This episode of Voices in the Field features Andrew Stern, Director of E-Commerce Project Management at Fanatics Collectibles, who shares a candid, behind-the-scenes look at his unconventional path into the sports industry. From internships in minor league baseball to experiential marketing and ultimately e-commerce leadership, Stern emphasizes the value of adaptability, storytelling, and embracing both success and failure. His career highlights the importance of gaining diverse, hands-on experience – often in roles that require “wearing many hats” – and leveraging those moments to build a compelling professional narrative that sets candidates apart in a competitive job market.

The conversation also dives into the rapidly evolving world of print-on-demand sports collectibles, where Fanatics capitalizes on real-time moments – turning standout performances into physical trading cards within hours. Stern explains how this model blends sports fandom, e-commerce, and digital culture, attracting both traditional collectors and new audiences seeking tangible connections to memorable events. He underscores the operational complexity behind scaling this business globally, while reinforcing key career advice: be proactive, reach out to industry professionals, craft your story intentionally, and maintain a positive, engaged attitude – because opportunity often favors those willing to take initiative.

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In this Voices in the Field episode, hosts Dr. Jim Reese and Dr. Brittany Jacobs welcome Jamie Benallo, Associate Principal and Senior Architect at Populous, to explore how sports and recreation facilities are designed with long-term impact in mind. Jamie shares her path into sports architecture and explains how listening to communities, athletes, and stakeholders is central to creating adaptable, future-ready spaces.

Jamie also offers insight into her work on the Denver Summit NWSL expansion projects, highlighting the collaboration required to balance athlete needs, fan experience, and community use. She closes with advice for students pursuing careers in sport management and related fields, emphasizing curiosity, relationship-building, and learning the craft before chasing titles.

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In this Voices in the Field episode, hosts Dr. Jim Reese and Dr. Brittany Jacobs welcome Kerrilyn Curtin, Director of Research at the LPGA and a member of the APUS Sports Management Program advisory council. Kerrilyn walks through her career path – from early experiences at York College (and an unexpected first research opportunity handing out surveys), to a decade at Madison Square Garden, a stint at NBC Universal and a startup research firm, and ultimately eight years at the LPGA. She explains why she calls research the “what if” department: her team’s job is to make the organization smarter by connecting fan insights to decision-making across social, TV viewership, sponsorship, website analytics, and now ticketing – after the LPGA brought ticketing in-house as part of a broader data acquisition strategy.

Kerrilyn shares surprising insights about women’s sports audiences – including that the LPGA’s fan base skews older and male – and how the LPGA uses that data to both attract the right partners and grow younger and female fans through more digital engagement and deeper storytelling. The conversation digs into where data is headed (more personalization, more connected touchpoints, more attribution), how sponsorship activation increasingly revolves around data exchange, and why privacy and opt-ins get complicated across states and global markets. Throughout, Kerrilyn and the hosts emphasize the same core career advice for students: volunteer early, stay curious, ask questions, build relationships, and keep networking—because most jobs, opportunities, and career pivots happen through connections and “three degrees of separation.”

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.