There’s More to Sports Than What Meets the Eye
What it Takes to Excel in the Lost Business Behind Sports
By Mitchell Kayal, Managing Editor
On Feb. 20, 2024, iPulse heard from business professionals on how to excel in the business world of sports management.
The Florida Panthers Sports and Entertainment Career fair is an annual event hosted by the Florida Panthers in Amerant Bank Arena, where employees of various sports teams, such as the Miami Heat, The Orange Bowl and more come to explain their business strategies and meet prospective employees.
When people think of sports, they typically think of two teams competing in front of a crowd of people, however there’s a lot more behind the scenes that goes unnoticed by most fans.
“We work for sports, but we also work in the entertainment industry,” said Doug Plagens, the radio play-by-play announcer for the Florida Panthers.
From the moment you park your car to the moment you leave the stadium, it is the job of people like Plagens to provide the best possible experience for every game. One of the first things they made clear during the event was that this was not a job for everyone.
“An industry that comes with long days, 15 hours a day minimum and having to stay to work on the weekends,” said Rob Stevenson, the Executive Vice President of the Florida Panthers.
While an interest in sports might be what initially leads some down this career path, it often requires a level of dedication not always found in the average fan. If one wants to make it in the business of sports, it is important to first consider all of the departments in order to determine which path is best for them.
“You might see something that you thought sounded interesting then once you get into the nitty gritty of everything, it’s not something you’re crazy about,” said Plagens. The business aspect of sports is often over-looked, but without people like Plagens and Stevenson, the experience would be vastly different from what we know today.
