivesthemticketstoathleticevents,thisiswhere
Tim comesin.Timis the one that printsandmakesthe tickets.He insuresthatthere are nodouble
ticketssopeople are notendingupfightingoverseatsoroverlappingeachother.WhenNathanwants
to give hissponsors ticketstoeventshe goesthroughTimtosee what seatshe has available. Thisisa
collaborative effortthatwe spoke aboutinclass.I love how these twoworktogethertomake sure
everythingrunsproperly.One pusheswhile the otherpulls,andvice versa.Also,whenNathandoes
bringin moneytothe program fromsponsorsand otherfundraisers,Timlooksatthe currentbudget

4. and the budgetfortwo yearsaheadand tellscoacheswhattheycan dowiththe amount this yearand
whattheyshouldplanforthe followingyears.
There are differentfundsfordifferentteamsandwhattheirneedsare.Formen’shockeyitis
differentbecause theyplayfortheirscholarships.WhatI meanbythat is the moneymade fromthe
hockeyteamgoesback intotheirscholarships.Theyare heldtodifferentstandardsandrulesbecause
theyare divisionone.Forthe othersportslike basketball,volleyball,soccer,andfootball,thereisan
actual fundthatis foreach of theirprograms.The coacheseach have a budgetonhow many
scholarshipstheygive,theirtraveling,how muchtheyspendonrecruiting,andevenuniforms.When
teamswantto do extrathingslike getpinkuniforms forbreastcancerawareness orgo ona tripthey
mustfundraise thatmoneybythemselves.The swimteamgoestoHawaii everyyeartotrainand
compete.The moneythatgoesintotheirtripcomesfromtheirownpocketsand fundraising.Withour
school beingadivisiontwoathleticprogramexceptforhockey,there isonlysomuchcash flow that
comesand goes.
AfterdoingthisassignmentwithNathanandTim, Ihave solidifiedmycareerchoice.Inowknow
that I for sure wantto go intothe worldof sportsmarketing.SeeingandhearingNathantalkonhis
conference call made me soanxioustospeakto the othersandthrow mysuggestionsinaswell.After
learningaboutwhatNathandoesforhistasks I feel asthoughonce I gainsome more experienceIcan
do hisjobas well.He doesexactlywhatIwantto do and that is set upsponsorshipsandestablish
partnershipstobringinmoneytothe programI am workingfor.I wouldlove todowhat he doesat the
professionallevel because withthatcomesmore opportunitiestogainbetterexperience andyouhave a
bigger“playingfield”tocover.
TalkingtoTim benefittedme because he gave me the realityof whatitmeanstohave a budget
and howyoumust followthatbudgetdowntothe line.Notfollowingitwill resultinyougoingintoa

5. deficitandyoucannotoperate successfullyinadeficit.Thisisseriousbecause thenyoumighthave to
cut certainprograms or aspectsof the program that youknow your audience enjoysbutcostsyou
money.Ithinkitis scary to thinkabout that at timesbutif you have a great teamworkingwithyouthen
youcan geta lot accomplished.NathanandTimworkunderAthleticDirectorKevinBuisman.They
understandthattheyhave a jobto do and that if theydo notperformwell thentheirbosswilltalkto
themaboutit. Since NathanandTim are sogreat at theirjobsMr. Buismanbarelysaysanythingtothem
abouttheirtasks.He truststhemand knowsthat theywill getthe jobdone.Thisishow I wantto be in
my field.Iwantmymanagerto trust me so much that he neverremindsme aboutmytasks.
Before Iget intothe sportsmarketingworldIthinkshouldworkonmy contract writingand
readingskills.Nathancreatesthe contractsforhissponsorstosignand for themto follow.Ineverknew
that youcouldcreate yourowncontract. I alwaysthought that a lawyerhadto be the one to write up
your contracts.I do not knowwhatclassI can take for that,but itwill surelybe tomybenefit. Another
skill Iwantto work onis mynetworking.Networkinghasworkedoutgreatforme so far butI feel like I
have justbeenone benefitingfromitandnot makinga mutual exchange of ideasandskills.Ihave just
beenusingitto getadvantage onmy competitionandnotofferinganythinginreturnbesidemy
services.
My strengthwouldhave tobe mywillingnesstolearn.WhenIam inthe office andI have a
chance to talk to Nathanor Tim,I take it.I love askingquestionsbecause Ienjoylearningnew things.
Thisskill will getme farinmy careerbecause the more I know,the betterIcan become atmy craft. I
wantto be the bestsportsmarketerand I am willingtotake as manynotes,sitthroughas many
meetings,anddoas manytasksto gain that competitive advantage. Partof this skill ismy
communicationability.Icantalkto anyone and become friendswiththemandmake sure Ileave a great
impressiononthem.Ihave alwaysbeentoldthataclosedmouthdoesnotget fed, andI intendtoeat.