Q&A with SMBA Alumni of the Kansas City Chiefs

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Q&A with SMBA Alumni Greg Morrissey, Xochitl Glaser, and Armaan Ahluwalia of the Kansas City Chiefs

Q&A with SMBA Alumni Greg Morrissey, Xochitl Glaser, and Armaan Ahluwalia of the Kansas City Chiefs

Dr. Vassilis Dalakas, Professor of Marketing & Chair of the Marketing Department at CSU San Marcos and Visiting Professor of Sports Marketing in the SDSU Sports MBA program, interviewed three of his former Sports MBA students who all work for the Kansas City Chiefs, who won Super Bowl LIV this month. 

He spoke to them about their Super Bowl experience, how the win might impact their work, and more.

Greg Morrissey (SMBA ‘18)

Partnership Development

Q: What was your favorite moment from the Super Bowl?

A: My favorite moment would have to be the game-clinching interception, for its symbolism. I was with several Chiefs colleagues who have been with the organization for 20+ years so to see the weight lifted off of their shoulders and share that moment with them is something I will never forget. 

Q: It was only two years ago when you were doing your Sports MBA internship and thesis with the Chiefs. How does it feel now working for the Super Bowl Champions?

A: It is a dream come true, but still hard to fathom. I remember deciding to make the move from San Diego and having this sense of uncertainty for what the future would hold, but the one thing that I had to remind myself was that I had an opportunity to work in the sports industry, which every SMBA student, past, present and future strives for. It is incredible to be a part of a championship franchise, but every SMBA student working in sports should feel honored every day for achieving the goal we all strived for.

Q: How can the excitement about winning the Super Bowl be used to help the team in regard to corporate partnerships?

A: Our goal is to offer our partners different platforms to be able to provide a unique experience tied to the Super Bowl victory that our fans can’t get anywhere else. If we can team up with our partners to build a stronger affinity for our brands in the hearts & minds of our fans, we will capture them for generations to come.

Q: What are some of your proudest accomplishments during your time with the Chiefs?

A: Working with our partnership team to build an unmatched partnership with Oakley. Seeing the videos of Pat Mahomes taking over Times Square, which elevated the Chiefs brand beyond our imagination, was an incredible experience that I am honored to have played a role in.

Q: You are the third SDSU Sports MBA alum to get a job with the Chiefs. What is it that makes it such a good fit for three of you to have found a home at the Chiefs?

A: The Chiefs organization prides itself on continuing to differentiate itself from its peers, which is something the SDSU Sports MBA program shares as well. As a Chiefs employee, it is critical to constantly find ways to adapt to industry trends and hone one’s craft. The SMBA program is arguably the best at teaching each and every cohort these same values, which I think made it such a great fit for myself and my fellow SMBA grads at the Chiefs.

Q: How helpful was the SDSU Sports MBA in preparing you for your career?

A: The SDSU Sports MBA program was one of the most critical components in preparing me for the sports industry. Without the program I would not have learned important values such as believing you are not above any task, limiting fandom and focusing on being the best possible candidate for the position, seeking out mentorship from those who have accomplished goals I’ve set out to achieve while also being a resource for those who are trying to achieve a similar career path, and many others. I can’t thank the program and everyone who has been a part of my journey enough for helping me reach this point in my career. I truly would not be where I am today without the SMBA program.

Xochitl Glaser (SMBA ‘15)

Fan Experience Manager

Q: What was your favorite moment from the Super Bowl?

A: It’s hard to narrow it down to just one moment, but I would say that seeing the presentation of the AFC Championship trophy was surreal.  In 1984, the trophy was named after the Chiefs founder, Lamar Hunt, and this was the first time it was presented to the Hunt Family and the Chiefs organization as AFC Champions.   Lamar Hunt was a pillar of the AFL and had a tremendous impact on professional football so when the trophy was presented to his widow, Norma, and son, Clark, it was a powerful moment. 

Once the Super Bowl arrived two weeks later, it was a strange combination of feeling excitement and anxiety all day.  And while we were far away from Arrowhead Stadium, Chiefs fans kept traditions intact in Miami. One such tradition is yelling “Chiefs” at the end of the national anthem so that the final line is “Home of the Chiefs.”  Chiefs fans did not disappoint, and the cheer resounded through the stadium, outside and on TV.

And lastly, I probably share this favorite moment with many Chiefs fans, but watching the 44-yard play by Tyreek Hill on 3rd and 15 in the 4th quarter that ignited the comeback was the most exciting and the turning point of the day.

Q: Can you describe the mood within the Chiefs organization and within Kansas City the past few days?

A: We are currently experiencing one of those moments that transcend sports.  The excitement is having such a positive impact on civic pride and I can’t wait to see how the city will use this momentum for the betterment of the entire region.

Inside our office walls, the work doesn’t stop! We obviously took the time to relish in the victory but we are full steam ahead in planning for 2020 and brainstorming how we can leverage this unique opportunity in everything we do.

Q: Winning the Super Bowl probably got all KC fans on the Chiefs’ bandwagon, die-hard and casual fans alike. How can the team capitalize on this excitement in the long run, especially when it comes to fan engagement?

A: One of my primary responsibilities with the Chiefs is season ticket member satisfaction and retention.  While the title of Super Bowl Champions makes that a bit easier in some aspects, it also raises expectations.  Regardless of the team’s record or standing, we continuously are trying to positively impact the value proposition of being a season ticket member in order to build a strong foundation that will last for years.  This includes but is not limited to personalized customer service, exclusive events, gifting, and unique access within our rewards program, Chiefs Kingdom Rewards. 

Q: What are some of your proudest moments/accomplishments during your time with the Chiefs?

A: On a daily basis, I have significant involvement with understanding the ‘pulse’ of our fans and season ticket members.  As with any sports team, they are unlike customers of other companies, as there is a unique and personal association that they take on with the organization.  No matter what happens, they are passionate and feel personally invested. This provides us with opportunities, big and small, that go a long way. It is in these moments, when a season ticket member reaches out to me to express their gratitude, when I feel the most accomplished and that I am representing my position and the Chiefs well.

Q: Being Super Bowl champions is obviously great but what makes the Chiefs a great organization to work for on a daily basis?

A: On a professional level, the Chiefs are a great organization because we are not afraid to try and implement new business practices.  It’s very easy to fall into a rhythm because things are ‘good’ but the Chiefs continuously strive to ‘be great.’ This ranges from pricing, ticketing, mobile initiatives, the Chiefs mobile app, email communication, to even our everyday processes and internal systems.  Because of this, every staff member is challenged to learn and has the opportunity to gain new professional experiences.

Personally, the Chiefs organizational culture is what has been great for me the past 5 years.  The relationships I have built and the support I feel on a daily basis make every day fun.

Q: What were the biggest benefits of doing a Sports MBA at SDSU?

A: The Sports MBA program at SDSU gave me the opportunity to challenge myself in a way I didn’t know I needed at the time.  I challenged myself to learn new disciplines, I challenged myself to become more independent and I challenged myself to reach my goal of working the NFL.  I had been told before I couldn’t work for the NFL because it was too competitive. So even though it was a tough year of classes, tests and networking it ultimately got me to where I am now.

Armaan Ahluwalia (SMBA ‘15)

Manager of Business Analytics 

Q: What was your favorite moment from the Super Bowl?

A: Being in Miami with my co-workers and celebrating with everyone after all of the hard work over the last few years was a special moment for me.

Q: Honestly, how confident were you that the Chiefs would come back after being down by ten in the beginning of the fourth quarter?

A: 100%. I turned to my wife with eight minutes left in the game and told her that we will win this game 24-20 when we were down 10-20.  I never doubted that we would come back and win, given what we had overcome throughout the entire year.

Q: You started working for the Chiefs as a Sports MBA intern and did your thesis project on suites and hospitality five years ago. How has your role in the organization evolved since then to get to what you do now?

A: My role has changed drastically since then. The thesis, while very specific, gave me the opportunity to show the level of work of which I was capable. From that point on, I added more responsibilities and started to craft and build my unique role for my skill set.

Q: What are some of your proudest accomplishments during your time with the Chiefs?

A: Going from an intern to a manager within the department is one of my proudest accomplishments. Being a part of our team that made our budget goal on the suites side five years in a row has been exceptional. Working on one of the largest partnership deals in team history alongside the executive management team was an incredible honor. And being able to close a number of partnership deals this past year on my own was a proud accomplishment.

Q: Being Super Bowl champions is obviously great but what makes the Chiefs a great organization to work for on a daily basis?

A: The Chiefs organization is a great one to work for and it’s that way from top to bottom. The people in the organization make it an exceptional place to show up and give your best.

Q: You came from Canada to San Diego to pursue your Sports MBA. Looking back, how do you feel about making that decision?

A: It was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. I knew that when I made that decision, it was something that would have a drastic impact on my future moving forward and it turned out to be right. It allowed me to meet a group of wonderful people and build great friendships that went beyond the classroom. It introduced me to incredible professors who challenged me in new ways academically and professionally. It forced me to step outside my comfort zone and continue to push forward.