Byline: Dean Bonham & Don Hinchey
Women in the business of sports were once a rarity. But since the passage of Title IX in 1972 and with the rise of sports business curricula at colleges across the country, women have become an increasingly important component in the operations of sports teams, leagues, agencies and media.
In August, Amy Turner embarks on her seventh year as a television executive at Fox Sports Net. She's the director of marketing and public relations for Denver-based FSN Rocky Mountain and FSN Utah, and is responsible for the regional sports network's marketing, publicity and community relations initiatives.
Over the past 20 years, Turner has worked in many different areas of sports marketing. Her 13 years in Denver include stints as assistant athletic director at the University of Denver and assistant commissioner of the Mountain West Conference. She's also active in the business community, serving on the boards of the Metro Denver Sports Commission and Sportswomen of Colorado. Raised in Rockport, Mass., she's an avid Red Sox fan. In 1993, she adopted the Colorado Rockies as her favorite National League team.
Did you play sports in college?
I played several sports through the high school level. When it came time to go to college, my focus really switched from the playing field to my career and coursework.
How did you get interested in sports as a profession?
I majored in business, and it wasn't until my junior year that I learned you could actually major in sport management. I knew in high school I wanted to be in a sports-related business. It was never a question of if I wanted to be in the sports industry but specifically what part of the industry I wanted to target.
What was your first job in sports?
I was a marketing assistant at Boston College right out of college.
What was the climate like for females getting into sports when you entered compared to now?
The schools I attended growing up didn't offer girls soccer, forcing me to make a choice to switch over to field hockey or play with the guys. So I became the only girl on the boys soccer team. Keeping up with the guys on the field helped prepare me for what I was about to encounter in the workplace. Today, most schools at every level have a girls soccer team.
When I first worked in college sports, it was almost expected that women would work on the women's sports. I got involved with marketing and PR of men's sports teams early, not wanting to be labeled as someone who could or would work only with women. The highlight for me from a sports PR standpoint came when I was assigned to handle the publicity efforts for the University of Washington football program for two years.
Who are some of your mentors?
Tim Griggs (vice president/general manager, FSN), Jack McDonald (DU and BC, now Quinnipiac AD), Howie Davis (UMass) and Kevin White (Notre Dame AD).
What's the toughest part of your job?
The regional sports network business is complex. It's a tremendous challenge to educate the public about what they'll see (depending on where they live) and why. It's rare that a major league sports team or major Division I football game isn't televised. But it happens, and we're one of the first places viewers call to find out why it's not on TV. It's hard for sports fans to understand why a significant matchup or their team doesn't make it on the air.
What's the most rewarding part?
Working with our community partners and executives from the pro, college and high school teams and organizations is the most rewarding. Over the past few years, FSN has made a significant commitment to the community and local sports teams. It's personally afforded me the chance to make a difference in the lives of young people in Denver and Salt Lake City.
How does the image of the sports business differ from reality?
There's a perception that television networks have an infinite amount of dollars to work with. The reality is that as rights fees escalate, it makes it that much tougher to justify the ROI. Another reality in our business is that there's really not a downtime in the 'off-season.' Everyone involved with the production and promotion of our coverage for the Colorado Rockies starts working on the next season within a few weeks of the conclusion of the previous season. The pace doesn't slow down, even during the summer.
Where's the business of sports headed?
I read a lot about how the multiple platforms like podcasts, Webcasts and mobile video are the new vehicles for distributing information and programming. They can be effective marketing tools and may be excellent additional platforms for a number of businesses and programmers. But I believe sports fans prefer to watch live sporting events on a traditional platform - television - and they want it in the largest format and best picture quality they can afford.
CAPTION(S):
Photo
Amy Turner
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий