Women in Sports Business: SDSU Alumnae Panel Share Experiences and Advice

Five SDSU alumnae made up the panel for the Women in Sports Business webinar.

Five San Diego State University alumnae discussed their careers in the sports business industry with students during a webinar panel session hosted by Career Management Center at the Fowler College of Business on October 28, 2020. Jill Lackey, business and career development coordinator for the Career Management Center, served as the session’s moderator. The panel included: 

• Ashley Adams (’15, management) marketing and sales support manager for the Farmers Insurance Open 
• Ashley Fleck (’15 management) account executive, corporate partnerships for the Anaheim Ducks 
• Jamie Kingston (’13, marketing) marketing manager for the Colorado Rapids
• Connor Novak (’14, Asian studies) senior manager, community outreach for the San Diego Padres
• Jessica Valo (’15, management) media and communications coordinator for the Honda Center

Getting Their Start

When asked how their experience at SDSU prepared them for their sports business careers, four of the panelists said they got their start in the industry through college internships. Novak landed her first job with the Padres as an intern, while Valo, Adams and Fleck were all interns at SDSU’s athletics department. “I knew I wanted to get into marketing, but I didn’t know what industry until I got the internship with the athletic department during my freshman year,” said Kingston. “That was really beneficial because it allowed me to pinpoint sports as the industry where I wanted to work. I was able to take what I learned in my classes at San Diego State and apply it directly to what I was doing in the athletic department.” 

The panelists all agreed that networking, the ability to work on weekends or odd hours, and the willingness to do unglamorous jobs and do them well can open doors for those wanting a career in the sports industry. “Most of us started as interns or assistants — you know, minimally paid roles,” said Novak. “So, don’t be discouraged, since just getting your foot in the door is the first step and the hardest step.” 

Re-Thinking Sports Business During COVID-19

While the panelists were each able to maintain their positions as the COVID-19 outbreak shut down many sporting events, the pandemic affected them in significantly different ways.When asked about this, Novak noted how her department was tasked with “coming up with creative ways to engage with fans, support our community partners and also, try to drive some revenue to the club.” Said Novak, "We had pop-up stores around San Diego so that fans can purchase the new brown and gold Padres gear and we’ve had plenty of driving events. So, it’s been really challenging, but it’s a good challenge to rethink how we’ve been operating and allowing us to decide if we should sunset the programs we’ve run for 20-plus years. It’s definitely been an interesting time.” 

Adams found similar challenges with community outreach in her position with the Farmers Insurance Open, but her team experienced the added hurdle of implementing new technology to accommodate cashless digital tickets. “Anything we can do to eliminate people touching anything or interacting with another human within six feet has been really interesting,” she said. 

For students in the audience who are considering a career in the sports industry, the panelists shared the value that the internships, volunteerism and networking play in career opportunities. “I think having an internship is the most important thing you can do to get into sports, if it’s in a field you are not familiar with,” said Fleck who interned with the San Diego (now Los Angeles) Chargers’ corporate partnership team. “I did not know what corporate partnerships was and l learned to really love it. Now, I’m really passionate about it. An internship is a great place to open your mind and do something that you’re really not familiar with.” Fleck also suggested that students who are interested in exploring internships in the sports business industry go to teamworkonline.com for opportunities. 

Networking Helps — A Lot

Kingston and Valo shared the importance of networking and how good contacts can go a long way toward either jump starting a sports business career or moving to the next level. “Take the time to be genuine about it,” said Kingston. “I think it’s better to have 20 really close people who can vouch for your work ethic, your drive and your dreams than to have 1000 people that are connections, but don’t know much about you.”

“You’d be surprised how willing people are to help in this industry,” said Valo. “So don’t be afraid to take that first step.” Valo also pointed out that it was her connections from her internship with the SDSU athletic department that led to a second internship — and later, her first job in the sports business industry — with FOX Sports San Diego.

Lackey asked the panel to discuss the biggest challenges facing women in the sports business industry and while the panelists agreed that it is a male-dominated industry, they faced different challenges in their various roles. Novak pointed out that her biggest challenge was managing a work/life balance particularly with the long and unusual workhour requirements. Fleck pointed out the importance of being knowledgeable about the sport and a fan of the team in order to be included in conversations with male co-workers. “I was not in the conversation until I put myself in the conversation,” she said. “This was a way to bond with them and just to let them see that I know what I’m doing and that I’m passionate about this. That way, you can get their respect and they take you seriously.” 

“Don’t Get Discouraged”

As the webinar wrapped up, Valo offered the students in the audience some advice. “Don’t ever be discouraged with this industry,” she said. “You might get 20 ‘no’s’ but that one ‘yes’ is going to help propel you to where you want to be. So don’t ever get discouraged and always make those connections.”

To end the session, Lackey reminded the audience that for those who wanted help making that first connection within the industry that the Career Management Center could offer assistance. “We’re here to help you succeed both on your path to either an internship or a career,” she said. ‘If you’re alumni looking to make a jump into sports, you can connect with one of us and we’re happy to walk you through that process to help you be successful.”