When I was six years old, it seemed quite clear to me that I would be playing professional hockey for the Washington Capitals. I was undaunted by the fact that I had never skated before, I did not actually own a hockey stick, or that my hometown of Frederick, Maryland did not actually have a hockey rink.
Thus, I was thrilled when, just six months after my 21st birthday, I stepped onto the ice at Verizon Center in downtown Washington, D.C. It was my first taste of professional hockey in my hometown.
Of course, I wasn’t actually playing in the game. I was a sportswriter, and I had snuck away from my duties before the game to sit on the Capitals bench and then step onto the ice in my suit and shoes, not skates. Even worse was that I was there to cover the game for the visiting team, the New York Islanders -- an outsider in my own city!
Sitting on the bench, I knew then that I wanted to be in the sports business. This is the only industry in the world where otherwise rational people will voluntarily spend, in aggregate, billions of dollars and completely alter their lives in support of corporations that they have no connection to.
Sports is big business. In the US alone, sports is a $410 billion industry; some estimates put the global figure at double that, putting it on par with the auto industry in size.
The entertainment industry is currently drooling over sports because a consumer can’t -- and won’t -- time-shift or place-shift the consumption of a sporting event. The Super Bowl took place at precisely 3:00 on Sunday in Miami, and was only available on CBS. By contrast, film, music, and video games can be consumed on different platforms and can be pirated.
But even more than the money, sports is about passion. No other industry can consistently replicate the passion of a sports fan. Did I benefit from watching the Capitals beat the dreaded Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday afternoon? No. Did it make me feel good? You better believe it.
On Tuesday, February 16, 6pm in the Executive Dining Room, the Sports Business Association is holding our annual Career Night, where Anderson students will have the chance to hear first-hand insights into the sports industry from executives from some of the leading sports franchises and companies including:
- ESPN (sports media)
- Anaheim Ducks (National Hockey League)
- Los Angeles Clippers (National Basketball Association)
- Chivas USA - Major League Soccer
- Mandalay Baseball (minor league baseball)
- Ontario Reign (minor league hockey)
- RotoHog (fantasy sports)
- Epic States (sports social media consultancy)
- AccuScore (sports forecasting)
The keynote speaker is Kelly Perdew, the CEO of RotoHog and the winner of the second season of The Apprentice.
The event is free for Sports Business Association members, and $10 for non-members - money well spent for such privileged access inside the sports industry.
Anderson students - check your email for the invitation and RSVP!
-- Sreesha
