Today officially marks the end of week three of MSBA 2017 and our first break as we enter a four-day weekend filled with Fourth of July festivities. With planned trips to parks, restaurants, and historic landmarks on the schedule, this long weekend represents a much-needed break to fully experience all that NYC has to offer with my fellow MSBA members. In the short three weeks we have been together, the MSBA class has formed a bond as if we had already known each other for a full summer. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know each person and hearing about their long-term goals within the sport industry. I firmly believe these friendships I am forming with my fellow class members will follow me for the rest of my career.
“No longer do I feel overwhelmed by the prospect of entering the competitive sport business industry. My time here at MSBA has reinforced who I want to become and opened my eyes on how I will get there. This goal now consumes every second of my day. When I leave this program, I will still be chasing my dream, but I am more confident than ever that I will get there one day.”
Equally as important, this break also represents my time to reflect on my MSBA experience to-date. As someone who followed the program for multiple years and applied twice before gaining admittance, I had high expectations for this summer. Those expectations have been far exceeded thus far with each coming Speaker Series and Office Field Trip. No Key Contributor to this summer’s program has taken their assignment lightly. I leave each event not only having gained a better understanding on various aspects of sport business, but more importantly, having gained advice on how I can turn my career dreams into a reality. No longer do I feel overwhelmed by the prospect of entering the competitive sport business industry. My time here at MSBA has reinforced who I want to become and opened my eyes on how I will get there. This goal now consumes every second of my day. When I leave this program, I will still be chasing my dream, but I am more confident than ever that I will get there one day.
Today we had the privilege to tour the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, led by former MSBA 2012 member Samson Feldman. After having previously toured Madison Square Garden in week one of the program, this tour represents an opportunity to see the vast contrast firsthand among two sporting facilities in neighboring markets. With little-to-no history after opening in 2012, the Barclays Center tour exposed us to how Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment went about building an arena that was inherently Brooklyn in every aspect of its design and operations, from the inside décor and suites all the way down to the food and beverage offerings.
Outside of the programming, my internship at Cogent Entertainment Marketing has provided the opportunity to learn under a true pioneer in his field – Mark Zablow. In all my previous internships, never have I had a CEO who runs their company in the manner in which Mark does. From music blasting over the sound system, to the way he communicates with employees and clients, to the lax dress code, Mark has created a work environment where everyone is encouraged to be themselves and the benefits are clear to anyone who steps into Cogent’s office space. As a CEO, Mark has taken me underneath his wing to provide guidance and advice during my time at Cogent. It does not take long being around Mark to figure out that he draws most of his inspiration and life lessons from movies and books. Per his suggestion, I have already finished watching two movies that have shaped his life – Wall Street and Catch Me If You Can. Both movies are about young men who took matters into their own hands and got ahead in life. For my next adventure, I will tackle the novel No Fear of Failure and continue to gain life lessons that I will take with me for the rest of my career.