For people aspiring to lead careers in sports marketing or sales, entry into the sports industry entails that a person possess the talent of bringing in large revenues for the company, said Greg McElroy, Sr., Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for the Dallas Cowboys.
McElroy, father of the quarterback for the Crimson Tide, spoke to an audience of students and faculty during the “Lunch with Greg McElroy” hosted by UA Sports Management and Sales and Marketing Association.
McElroy said he found his way into the sports industry after working for a time in the radio business. He got his start with the Los Angeles Kings hockey team when Wayne Gretzky played for the Kings.
When he transitioned to the Cowboys to oversee the company’s sales and marketing, he said he was surprised with what he saw.
“When I got there, it was truly a mom-and-pop operation,” he said.
The marketing faculty was lean-staffed and people would let revenue go by the wayside instead of aggressively pursuing patrons, he said.
He said for those interested in the sports industry, the selection of a brand is critical.
“Choose a good brand,” he said. “It makes your job a lot easier.”
He said doing business for large enterprises like sports franchises is getting costlier as markets expand.
“The cost of doing business at all levels … is increasing rapidly,” he said.
He said the generation of revenue through distinct areas such as beverages, parking, merchandise, broadcasts and sponsorships are critical to reeling in money for sports companies.
“You’ve got to be able to market and to be able to bring revenue in,” he said.
He said a person’s entry into the sports industry is a relationship and not a career based on the team’s win-loss record.
“You’re not buying this for the wins and losses,” he said. “You’re buying this for the partnership.”
He said students interested in the sports industry should pick a market and location they are interested in and study that market and the team they wish to work for.
“Do your homework,” he said. “Discover as much about the team as you can…and don’t expect someone to give you solutions to your career. Come in with a plan.”
Zachary Hensley, a graduate student pursuing a joint degree in Law and Masters in Business Administration, said McElroy engaged the audience with the speech he delivered and the questions he answered.
“He was very persuasive and engaging,” Hensley said. “It was good for students who want to get into the sports industry to encourage them and give them the opportunity to speak.”
Ross Mullins, a senior majoring in marketing, said he was excited to gain insight into the sports industry from McElroy’s speech.
“Anytime you have someone speaking on the field you’re interested in pursuing, its always great to get a glance of insight…into the business of sports and marketing,” Mullins said.
