sports partnerships

Every now and then, we are fortunate to cross paths with a sports business veteran who has seen a lot. But today we were joined by someone who may have seen it all!

Pat McEleney brought his 25+ years of experience in the sports, music and event industries onto the show today. This Executive Vice President is a 'Swiss Army Knife' of experiences and skill sets, especially when it comes to strategy, negotiation and execution of groundbreaking partnerships. Not to mention, he has held senior executive roles with Molson Coors, Hockey Canada and Canadian Tire, which has created some major league relationships with the likes of the NHL, MLSE, IIHF, and the Canadian Olympic Committee.

With all this wealth of experience, Pat discussed how sponsorships shouldn't be the only solution for a brand or property, but more so a key ingredient in their marketing mix. And for someone who has such an outstanding reputation, Pat shares his secret on how we can invest more into our personal networks. 

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It's not often we come across one of the "Top 100 Canadian Professionals", but we did today with Rishi Lal of the CHL.

Rishi is a man of inspiration, humility, and integrity, who shared his wealth of sports business experience that spans across media with TSN and sponsorships with the University of Virginia and MKTG. This alum of York University, Humber College and Ohio University, filled us in on how his dislike for working on the agency side proved to be the best thing for his career.

He also explained his preference for "make betters" over "make goods", favourite moments as a story editor for top TSN talent, and the importance of first figuring out what you don't love to do before what you love to do.

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We've had a lot of dream jobs on the pod, but Nicole Lee's with the NHL may be right up at the top! This Wilfred Laurier and Ohio University Alum works with some of the league's biggest partners and has been an integral part of a plethora of championship, all-star and outdoor games.

Prior to working for the NHL, she spent time with the Walt Disney Company and Anheuser-Busch. So all of this big brand experience gave way to an amazing conversation on how she's dealt with the rollercoaster that is COVID-19, maintaining close business relationships, the power of a hand written note, and how it's never too late to learn new skills.

She also shared her excitement about her newest volunteer role with the NHL's Women Employee Resource Group, as well as her passion in giving back with WISE (Women in Sports & Events) and SMCC's Activate Mentorship Program.

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Based on previous episodes, it should be more clear now that you don't have to work for a big sports property or brand to get that essential sports business experience. But how do you transfer skills from an atypical part of the industry to excel your sports career?

To answer that question, we welcomed Jana Masiewich of Publicis Sport & Entertainment to chat how she's navigated sports business over the last 17 years. There aren't many industry vets as proficient as Jana, who has worked both the agency and corporate sides of sports with the likes of T1, MacLaren McCann, and Scotiabank. Not to mention, she's gained amazing sponsorship experience working with some pretty major brands, including Coca-Cola, Mercedes-Benz, Rogers, and LG. 

This Western University and George Brown College Alum is also no stranger to bringing in the hardware as she’s received five Sponsorship Marketing Awards and was recently named one of George Brown College's “5 to Watch”. So it was a privilege to learn of Jana's most effective ways in finding and sustaining success. 

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Made-to-measure menswear is definitely not the most obvious gateway into sports business. But on today's episode, we learn from Aly Habib of INDOCHINO how he was able to carve a path in the industry after spending over 10 years in business development within banking and media.

This Ryerson University Alum shed light on what makes his partnership role at INDOCHINO unique enough to bring on an array of talent from the sports and entertainment worlds, including the likes of RJ Barrett, Pascal Siakam, 50 Cent and more!

Aly also shares his impressive wisdom on how he learned to avoid chasing titles at work, what pushes him to 'get uncomfortable' in his profession, while also offering a few (and much needed) style tips!

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To spend over 30 years in sports business and maintain a strong level of success is no small feat, especially when that career transcends the worlds of agency, property and brand.

On today's episode, it was a privilege to bring Dana Gladstone onto the podcast to discuss how she achieved the trifecta of career experiences in sports business. This VP of Partnership Strategy & Licensing at Hockey Canada brings a wealth of insight and knowledge on the skills she's sharpened after working for the likes of the CFL, MacLaren McCann, Canadian Tire, and Molstar Sports & Entertainment.

We also learn how a random opportunity with a university basketball team launched her sports career, in addition to the ways we can stand out in a competitive landscape and take more appreciation for the amazing experiences this industry provides.

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There's a pretty good chance that if you've watched or attended an NHL game in Canada, beer was involved in some capacity. There's probably even a better chance that Molson Coors had a significant role to play in that experience. That's because there are not too many brands as connected to hockey as the leader of beer in Canada.

To discuss more about Molson Coors' success in sports, we are joined today by Brian Collins, their Senior Manager of Sports & Entertainment Partnerships. Brian was kind enough to share the strategic focus Molson Coors possesses when it comes to earning the title of "the beer of hockey". In addition, he provides his perspective about the key difference between sponsorships and partnerships, as well as the 'tough' discussions he's had with his NHL partners throughout the pandemic.

We also shed some light on Brian's extensive community involvement, whether it was during his time at Purolator with their 'Tackle Hunger' program or his volunteer experience with the Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada.

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Articles featured on pages 49 and 50 of The Carlow Nationalist on June 30th 2020