Last week’s Barrett Sports Media Summit in the heart of New York City served as a shining example of how to build a successful sports, or news, media career.
And although there was plenty of insider information discussed, perhaps the event’s biggest secret wasn’t hidden at all. Instead, it weaved its way seamlessly throughout the days’ captivating content for all who were clever enough to spot it.
The secret was hidden in plain sight.
Attendees soaked in two days’ worth of knowledge and expertise from their seats in the Jerry Orbach Theater, shared by some of the best and brightest in the sports media industry. The yearly event provides a candid industry introspection that is unparalleled across the country, and guests heard the unabashed truth from power players who earn their living by making things happen in and around the airwaves.
As the conference unfolded, however, it was interesting to hear so many of the speakers and panelists from all areas of the industry referring back to a bedrock principle for success in the business.
For aspiring professionals to experienced executives, the days’ panel of guests repeatedly came back to this one common theme – some by plainly calling it out and others in less overt ways.
They all seemed to agree – the media business is all about relationships.
During the two days, guests heard from media managers discussing handling talent. They heard talent talk about dealing with heavy-handed Program Directors and awkwardly-aligned broadcast partners. They heard executives discuss the future of online gambling and creative innovators discuss the art of storytelling. They heard millennials and Gen Zers bantering about social media strategy and the ever-expanding digital marketplace. They even heard talent agents talking about challenging contract talks with tough-minded media executives, including two professionals together on a panel who reminisced about their real-world negotiation sessions.
In other words, the gathering was a priceless immersion into all areas of the sports media business. And again, the experts continued to return to the ultimate key to a lasting and successful media career – relationships.
The executive talked about how important it is to build relationships with the next generation of leaders as an organization develops it’s a growth plan.
The agent talked about how integrity and maintaining relationships help him build and preserve his reputation as someone worth working with and, more importantly, trusting.
The afternoon-drive star discussed intimate conversations with his Program Director, who urged him to heal his demons fully before resuming his career’s second act.
The social media guru spoke eloquently about building a relationship with your audience, for only through that relationship can you truly know what will resonate with the audience and allow you to better deliver for them.
The media managers discussed the importance of relational intelligence when building teams to distribute content in new and innovative ways.
The former President of a worldwide media company talked about how crucial relationships were as he changed his company’s culture and how those inter-organizational bonds were more potent because of that evolution. Of course, disagreements and fractures occurred, but the relational glue proved, in many instances, enough to maintain connections.
Legendary sports talk pioneers collaborated on stage to share the secrets of their often-tumultuous on and off-air marriage, including the interpersonal decisions that ultimately helped them succeed to unmatched levels of industry acclaim.
As Summit guests entered the venue, they were greeted warmly by either Barrett Sports Media’s President, the company’s Director of Strategic Partnerships, or its Director of Content. This is an immediate reinforcement of the connections that have helped the yearly event grow to serve countless industry professionals. The company has been built through and sustained by years of mutually-beneficial industry connections.
The warm and welcoming greetings were not for show; they were honest and reciprocated.
As Summit guests departed after the 2-day affair, they were sent warmly on their way with hugs and handshakes from the company’s numerous team members. And as you watched the host’s son interact in such a classy and professional way with countless guests and attendees, you could feel the family-type rapport being built across the industry by this groundbreaking company. Existing relationships strengthened, new ones created.
The event was about sharing actionable knowledge and expertise to help grow the industry. Attendees gathered more than 16 hours of valuable content on which to cement the foundation of a lasting career, and the company succeeded tremendously in achieving this goal.
But they also learned that whether sports or news, it’s about relationships.
In front of the camera or behind the scenes, it’s about relationships.
From the newsroom to the boardroom, it’s about relationships.
The Barrett Sports Media Summit – while providing two entire days worth of nuts-and-bolts, real-world sports media content – provided perhaps their biggest lesson without even trying.
