On Tuesday morning, we went to the second day of the NACDA
convention. When we got there we went to hear Kevin Plank, the President and
founder of Under Armour, speak. I was very intrigued by his presentation. He
spoke about the history of the company and how he started the business in the
basement of his grandmother’s house. Plank said that he and his team have
worked to make it one of the best apparel companies in the world by always
asking themselves how they can get better. He emphasized the importance of
being innovative in their marketing strategies, and always finding ways to
improve their product. One thing that he said really resonated with me. He
said, “We’re always
smart enough, to be naïve enough, to NOT know what we CAN’T accomplish.” This
is a mind set that I need to take as I continue my search for my first full
time job in sports. No matter how many job opportunities fall through, I must
keep a positive mindset and stay determined to work in the sports industry.
After his speech, I went to introduce myself to him, along
with a few other people on the trip. After speaking with him for a brief moment
and taking a picture, I got the opportunity to shake the hand of Deion Sanders,
legendary player for the Dallas Cowboy’s. Meeting two very influential people
within the sports industry was a great honor, and a memorable experience.
Through the rest of the day, we were able to go to any part
of the convention that we were interested in. I attended an open forum with
many leaders in college athletics. It was an open conversation where people were
able to tell the group some of the problems or issues they were having at their
respective universities. People from other universities were able to give input
on how their athletic department has handled similar situations, and give
advice on what to do about the situations. This was the most interesting hour
of the whole convention for me. I was able to see how all of the universities
in the country are truly intertwined, and willing to help each other with their
problems. After this meeting, I walked away with a greater respect and
understanding of the workings behind all of college athletics. After the
convention we returned to the hotel for the night.
On Wednesday, we went to the final day of the NACDA
convention. I was able to attend a few more meetings, ranging from topics in
social media, to some marketing strategies of the Dallas Cowboy’s and Texas
Rangers. After the convention, we went to the hotel for a short while, before
going to the Texas Rangers game against the Detroit Tigers. I was very
impressed by the stadium, and the fan experience at the game. On the way back
to the hotel, we made a surprise stop to a Cowboy Dancing place. One thing is
for sure, people in Texas know how to two-step. For the first time in a long
time, I was a little intimidated on the dance floor. I also got to ride a
mechanical bull for the first time, and of course, I dominated!!
Thursday, we made a couple stops before heading to the
airport for the flight to London. First, we went to Anthony Travel, a travel
agency that coordinates trips for several athletic departments around the
country. The second place we visited was Learfield Sports, a licensing agency
for over 50 college athletic departments across the country. I was able to
exchange information with Matt Lear, whose family founded the company in the
1970’s. I will be in contact with him, and hope to foster yet another important
relationship. The final stop before the airport was the headquarters for the
Conference USA college athletics division.
After yet another long and productive day, we finally made
it to the airport. The last 5 days in Dallas have truly been an amazing
experience. I got a better insight into so many different aspects of the sports
industry. It has been a great trip so far, and I can’t wait for everything that
I will be able to experience in London, Ireland, and France.
