Drake Nelson spent 10 years in the world of independent professional wrestling entertainment and has now shifted into managing the largest comedy club in Reno, Nevada. Nelson talks about some of the reasons that professional wrestling is dying out on the circuit and presents a different view point on how promotions work in that industry niche. Nelson discusses his outlook on entertainment in general, now in the world of comedy where he competes nightly against other casinos the attention of those living or vacationing in Reno. Twitter: @CannibalDrake
Joe Vrankin helped preside over one of the largest sports league expansions in history during a nearly nine-year run as chief operating officer of the Arena Football League and its subsidiary, the Arena Football League 2. Vrankin talks about the details of league expansion, how the AFL changed during the 2000s to its eventual demise under a strike-riddled 2007 campaign as the collective bargaining negotiations became intense. Vrankin discusses some of the innovations of the old AFL incarnations, including miking the coaches during broadcast interviews and the NBC league ownership model. Twitter: @JVrankin
Summer collegiate baseball can either be something that is not made for the paying fan or it can be essentially a minor league with 30 home dates. Mike Lieberman chooses to believe his East Texas Pump Jacks are the latter. Lieberman talks about how the Pump Jacks go about utilizing interns and two full-time staff in order to bring a full minor league experience to the residents of Kilgore, Texas and remain competitive in the Texas Collegiate League. Lieberman discusses why group tickets are key to filling stands with paying customers and his philosophies toward building long-term revenue and fan loyalty while selling out the house. Twitter: @SportsExec13
The Hops just finished their first Single-A baseball season in Hillsboro, Oregon. Team Vice President and General Manager K.L. Wombacher talks about the decision to move the former Yakima Bears franchise more than 200 miles away, re-branding the team as the Hops. Wombacher talks about the challenges facing the team, as well as how the team’s per caps have exceeded expectations, as well as the Hops’ branding images in terms of merchandising outside of Hillsboro and Oregon. Twitter: @Wombokl
If you are going to point to one pioneer of revenue development, Jon Spoelstra should be at the very top of the list. Spoelstra has been part of over 1,000 sellouts. Author of one of the most notorious books in sports administration history “How To Sell Every Last Seat In The House” which he sells on his website for $800, Spoelstra can get that price based on the valuable information he provides. Considered the godfather of the mini-pack, Spoelstra is now working on a follow-up to that book called “The Ultimate Toolkit to Selling Every Last Seat In The House” with Steve Delay, which promises to be an industry best-seller. Now retired from the day-to-day life of selling tickets, Spoelstra was the genius behind creating sell-outs for the moribund New Jersey Nets in the 1990s as their team president and the Portland Trailblazers as their executive vice president. As president for 13 years at Mandalay Sports, Spoelstra rebranded the Triple-A Las Vegas Stars into the Las Vegas 51s to create a marketing and merchandising dream, as well as created one of the longest sell-out streaks in sports history with the Single-A Dayton Dragons, which has sold every ticket, to every game, every year, since their inception. Spoelstra has written three popular books on sales success including “Ice To Eskimos,” “Success Is Just One Wish Away,” and “Marketing Outrageously.” With a mantra of “What’s It Gonna Take?” to solve any revenue issues, Spoelstra’s legacy may end up being a rubber chicken in a FedEx box, which was sent to Nets season ticket holders.
America East Commissioner Amy Huchthausen is running a Division I non-football conference, but that doesn’t mean that the changing college football landscape hasn’t had an effect on her members. Huchthausen talks about some of the issues surrounding scheduling, conference membership stability, and how Title IX is affected by those decisions. Huchthausen also discusses her thoughts on guiding conference or campus issues, whether it be at the school presidential or athletic director level. Twitter: @AE_Commish
Josh Olerud has transitioned from independent minor league baseball with the Rockford Redhawks to affiliated with the Potomac Nationals. Olerud talks about the differences between promotions in minors as well as the financial impact that stars like Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg rehabbing with Potomac can have on the ticket counter. Olerud discusses how Potomac has built its own brand within the Washington National’s footprint despite being so close to the parent club.
Since 1988, Jim Rappel has been working in sports marketing. First with the Miller Sports Group, directing programming for their sports agency throughout the Mid-West, to working at Wunderman with various motorsports and professional sports in order to expand branding on different media platforms. Rappel talks about different marketing challenges that professional sports face, as well as what social and traditional media mean for sports in general. Twitter: @JimRappel
Bobby Holland oversees one of the largest travel baseball facilities in the country, along with one of the most recognizable brands in baseball, The Ripken Experience, in Myrtle Beach. Holland talks about how his experiences from minor league baseball have helped his skills in developing The Ripken Experience’s travel sports structure with corporate sponsors, especially with hotels. Holland discusses his time with the Richmond Braves, Potomac Cannons, Potomac Nationals, Live Nation, and Global Spectrum in terms of what works and what he believes does not in professional sports leadership and staffing.
Joe Barbarito has worked in various levels of sports business for the NHL’s Dallas Stars, Charlotte Knights, Broomfield Sports & Entertainment, Colorado Crush, Macon Knights, and Toledo Mud Hens. Now taking on clients as the owner of Pre-Game Consulting, Barbarito talks about some of the training methodology he uses in order to improve revenue and marketing for teams. Barbarito is willing to admit mistakes in promotions, but while humbled, how he learned from them and improved his overall branding principles of his training to help others. Twitter: @JBarbarito