The BEST First Job Experience in Sports Management

Summary

Dans cet épisode passionnant du podcast 'Work in Sports', l'animateur reçoit Greg Kieger, directeur adjoint des événements stadia et des opérations pour les Lansing Lug Nuts, une équipe de baseball de ligues mineures. Kieger partage ses expériences uniques dans le baseball mineur, mettant l'accent sur l'importance de l'adaptabilité, de l'innovation et du leadership pour réussir dans ce domaine dynamique. Il évoque également les défis et les récompenses de travailler dans un environnement où les événements spectaculaires et la gestion de jeunes équipes sont au cœur des opérations quotidiennes.

Takeaways

• 🏈 Le travail dans les ligues mineures implique une variété de tâches et ne se limite pas à un rôle spécifique.
• 🎯 Il est essentiel de se rendre indispensable en trouvant son domaine d'intérêt et en s'y spécialisant.
• 🌟 L'expérience dans les ligues mineures offre une opportunité unique d'être au premier plan de l'innovation dans le sport.
• ⏰ L'adoption de l'horloge de lancer dans les grandes ligues a été inspirée par les expériences positives dans les ligues mineures.
• 📈 L'horloge de lancer a amélioré la fluidité du jeu, rendant les matchs plus spectaculaires pour les fans.
• 👔 Le rôle d'assistant GM dans les ligues mineures est vaste et peut inclure la gestion de l'opération, le marketing et le personnel.
• 🔄 Le secteur des ligues mineures est un terrain d'essai pour ce qui peut être adopté par les ligues majeures, offrant ainsi une expérience variée.
• 🌐 Les événements dans les ligues mineures sont conçus pour créer une expérience unique et engageante pour les fans.
• 💡 L'adaptabilité est un trait clé pour réussir dans les ligues mineures, où les employés doivent être prêts à prendre des rôles multiples.
• 🎉 Les équipes de ligues mineures mettent l'accent sur la création d'événements spectaculaires et de divertissement pour attirer les fans.
• 🤝 Les partenariats avec des institutions comme les universités sont courants pour les équipes de ligues mineures, renforçant leur présence communautaire.

Q & A

Pourquoi le baseball mineur est-il considéré comme un terrain d'entraînement idéal pour les carrières dans le sport?

Le baseball mineur offre une expérience variée où l'on fait un peu de tout, ce qui permet aux individus de découvrir leurs passions et de construire une expérience pratique sur leur CV.

Quelle a été l'impact positive de l'implémentation d'une horloge de 20 secondes pour le lancer dans les ligues mineures?

L'horloge de 20 secondes a rendu le jeu plus spectaculaire et a accéléré le rythme des matchs, ce qui a été adopté par la Ligue majeure de baseball après huit ans.

Quels sont les défis spécifiques auxquels les équipes de baseball mineur doivent faire face en raison de leur taille de staff réduite?

Les équipes de baseball mineur gèrent des événements pour des milliers de personnes avec un staff et des ressources limités, ce qui rend la gestion et l'exécution des plans critiques.

Quel est le rôle d'un assistant GM dans le baseball mineur et comment cela peut-il varier d'une équipe à une autre?

Le rôle d'assistant GM peut inclure la supervision des opérations, l'aide aux directeurs dans leur travail et s'assurer que les attentations sont remplies. Il peut varier en fonction de l'équipe et de l'expérience du personnel.

Comment le baseball mineur permet-il aux employés de s'adapter à de multiples tâches et de devenir inestimables?

En travaillant dans de nombreux domaines et en s'adaptant à différentes situations, les employés apprennent à s'exécuter et à devenir des éléments clés dans l'organisation, ce qui les rend inestimables.

Quels sont les attributs clés que Greg Kieger recherche dans le personnel qu'il embauche pour le baseball mineur?

L'adaptabilité est un attribut clé recherché, ainsi que la volonté de relever de nouveaux défis et d'apprendre de l'expérience, même si cela signifie faire des tâches laborieuses.

Comment le baseball mineur gère-t-il la rotation fréquente des joueurs et l'impact sur les stratégies de marketing?

En se concentrant sur les événements et les divertissements plutôt que sur les joueurs individuels, les équipes mineures gardent l'engagement des fans malgré le haut taux de rotation des joueurs.

Quelles sont les histoires ou expériences uniques que Greg a partagées lors de l'entrevue qui illustrent la nature imprévisible du travail dans le sport?

Greg a partagé des histoires telles que travailler sur le film 'Rudy' et gérer une fuite de gaz lors d'un spectacle du cirque, mettant en évidence l'originalité et la variété des expériences dans le sport.

Comment le baseball mineur tire-t-il parti de la créativité et de la flexibilité dans la planification des événements?

En jouant sur les thèmes populaires et en s'adaptant rapidement aux changements, les équipes de baseball mineur créent des événements uniques qui attirent les fans et augmentent les ventes de billets.

Quels conseils donnerait Greg aux jeunes professionnels qui entrent dans l'industrie du sport, en particulier pour gérer le rythme intense de la saison de baseball?

Greg conseille de trouver un équilibre entre le travail et le temps de récupération, de rendre les tâches趣味性以提高士气, et de se préparer à faire face à des journées longues et des défis inattendus.

Outlines

00:00

😀 Expériences variées dans les sports mineurs

Le texte met en évidence l'importance de la polyvalence dans le domaine des sports mineurs. Il est souligné que les employés ne peuvent pas se limiter à un rôle unique et doivent être prêts à s'impliquer dans différents aspects du travail. L'auteur exprime son amour pour le chronomètre de lancer dans le baseball et aborde l'importance de l'expérience en tant qu'stagiaire dans les sports mineurs, offrant une variété d'expériences et une formation pratique. Le podcast évoque également l'innovation dans les sports mineurs, en citant l'exemple de l'implémentation d'un chronomètre de 20 secondes pour les lancers, qui a eu un impact positif sur le jeu.

05:01

🎓 Rôle d'assistant directeur général dans les sports mineurs

Le paragraphe décrit le rôle d'assistant directeur général (GM) dans les sports mineurs, expliquant que ce poste varie d'un équipe à l'autre en fonction de l'expérience et des responsabilités. L'assistant GM est présenté comme un soutien au directeur général, aidant à gérer les équipes et à s'assurer que les attentations sont remplies. Il est également responsable de la gestion des événements et des opérations, et doit s'adapter à un environnement en constante évolution, comme illustré par l'arrivée inattendue d'une affiliation avec les Oakland.

10:01

🌟 Créativité et leadership dans les sports mineurs

Le texte met en avant l'importance de la créativité et du leadership dans les sports mineurs, où les employés ont la liberté de s'exprimer et de mettre en place des événements uniques. L'auteur souligne que, contrairement aux sports professionnels, les sports mineurs offrent plus de flexibilité et d'opportunités pour innover. Le leadership est crucial pour gérer une jeune équipe et pour assurer la bonne exécution des plans, même si cela implique de jongler avec plusieurs tâches. L'auteur encourage les jeunes à s'engager dans les sports mineurs pour acquérir une expérience variée et enrichissante.

15:02

🏠 Communauté et événements dans les sports mineurs

Le paragraphe discute de la manière dont les équipes de sports mineurs peuvent devenir un événement majeur dans leur communauté, en particulier dans les villes de taille moyenne ou rurales. L'auteur parle de la manière dont son équipe gère les défis de la concurrence avec d'autres événements sportifs, comme les matchs de football de Michigan State, et comment elle profite de la dynamique de la communauté pour booster les ventes de billets et les événements familiaux. Il mentionne également des événements spéciaux, comme la journée du golf et la distribution de jerseys pour soutenir les victimes d'un drame local.

20:03

🤝 Partenariats et relations avec les grandes ligues

Le texte aborde la manière dont les équipes de sports mineurs travaillent avec les équipes des grandes ligues, non pas en tant que concurrents, mais en tant que partenaires pour créer des événements et des expériences uniques. L'auteur mentionne des programmes de golf et d'autres initiatives communautaires qui ont été mis en place pour profiter de la saison favorable et attirer les fans. Il discute également des changements apportés par le nouveau CBA (Contrat de but) avec la MLB, qui pourraient affecter la manière dont les joueurs interagissent avec la communauté et les événements locaux.

25:04

🎉 Anecdotes de carrière dans les sports mineurs

Le dernier paragraphe est une compilation d'anecdotes de carrière de l'assistant GM, qui partage des expériences inoubliables de son passé dans le sport, y compris son implication dans le tournage du film Rudy et un incident avec une fuite de gaz lors d'un spectacle de cirque. Ces histoires illustrent l'aspect inattendu et excitant du travail dans les sports mineurs, où chaque événement peut présenter de nouvelles opportunités et défis.

Keywords

💡Minor League Baseball

Le Minor League Baseball fait référence aux ligues de baseball aux États-Unis qui sont sous le niveau de la Ligue majeure professionnelle. C'est un terrain d'entraînement pour les joueurs qui aspirent à rejoindre les grandes ligues. Dans le script, l'expérience de travailler dans le Minor League Baseball est présentée comme une opportunité unique pour les professionnels du sport, offrant une variété d'expériences et un aperçu de l'innovation dans le sport.

💡Pitch Clock

Le pitch clock est un chronomètre utilisé pour contrôler le temps pris par les lanceurs de baseball entre les pitches. Il est mentionné dans le script comme un exemple d'innovation introduite dans le baseball mineur qui a amélioré le rythme du jeu et est finalement adopté dans la Ligue majeure, ce qui rend le sport plus spectaculaire pour les fans.

💡Internship

Un stage est une période pendant laquelle une personne travaille dans un environnement professionnel pour acquérir de l'expérience et des compétences sans solde. Dans le script, l'interviewé recommande fortement aux étudiants de faire un stage dans le baseball mineur pour avoir une expérience pratique variée et enrichissante dans le domaine des sports.

💡Event Operations

Les opérations d'événements font référence à la gestion et à la planification des événements, y compris les logistics, la sécurité et l'organisation. Dans le contexte du script, cela implique la gestion des opérations de stade pour les matchs de baseball mineur, ce qui est décrit comme un défi excitant nécessitant une grande adaptabilité et une capacité à gérer un jeune personnel.

💡Adaptability

L'adaptabilité est la capacité à s'adapter rapidement aux changements ou aux situations imprévues. Dans le script, l'adaptabilité est soulignée comme un trait essentiel pour réussir dans le baseball mineur, où les employés doivent être prêts à jongler avec de nombreuses tâches différentes et à faire face à des défis imprévus, comme le montre l'exemple de la gestion des intempéries.

💡Lansing Lug Nuts

Les Lansing Lug Nuts sont une équipe de baseball mineure basée à Lansing, dans l'État de Michigan. Dans le script, l'invité, qui est le directeur adjoint des événements et des opérations de stade pour les Lug Nuts, partage son expérience de travail et les défis rencontrés dans la gestion des événements sportifs.

💡Mental Health

La santé mentale fait référence à l'état de bien-être psychologique et émotionnel d'une personne. Dans le script, l'importance de la santé mentale est abordée dans le contexte des longues heures et du rythme intense des saisons sportives, soulignant la nécessité de prendre soin de soi et de maintenir un équilibre entre le travail et la vie personnelle.

💡CBA Agreement

L'accord de la CBA (Convention collective nationale) est un accord collectif entre les propriétaires des équipes de baseball et les joueurs qui régit les conditions de travail et les salaires. Dans le script, l'accord est mentionné comme un facteur qui affecte la manière dont les équipes mineures gèrent les apparitions des joueurs et les événements communautaires.

💡Community Engagement

L'engagement communautaire se réfère aux efforts pour impliquer et soutenir la communauté locale, souvent par le biais d'événements ou de programmes sociaux. Dans le script, l'engagement des équipes de baseball mineur avec leur communauté est discuté, y compris les défis de maintenir une présence et une reconnaissance face à d'autres organisations sportives locales.

💡Staffing and Hiring

Le recrutement et l'embauche font référence au processus de sélection et d'engagement des employés. Dans le contexte du script, l'importance de trouver le bon équilibre entre l'expérience et la volonté de travailler dur est abordée, ainsi que les défis de gérer un personnel jeune et souvent en rotation dans le secteur des sports.

Highlights

Emphasizing the diverse roles in minor league sports marketing, not just desk work but hands-on involvement in various aspects of the game.

The introduction of a pitch clock in minor league baseball as a modernization of the game, enhancing its watchability.

Recommending minor league baseball as a comprehensive training ground for a career in sports, offering a wide range of experiences.

The significance of the 20-second pitch clock experiment in 2015, which later influenced Major League Baseball.

Discussing the role of an assistant GM in minor league baseball, including overseeing event staff and operations.

The importance of adaptability and being willing to take on various tasks in minor league sports.

The challenges of managing a young staff and the value of leadership by example in minor league baseball.

Highlighting the grind of the baseball season and the need for work-life balance for staff and players.

The strategy of planning events around local interests, such as Harry Potter and Star Wars themes, to boost ticket sales.

The impact of weather on minor league baseball operations and the need for contingency planning.

The unique experience of working on the movie 'Rudy' and the improvisation required during filming.

The story of a gas line accident during the Barnum and Bailey Circus, illustrating the unexpected challenges of event management.

The importance of mentorship in the sports industry and the role of networking in career development.

The potential changes in minor league baseball due to the new CBA agreement, affecting player appearances and marketing.

The need for creativity in minor league baseball to attract fans and differentiate from major league teams.

Transcripts

if you're going to work in minor league

sports you're not going to be a

one-trick pony you're not going to come

into marketing and that's you're going

to sit at your desk you're going to work

on a plan because it just doesn't work

that way so make yourself invaluable

find out what you love as a part of this

and um and go for it this is the work

and sports podcast

I am in love with the pitch clock got a

loaded slate here today it was a strike

he was not ready in a ready position at

the Eight Second Mark which is an

automatic strike now for the hitter

thank you baseball gods for not sticking

with tradition and instead modernizing

the game we love or maybe we should

credit minor league baseball if you've

listened to this show for even a minute

you know I recommend interning at Minor

League Baseball as the best possible

experience for your career you do a bit

of everything you see what you love you

build your hands-on experience in your

resume you learn the rhythm of what it's

like to work in sports Minor League

Baseball is the ultimate training ground

but here's another reason

you're on The Cutting Edge of innovation

it was January 15 2015 when Major League

Baseball said hey minor league teams in

double A and AAA why did you start

implementing a 20-second pitch clock and

let's just see what that does to our

piece of play problem let's see what

kind of an effect we have well the

effect it had was positive so we started

moving in that direction now it still

took Major League Baseball eight years

to adopt it and start using it but I'm

telling you the product is much more

watchable now which makes me super happy

progress is slow sometimes so in minor

league baseball you get to be on The

Cutting Edge of some of the Innovation

the test Market The Crucible for what

may be adopted a major league baseball

and you get this wide-ranging experience

love love love Minor League Baseball but

nobody knows this lifestyle better than

today's guest Greg kieger assistant GM

of Stadium events and operations for the

Lansing lug nuts

[Music]

hey Greg how are you this morning I am

I'm great how are you Brian I I'm

excited for this conversation I'm doing

really well I'm laughing as we get

started because we're going to talk a

lot about Minor League Baseball today

and that experience but before we get

started today you emailed me and you

were like hey I have to do the most

minor league baseball thing ever before

we get started in this interview take

everybody through what your morning was

like so far reminding everybody this is

the assistant GM we're talking to so

tell us what your morning was like yes I

mean minor league baseball in a nutshell

is is we've had some storms uh we we had

an exhibition game uh two nights ago we

had to switch up our season doesn't

start till tomorrow we're on the road

tomorrow so we got a call which we

typically do between seven and nine in

the morning on days we know we are gonna

have to pull the tarp off and that's

exactly what we got and the timing

obviously the more people you have

around the easier it's going to be we

had 72 degrees yesterday it was I think

43 right now

um so Not only was there a lot of water

there was some ice build up as well so

anyway I had to send you a quick email

say hey 9 30 we have a tarpole I'm not

sure depending on you know typically we

wait till we get a good dozen bodies to

make it not so difficult so

um I did arrive light and a little out

of breath because I just got off

it's it's one of those things and and we

have a we have a white board with the

number of tarpoles we have our season

hasn't started we've had one exhibition

and that was our fifth tarp pull already

oh so it's going to be a long one yeah I

I think it's funny it's like that's the

cliche thing we all say like some nights

you'll be pulling the tarp and some

nights you'll be working over here doing

this and that but you're embodying it

this is the real life like this is a

part of the that's part of the job and

part of the culture that's what we live

for that's awesome I love that okay so

let's let's get into your background a

little bit we'll dive deeper into this

conversation and and what it's like

being a minor league baseball you've

worked in a lot of different aspects of

this industry so you've worked in

college athletics and minor league

sports you've been a sport towards sales

you've been a professor for the last

three years Minor League Baseball has

been your focus for the Lansing lug nuts

what is it about Minor League Baseball

that makes it special as you compare it

to all of your other experiences what is

that special thing about Minor League

Baseball and your your estimation well

it's so different

um you look at Sports in general and can

be so many different things and

depending it seems like when you start

out you're doing so many different

things to find your Niche and get really

good find out what you're really good at

yeah and but something about Minor

League Baseball is like any to me

anything's possible I started out in

marketing promotions for a division two

college athletic department and I love

that but my career took me elsewhere as

I went along but one of the first things

I wanted to do I got hired in as the

Director of Stadium events and so I my

my life my career has really

went into the event mode operations

became a thing and but one thing about

Minor League Baseball I wanted to get

thrown in on the marketing side because

that's so much fun here because

you know truly anything is possible if

you can cultivate the way you know you

still want to do it well no matter what

that is but it seems like in other

industry is you have to be pretty

straightforward in what you do in minor

league baseball not that all the rules

get thrown out but you can kind of make

your own rules to a point and that's fun

for me I think one of the most enjoyable

things that I get to experience when

interviewing people that work in minor

league baseball is that creative side is

that ability to kind of do anything on

game night and really build up this

energy and excitement in the community

and we're gonna we're gonna talk a lot

more about that because I think that's

one of the most interesting parts of you

know outside the box thinking that

happens in in minor league sports it

doesn't necessarily happen in Pro Sports

and that can be a little bit more

regimented but before we dig in there

sometimes people hear assistant GM and

they think to themselves oh are they on

the are they are they out there scouting

like you hear in the minor leagues I'm

in the major leagues and are they are

they looking to players to sign and

things like that but it's a little

different in the miners so can you

explain a little bit more of what it

means to be an assistant GM a GM those

kind of roles front office back roles in

minor league sports sure and and I think

every

um I think the GM role is pretty similar

across the board of all 120 teams the

assistant GM role depending on uh you

know somebody that's been with the same

team for 15 years maybe in marketing and

develop into a you know a newer title so

the system GM across the board might be

a little different but for us we just

had a a changeover so we have a new GM

this year my role is to adjust a little

bit I'm I feel I'm more his chief of

staff to kind of make sure the directors

are doing what they need to do and

prepare we have a we have an extremely

young staff so I think my years in the

industry whether it's in minor league

baseball or not is kind of help them

adjust to okay this is the expectation

of what we're coming up you know we've

had preseason we've had a number of

things but for myself I came in

overseeing the event staff

through coven the pandemic I inherited

the operation side but I've done that

numerous other places and then our Major

League Baseball case stepped into them

you know and basically took over the

Minor League World we were a Toronto

Blue Jays affiliate for 15 years they

basically told Toronto hey there's space

up in Vancouver it fits better if you

stay within your country with covet

going on and all of a sudden Oakland

needed a place to be and and we were

open so a drop of a hat we were an

Oakland affiliate so

um it's never a dull moment Brian never

a dull moment there's always something

happening and going on so on that event

side you mentioned young staff I always

find Minor League Baseball fascinating

in that you have the same challenges of

the pro teams you're putting on these

massive events for thousands of people

but you have a much smaller team in

Resort resources how important does

leadership become in all of that and

being able to manage a young staff and

help grow and still deliver night in and

night out it's it's the delivery and

execution part that gets tough because

you still want people to feel like

they're learning on their own and and

Zachary Jim and I fully believe in you

know we're not going to micromanage

anybody but our door is always open

unless we're on a podcast or or

something to to knock on it and say hey

we need some help here and and you know

beer delivery gets here on Friday for

our food and beverage and all of us are

out there getting 72 kegs to wherever

they need to go and it's just one of

those things and you know if you're

going to work in minor league sports

you're not going to have you know you're

not going to be a one-trick pony you're

not going to come into marketing and

that's you're going to sit at your desk

and work on a plan you're going to

execute the plan that night because it

just doesn't work that way so make

yourself invaluable find out what you

love is a part of this and um and go for

it but but you've got to be willing to

get pulled in 20 different directions

and and not get disappointed where I

know I had a meeting set up for two

o'clock for 10 people only three people

are here that's because the other seven

people are doing something else at the

moment so it takes a lot of patience

takes a lot of adaptability but at the

end again execution and delivery is

everything by the time the gates open

they see us swimming underwater they see

everything above it and things are great

or they're not so great and we work hard

to fix them I think that's a really

inspirational part of this and I speak

in probably 40 to 50 College classrooms

each semester and I'm always telling

people go get some experience in minor

league baseball I think it is absolutely

the best training ground for exactly

what you just said you're going to be

doing a lot of different things you're

going to get exposed to a lot of

different options in the in the business

world you're going to figure out where

your love and passion may or may not be

and you're going to be on the grind and

that's a lot of what our industry is

like

what do you see when when that happens

and you bring in a lot of different

staff and there's probably high turnover

and you have interns you have people

supporting in different ways what are

those things that you look for what are

those things that you look for not only

in those people that are worth bringing

in but then those that are successful

and and do well in this field really I

go back to adaptability if you're not

willing to try something new

um try something you've never tried

before and takes some criticism you know

weather plays a big part in what we do

and what we can do and you know we just

disappoint a lot of pitching coaches and

our weather reports aren't quite right

and they start throwing their their

secondary picture to warm up and all of

a sudden the storm comes 15 minutes

early and and so

um a lot of difficult conversations

along the way but but you hit it on the

head you know Minor League Sports is

going to give you it's going to let you

know what you love pretty quickly and

what you really don't care for yeah um I

mean we went through three interns last

year we had a we had an intern first day

on a power washer all day

preseason and he didn't show up the

second day he just left and uh so it's

it's best not to sugarcoat things it's

going to be hard but you're going to put

yourself in the situations to have some

pretty incredible moments and you know

my career has been littered with 30 or

40 pretty incredible moments but if I

hadn't put myself in the position to

um arrive at that perfect situation yeah

um you know it was through hard work and

and doing some things I didn't

particularly care for but we do them

because it needs to get done and it's

like I worked in Jacksonville and we had

um

a Monday Night Raw on TV that night and

afterwards I had to go through where the

wrestlers were filtering into their

locker room afterwards and yeah that

night I got to meet Leon Wilkerson from

Leonard Skynyrd because he had been on a

flight into Jacksonville with a wrestler

invited him down and I had to get from

point A to point B and I got to spend

three minutes with the bass player from

Leonard Skynyrd and it was awesome my

bad and and it's just one of those

things that if I hadn't had to go do

that mundane test that I didn't want to

get out of because I needed to get done

but I had that moment and I'll always

remember that moment that's awesome I

love that and I think that is a attitude

that I think wins in the sports industry

is doing what needs to get done and that

used to be our philosophy a lot of times

early in my career when I was starting

out in the sports media it was yeah

there are things I don't want to do but

it needs to get done and so whoever

takes up that attitude can be that

person that proves that they have a high

ceiling and willing to do what it takes

to get the get the work done and that's

that's such an important part of the

attitude I think in our industry right

if our young professionals aren't seeing

me out doing some of those tasks and

just pointing at that and say look that

that stand needs to get clean better you

know there's a respect there and an

admiration but if they don't see me

doing it also it you know why should

they do it leadership by example it's so

important there's there's no denying

that the baseball season is a grind I

mean long hours road trips a lot of game

nights

you you have this experience but what

advice would you give to young people

breaking into the industry that this is

a this is a different Rhythm I mean what

advice would you share for surviving the

day in and day out and making sure you

stay sharp and mentally healthy we can't

do what was done to us basically and

it's you're gonna be here at eight in on

non-game days you're here till 5 30

unless we have another event or we're

here till everything's cleaned up in the

stadium which is one or two in the

morning and we just we just can't do

that younger generation isn't going to

connect to that you know they need they

need some time they need some you know

like all of us do you know here I'm in

my 50s going you know if I would have

got a little time through there I

wouldn't feel like I'm 93 but

um but uh it's just one of those things

it's like we have to be really careful

of not only the physical but the mental

as well so we're gonna find a way to to

make it fun because for us behind the

scenes It's a Grind you know I hear all

these people complaining about Major

League Baseball in this pitch clock you

know we had it all last year and us that

and you know work 8 30 to 5 30 and then

our gates open at six for seven o'clock

game you know I don't mind it too

already you know no screw the three and

a half hour games I've already been here

for 12 hours so give me all the two-hour

games we can so it's getting pasted this

yeah

that that's been good but you know you

know it goes back to Heaven fun it's the

days and game nights are a grind so

let's try to have some fun with that do

you have a favorite event planned for

this upcoming year we have Joey Chestnut

showing up to break the olive burger

eating record of course

why wouldn't we do that so I still don't

know I gotta find out if if he's you

know eating the whole burger or if we're

going to get water involved like he does

on the hot dog side but you know that's

that's one of the fun things we you know

we try to make it easy you know we try

to play off the Harry Potter stuff and

the Star Wars stuff and you know with

limitations and Licensing we have to

call it other things but it is what it

is and we just have to let people know

that's that's what it is without telling

them that's what it is so yeah yeah

Wizarding weekend we can't say it's a

hotter uh Harry Potter weekend so so we

play off of those things that we know

that's you know we're driving ticket

sales so we know what people love to do

and we you know we put our our team in

different uniforms and come out with

different giveaways and and it's like we

had uh you know with the tragedy at

Michigan State a month or so ago and we

had our we started season typically with

an exhibition game with Michigan State

and so we did that Tuesday and what we

did we did a lug nut Jersey but we had

the lug nut in their Spartan green so I

think we gave away a thousand I think

within 14 minutes they were gone so

um we had over 4 000 people actually

Tuesday we outgrew Oakland

um with with an exhibition game so that

tells you that people are excited to

come out

um like I said yesterday was 72 or 73

degrees today I think the high is 49 so

we're back prepping now we're prepping

for Michigan State to play um three

games here over the weekend because

airfield's unplayable so but that's

apparently baseball for you you know

yeah you don't it's tough to plan a

vacation yeah right it's always

interesting to me too a lot of minor

league teams are in smaller cities or

more rural areas and they can really own

that community and they can be the

biggest event in town and they can

really build that up and you guys have a

bit of a challenge lansing's a good

sized city you've got Michigan State

right down the road uh does that feel

like competition or is that something

you guys partner up with it sounds like

you have a lot of joint activations I

mean how do you how do you kind of

Leverage that relationship

I wouldn't really call it competition I

will say that in the fall

um just before our season ends and and

the better weather in October after our

season ends we try not schedule too much

around the Michigan State home football

game because it just doesn't work I

don't know we developed a golf program

after the covid year where we will set

up nine tee boxes Around The Concourse

and Chip onto holes and we set up greens

with with roping on the field and we've

done that twice last year and and that

might have been the first event we did

after lemonade League finished where

people just were excited to get out and

golf courses were kind of opening and so

that's a fun program for us they get

they get three shots and depending on if

they at least get it we fun part about

that is we've spent a week after picking

up golf balls all over because golf

balls end up all over because they still

got to hit over uh from the top of the

Concourse through the seating Bowl onto

the field so they get a point for

getting on the field if they get it in

the green they they get more points they

get a hole in one they get more points

and the winner gets the owner's box for

a night with with

um 19 friends and gets our own crushed

velvet red jacket and we just have a lot

of fun with it love it I just love the

creativity that you see in minor league

baseball and the No Holds Barred kind of

let's try it let's do it let's see what

happens kind of attitude it's fun for

pro teams they Market their athletes

right they really get those faces out

there because kids young people adults

we buy jerseys we get into the athletes

we want to have our favorite player in

minor leagues there's a lot of churn on

the roster I mean it could be completely

different from year to year you could

have a player you're investing a lot of

marketing in and then they get called up

to the next level like how hard is that

do you have to focus more on the event

and the entertainment and kind of not

not focus on the players as much or is

there a balance in there there's kind of

a balance because

um you know people that pay attention

are paying attention okay what's you

know how many number one and number two

picks are going to be playing for lug

nuts and if they turn out if they don't

show up to a game in April or May

they're probably up to the next level by

June and so it's tough so we try to

drive tickets and other things through

you know through our family fun events

that we have here

um the player side is probably going to

get a little more difficult Now with uh

this new CBA agreement with major league

baseball

um so we're going to probably see some

change to kind of like the nil has done

with College athletics yeah you know

exhibition games in in like private

appearances for communities and things

like that are going to probably start

costing us money so the pair gets paid

for those types of things where before

it was you know they just wanted to get

their face out there so if we needed to

send four kids to the elementary school

to do a reading program everyone was

happy to do it we'd pay them 25 bucks

and and they get on the community and

help us out we'd help the school out and

you know the guys would get you know

once they kind of get their names out in

the community and they hear people

cheering for them specifically once they

come to the games and I think that may

look a little different here moving

forward pretty soon

um so and we figured that Major League

Baseball would you know they had to

change wages they had to change the way

guys lived it wasn't great we've

developed a pretty good situation here

in here in Lansing for player

accommodations

so through this year things will even

change even more and and you know

there's always that rumor out there

there might be more contraction so Major

League Baseball may have to pay less

players but they're doing what's right

and and guys are making a little more

money although you know they have to

make that decision they have that seven

figure salary up if they can make it to

the very top level and right now you

know it's been barely five figures so

it's you got to play that game and guys

guys have been doing it for decades and

trying to trying to make in the major

leagues and stay in the best hotels and

have the

closed and and um it's just one of those

things that it's it needed to get better

it has gotten better and we're just

waiting to see where that's gonna land

because it's it'll probably change again

Greg I'm so appreciative all your time

it's been such an amazing conversation I

want to finish up with this with your

years of experience in the industry you

already told us one great story about

the Lynyrd Skynyrd bassist and being on

the job and having having that

experience but I gotta I gotta figure

you have more I love the storytelling

aspect of people that work in the

industry I love that those things that

we get to see and experience and others

just look at you with wrapped attention

like wait you did what you know like

right so so give us another one pull

another one out of the archives share a

story with us from your experience and

from your from your life in sports that

uh that'll be fun one to share okay well

I'm gonna share too because I can't

right like my kids I can't tell one

without the other because they're plenty

two incredible stories that just happen

to happen and I thought it was great and

one wasn't so great but um I spent six

years as an intramural director at

University Notre Dame back in the back

in the 90s and it doesn't seem that long

ago but I feel the same way trust me

um so I had a buddy show up and I was

going to take them to uh the Penn State

Notre Dame football game that fall and I

got my my two bosses worked up in the

booth for football one controlled the

scoreboard and one guy did something

else and I got more involved on the

basketball side as far as working which

offshoot of that story

um our work the scores table when

Michigan's Fab Five started their very

first game that was at Notre Dame so

that was pretty cool being a Michigan

kid yeah and a Michigan fan knowing that

was coming to see all five of them

starting the game was was pretty cool

yeah

um but

um I got a call from him after the game

during halftime they did a lot of the

shoots for um the on-field

shots for the movie Rudy that okay so I

got a call from him that night saying

hey there they have this whole plan of

attack on doing all those shots again

but they're inviting thousands of people

to come to the stadium this is on a

Sunday in uh in November and what they

want to do is they need somebody to run

the scoreboard for that I can't make it

can you make it

I said sure I'll do it yeah so he gave

me the uh assistant Director's phone

number told me what time to be there and

first they kind of ran us through some

things it's like okay here the School

Board needs to read these three things

at this particular time um they gave me

a walkie-talkie my and and again that's

I think he's indebted to me forever my

buddy got to tag along and we both got

paid to do it too so we have this

experience that you know he was just

going to come to a weekend to see his

first Notre Dame football game and we

end up working on the movie Rudy so

that's amazing so uh so we did those

three things he's like and but you know

figure out at those time frames we're

still going to run other plays that type

of thing so do us a favor and kind of

tell us what when we do this play what

should the scoreboard read with the

timing the all that stuff so we spent

probably in our kind of almost

storyboarding yeah uh and so the

director came out said you guys ready he

said you know we're ready to go he's

like okay this looks good and and then

they're down on the field we're up in

the booth and there's nothing and so we

got to bring up he's like I guess we're

not going to do the things for like

another three hours why don't you come

down we'll get something to eat and so

we got down to the field we're eating

and they're doing all the shots up in

the stand so you know we we see all the

actors that were in there John Favreau

doing his thing and yeah and uh Rudy's

dad doing his thing and so anyway we got

a couple of the other actors and one of

the um assistant director says as we're

on the field he's like we hear him

talking ever kicked a field goal no I've

never tried to feel well me knowing

where everything is

um I said tell you what let me go get a

kicking tee and so we spent 20 minutes

all these people

um trying to come over and see if they

could kick a field goal and nobody came

close but but so like it was like two

hours and then they're like okay why

don't you go up and and I think we're

ready to do it so

we're going through and they're rating

up okay we're gonna do this play the

scoreboard needs to read this okay run

it and then we'd run it we got to about

the last play and it was it's November

so it's getting pretty cold in South

Bend Indiana so we finish up they want

to do one more play they want me to run

it back and our scoreboard just shuts

down it freezes there's nothing more I

can do yeah so I'm like well I you know

I guess that's all we're gonna get we

can run the play and not show the

scoreboard and so anyway that that's one

of my stories oh yeah one of those

things that you know just because of the

department I worked in and my boss is

like I can't make it can you do it I'm

like heck yes I can yes I'm doing my

only other story if we have time yeah go

uh I'm the event manager in Jacksonville

Florida and we have uh Barnum and Bailey

Circus for a whole week

in our back asphalt parking lot is where

the elephants and most of the animals

that can take some evening weather are

there for the whole week so they're

driving these three foot Stakes into our

asphalt and through our contract and

everything everything's paid for as far

as refilling those holes and all that

stuff they're there for six days so I

basically split time for the evening

shows overseeing the facility with our

general manager and uh I just happened

to come up with Sunday which I figured I

would be working Sunday because it's

Super Bowl Sunday and my boss wants to

be able to watch everything leading up

to the game

um but the show the last show gets over

about four o'clock the game's not gonna

start till after six everything should

be fine you would figure yeah so there

they get everything torn down inside our

facility and they're tearing everything

down

um outside the facility they got to the

last tent pulled out one of the stakes

and all of a sudden you see in this

heaving in the asphalt well they had but

that stake they had punctured a gas line

oh they had punctured it so squarely

that it didn't release any gas until

they pulled it out on Sunday yeah so

um call 9-1-1 call our gas service get

everybody there we can and I'm there

till about 7 30 until everything settles

out and everything and so I missed the

first half of the Super Bowl because we

had punctured a gas line with the big

top 10 from the circus so yeah

but that's one of my stories yeah yeah

uh love it I love this stuff I always

think these stories are are so special

to our industry and unique and it's it's

different than a lot of other careers I

think that's what part part of what

makes it special so thank you for

sharing that thank you for sharing all

this great advice too I think there's so

many nuggets everybody in our audience

can take out of it and learn so much

about what it takes to survive and

thrive in this industry so Greg thank

you so much I appreciate the time and uh

you know it's always fun to give back

and you know I still hear back from from

former student workers or students I

taught and you know you help them as

much as we can as we get older our our

Branch kind of widens and you know we

get people that you know what I want to

end up with Texas so I start figuring

out who I know at Texas or used to work

at Texas I might still know somebody and

so still helping out but that's what

mentors do and that's what mentors did

for me so I'm I'm there to give back

that's why we do this show it's to help

and to build those branches so that's

awesome I appreciate you for

contributing to it absolutely

thank you

thank you to Greg for coming on the show

I love the one great story concept I

love some of the things we're hearing

from people out there doing it and

living it and having these great

experiences in the sports industry if

that doesn't get you excited motivated

intrigued by what a career in the Sports

World will look like for you or what you

might experience I don't know what will

but great advice in there what it's like

in minor league baseball the day-to-day

grind Mental Health Training staff

getting people up to speed what he looks

for in Staffing and hiring a lot of

great info in there so thanks for

listening please remember to rate review

And subscribe love to continue growing

our audience here and you're a big part

of that so I will see you all on Monday

[Applause]

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