By: Ella Dorsey
Dear Faithful Readers,
Happy Wednesday and the first full week of my favorite month of the year, October! I hope everyone is enjoying the excitement of the MLB playoffs, I know we are in San Diego! Last week on October 3rd, the NSF celebrated our 12th Virtual Summit! It was a fantastic opportunity to learn about the latest sports trends and network virtually with other great professionals from the industry. In this edition of “Selling It…,” we cover some of the main highlights from the NSF Virtual Fall Summit, including our educationally packed Super Panels and opening chat with Merril Hoge.
Enjoy,
Isabelle Madrid
Sr. Director, Marketing & Communications
Opening Fireside Speaker, “Find A Way” with Merril Hoge
The National Sports Forum’s 2024 Virtual Fall Summit started off with keynote speaker, Merril Hoge. Merril captivated the audience with his remarkable journey, recounting the challenges and triumphs that shaped his life. He shared how from an early age, he committed to achieving his dreams, motivated by the powerful mantra, “Find A Way.” This phrase instilled a sense of hope and action in him, driving him relentlessly to pursue his goals.
Drafted by the Steelers at just 21, Merril aimed to stand out by adopting a unique approach to football and life. Merril understood the importance of standing out—not just on the field, but in life. He adopted a unique mindset, committing to “want it more than they do” as a guiding principle. He emphasized the importance of wanting it more than they do, everyday of the week, and how that mindset can be applied to every situation throughout life.
As life progressed, Merril was faced with a series of health challenges, in 2003 he was diagnosed with cancer. Feeling disheartened, he shared this news with his children, only to be reminded by his daughter to “find a way.” This moment rekindled his hope and strengthened his resolve to fight the disease. Throughout his treatment he developed an entirely new perspective on life and now encourages everyone to take ownership of their own lives in order for growth to happen and in order to thrive. Merril encouraged the audience to embrace the idea of finding a way in everything they do—all day, every day.
“Chaos on Campus?: The Current State & Future of College Athletics” Super Panel
Next we transitioned to the first super panel of the day, led by John Roberson, CEO of Advent. He was joined by an esteemed group of experts: Kyle Vasey, Senior Associate Athletic Director/ Chief Financial Officer for the University of Alabama; Casey Stauffer, Associate AD, Corporate Sponsorship at BYU; Chris Plonsky, Chief of Staff and Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director at the University of Texas, Austin; and Tim Day, Faculty Athletics Representative at Iowa State University. Together, they had a discussion centered around current trends in college athletics and offered insights into what the future may hold.
The panelists explored the upcoming NIL legislation and its potential impact on student-athletes, athletic departments, and universities. Kyle Vasey emphasized that significant adjustments in spending will be necessary if the legislation is enacted. Athletic departments will have to ask themselves, “how can we curb spending in different areas” and “how can we generate additional revenue/ maximize current revenue”, Vasey explained. This sentiment was echoed by Casey Stauffer, as he shared how BYU is looking to create revenue streams that would continue to thrive year after year.
With so much change occurring in college athletics, John prompted the panelists to share how they navigate leadership during these transitions. Tim Day advised, “Keep your eye on the prize,” stressing the importance of staying focused on goals while continuously reevaluating strategies for achieving them. Chris Plonsky added, “Change has no constituents,” explaining that the key to successfully navigating change lies in teamwork and collaboration. This sentiment resonated with the audience, reflecting the reality that change is an inevitable part of the industry.
“Welcome to the New Frontier: Engaging Fans in the Digital Age” Super Panel
Our final Super Panel, led by Lisa Furfine, Chief Executive Officer at Linkroom, brought together an expert panel that featured Marcus Stephenson, Vice President of Media and Content for the Columbus Blue Jackets; Carey Cox, Vice President of Marketing for the Pittsburgh Pirates; Mark Fine, Chief Marketing Officer for Professional Bull Riders LLC; and Kevin Kinghorn, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for the Portland Trail Blazers. Together, they explored the innovative strategies their organizations are employing to enhance fan engagement in today’s competitive market.
The discussion began with a focus on the power of storytelling in elevating fan experiences both inside and outside the stadium. Carey Cox shared how the Pirates created a captivating fan experience for families through a drone show featuring an original story about the team. Along with the drone show, they created a downloadable book so families could bring this experience from the stadium into their own home. Mark Fine introduced the concept of “The Yellowstone Effect,” explaining how the hit show drew attention to the rodeo and how PBR capitalized on this phenomenon by producing a promotional video that fused elements of Yellowstone with the essence of PBR.
The panelists also discussed the topic of online communities and how to engage with fans to give them what they want. Marcus Stephenson highlighted how the Blue Jackets have established ambassadors and focus groups within their digital communities, allowing them to “land closer to the pulse of the local community”. These groups enable them to create tailored content based on community feedback on what they want to see. Kevin Kinghorn emphasized the Trail Blazers’ commitment to creating strong community ties, representing the city and developing shared values that fans can connect with. Their close collaboration with the basketball operations department allows them to capture exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, bridging the gap between players and fans. Kinghorn noted that this approach not only creates connection but also “helps with the ability to sell the team and fill the arena”.
In addition to our insightful Super Panels, attendees had the opportunity to engage with additional speakers throughout Workshops, Breakout Sessions, and Innovation Showcase! Looking ahead, the NSF is going to Boston! Mark your calendars for the 2025 National Sports Forum in Boston, February 23-25!
THE NSF SALUTES OUR PARTNER
Advent Creates Experiences That Move People. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Advent is an experience creation firm that has partnered with professional sport organizations, universities, and corporations across the country. Throughout its 23-year history, Advent has created branded experiences for the Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Rams, the University of Texas, the University of Oregon, UNC, Penn State, TCU, the PGA of America and many others. Advent’s brand design work is distinguished by a focus on storytelling and audience insight.
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