Day 1 Recap of the 2020 Virtual Conference from the Student Perspective

Along with the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, the Sports Business Classroom (SBC) has been a recent staple for professionals to meet and experience lectures from the sports landscape. However, unlike the 2020 Sloan Conference (which took placed a few weeks before the pandemic took over the planet), the Sports Business Classroom was forced to postponed its usual events during the NBA’s Summer League games usually held in July and hold a virtual conference in its place during August.

What is the SBC?

Why did I sign up?

Day 1: Intro and 101 Sessions

What did I love?

What did I not love?

I loved the discussion with Jeff about distinguishing the fine line  between being persistent and being a pest. I think that a lot of people get insecure about reaching out to people that they want to connect with because they do not want to come across as annoying. His insight definitely showed better techniques of how to come across in the right light. He talked about how it’s important to share something with someone you want to connect with and to not ask for something. That is great advice.

Day 1 of SBC is in the books and what a whirlwind of 10 hours.

Some of the highlights included;

• Mark Jones and laying out the three pillars of Broadcasting: Entertain, Document, perspective. Really narrowing it down to those aspects allows the story to be told.
• (The quote of the day from Chiney Ogwumike – “Be You! No one is youer than you, than you”)
• The Capfather broke down the basics of CBA and loved the examples to show the life of different player’s potential contracts. Having those examples really allows context to a lot of the terms that can conceptually be difficult to follow.
• Beau interviewing Gillian Zucker was great. Her path to her current position is one that does not seem to follow what I had always thought was the normal path to management. Plus, one of her minor league baseball jobs was in my home town. Really an inspiring story.
• Wes Wilcox outlining the organizational structure of an NBA team was fantastic. Just to see how deep and complex the system the EVP BBOPS has underneath him is eye opening.
• Closed with Beau and the 5 Ws and the H when it comes to lead in to a story and another fantastic interview with Jared Greenberg. Beau’s delivery of his questions is just so on point, a great example of what being prepared does for an interview.

The lowlight was being unable to stay and hear Kirk Goldsberry and Ed Stefanski answer questions.

But Day One has me so excited for Day Two!

Day 1 of the Sports Business Classroom was something I wasn’t expecting from all the inside information to the networking. It really showed me that there are a lot of amazing people in this field that come from all over the world who are in different parts of their careers.

The thing that really stood out to me was the details that I thought I knew, I really had no idea. I’m still super super early into my journey and career, like Jeff Fellenzer said, it’s time to just enjoy the process. I so far have been very quiet and just observate in the conference just trying to listen and learn. I’m finding it hard to put myself out there and stand out from the pack. But after listening to Gillian I know that it’s all about being myself and making the team better as who I am. I think that was the biggest take away for me was connecting to Gillian, Jeff, and then being able to ask a personal question with Kirk.

I’m looking forward to the Scouting with Wes in-depth as he really broke down how much is really in a front office and the potential there, and I know that I need to go and look at the CBA FAQ from Larry.

Prove yourself invaluable. Were there to be one important piece of distilled advice spoken in SBC 2020’s first day, it would be this. The lectures were extensive and informative, including explanations of the CBA, Scouting, Networking, the Media and more. But for the prospective NBA job hunter, the core piece of advice that was echoed in most of them was to prove that your work provides value. This rang through especially through the ‘Jobs 101’ class by Jeff Fellenzer and in the ‘Media 101’ session by Beau Estes. Both emphasized how much SBC is primarily about finding a job for the attendees and this core idea of finding a way to provide value to prospective employers was consistent in all of the lectures. Whether it be in the field of media, basketball operations or in the business side, the leaders of these organizations are all looking for ways to generate additional revenue. If you can prove you’re of value to prospective employers and separate from the crowd, then employment will likely follow.

The format harmonious in our new normal- virtual. As the NBA returned it reopened the idea of the program being able to commence. Without the usual location & in-person immersion ,Larry Coon & Hall Pass media created the opportunity using The 180 group as the platform for the conference. At 11am ET on Monday morning, the day started with individuals from all over the world meeting together for a common goal- working in sports,particularly basketball. General manager Larry Coon introduced how the sessions will work & what expectations in the upcoming days.

Jeff Fellenzer kicked off the first session with the breakdown of Jobs 101. He focused on networking, resume building, & interviewing. His session sprouted the thought of value & self-awareness in job search. Particularly the food for thought- what is separating yourself from the pack?

For the media & broadcasting sessions Mark Jones & Beau Estes lead the sessions, sharing their decades of experience working in the business. Additionally the guests speakers Chiney Ogwumike (current WNBA player & broadcaster) & Gillian Zucker (President of Business Operations for LA Clippers) , Jared Greenberg (Turner Sports) provided sagacious & valuable thoughts on what it takes to work in the industry & their journeys to where they are now.

Larry Coon delved into the CBA with salary cap 101. Using the lens of the players he started from the beginning of the NBA labor and progressed to the layout of contracts & scenarios of players. The amount of detail he provided its clear why team personnel take his courses. As someone who has entry level knowledge this session made me curious & excited to see whats to come in 201/301.
Wes Wilcox & Dave Dufour lead the Scouting/Video/Analytics sessions with a deep dive outlining the ins and outs on the process of the pro and draft timelines, strategies used & overall organization of the team. Wes delivered great insight on the opportunities within the team construct & thought process that a general manager encounters throughout the year.

Overall, day 1 encompassed a-lot of information from experts & AMA’s but also the most important element- networking. Using the networking portion it connects you fellow classmates & instructors. I have to admit as the day ended I realized how I under utilized this opportunity but as the week continues I plan to use this tool to help further connect with people on the start of this new journey.

“1+4=5”. Day one of the course focused on 1 H, 4 Ps, and 5 Ws. These ideologies resonated with me the most from the first day of SBC. I really enjoyed Jeff Fellenzer sharing his rules of thumb for entering the sports industry and searching for jobs. His 4 Ps for success were Passion, Performance, Persistence, and Preparation; and I took them away as great creeds to live by as I embark on this journey of transitioning into the sports industry as an outsider from an Engineering background. The other part of my equation incorporated the 6 questions, 5 Ws and 1 P, we should answer when writing or providing media content as described by Beau Estes. I’ve always tried to organize my writings, no matter the subject or topic, around these principles: 5 Ws (Who, What, When, Where, Why) and 1 H (How?); and to hear Beau emphasize these critical questions was a great reminder. I loved all the insight Beau provided from his 30 plus years of experience in the industry as well as the awesome interview he held with Jared Greenberg live from the NBA Bubble; great stuff! 

Day one of SBC Virtual Classroom was a whirlwind, to say the least. I speak for everyone when saying I was eager to experience in-depth what Larry Coon and Beau Estes preview on every podcast they appear on. We began with a State of the Union featuring Chiney Ogwumike and Mark Jones, They were transparent and real on what it takes to make it in this business giving us inside looks on their everyday lives. Jeff Fellenzer then continued with a candid Jobs 101 discussion, followed by Larry Coon with the CBA 101 introductory course. The beginning of the day did not disappoint, with our great openers followed by an informative Networking course and Larry Coon advising us on the CBA which is knowledge one must have to differentiate themselves.

Gillian Zucker the President of the LA Clippers kept it real on how she made it to the top and was emphatic that the work will get you there regardless of age, gender, or whatever category differentiates you as a person. The work will show. Wes Wilcox and Dave Dufour broke down the art of Scouting, giving us timelines and emphasis points that a GM must be aware of. Rounding out the day was Beau Estes the voice of the NBA speaking on the importance of media while also bring in the great Jared Greenberg who also spoke about the sacrifices he makes on a daily basis to be who he is career-wise. Lastly our GM Larry Coon recapped the day, gave us more encouragement and tips as we ended the night with office hours and networking sessions. In a regular Las Vegas setting this would take place throughout the day however the Hall Pass Media team has done a great job of allowing time every day for us to connect.Day two up next!

I really enjoyed the Mark Jones lecture, it was a great way to start the day. However, my two favorite sections of the day were with Jeff Fellenzer’s Jobs 101 and Larry Coon’s CBA 101. Fellenzer saying that “if you don’t believe in yourself, then nobody else will” really stuck with me. I also realized the importance of accepting help, something that can be tough to do. Jobs 101 really made me ponder and I look forward to Jobs 201.

As for CBA 101, I am just a cap nerd. It is easy to memorize the 1,000 different rules, but it is harder to tape them all together and how they all fit together. I especially enjoyed the history of the CBA. Learning how we got here is vital in learning what to do now and what to expect moving forward.

I came into this course expecting to learn more about basketball, and my potential for chasing a career in it, yet through the first day I’ve emerged with more questions about who I am than anything else. I came into this event valuing my own basketball opinion and the versatility of my knowledge as my most valuable attributes, yet it seems like that makes me just like every other person pushing into the industry. I guess I always knew that, but I truly felt my knowledge was at a high enough level to be a differentiator. But I found out after the first day that making my basketball opinion so public is more of a detriment than an advantage, so I need to learn how to contain them.

Now for the remainder of this course I’m going to be focusing on different ways I can use skills that I already posses to set myself a part. My willingness to work harder than everyone isn’t enough, the fact that I care so much about Basketball I’ve been throwing up every morning for a month in anticipation of maybe signing up for this event isn’t relevant, it’s beyond that.

Since I first heard Nate Duncan mention it on his podcast about 4 years ago, Sports Business Classroom has been one of my biggest dreams, and the fact that I still feel under prepared despite my passion and preparation has renewed my focus on this project and opened my eyes to the fact I need to find a way to stand out despite my lack of schooling to this point, and I couldn’t be more excited to him out what that might be.

Yesterday the Sports Business Classroom heard from a variety of excellent basketball minds, these are my own most vivid impressions. Larry “Capfather” Coon gave us the ABCs of the CBA from the perspective of three divergent player career earnings. Former Hawks legend Wes Wilcox expertly laid out the material documents and personnel structure any GM would need to take the lead of an NBA team. We heard from the president of the LA Clippers, Gillian Zucker and how she flipped the league’s worst franchise into a class act Finals contender, all amid the wild antics of owner Steve Balmer. Beau “TOP TEN” Estes gave us a journalism 101 and provided some excellent insight as to how front office minded students might leverage media to get jobs with teams. The venerable Mark Jones of ESPN joined WNBA all star turned ESPN host Chiney Ogwumike for an engaging discussion on the value of diversity in sports and the impact of increasing victories for the rights of women and minorities in society at large. The day concluded with Q&As and office hours of additional value and wealth of information that extended into the night here in Eastern time. It was an exciting beginning for the first ever virtual Sports Business Classroom.

The through line from the first day of Sports Business Classroom was not only the diverse topics that will be covered, but also the diverse backgrounds of the people delivering those topics. Out of the gates Mark Jones’ passion for addressing the social justice issues that plague this country provided an important backdrop for covering sports in today’s climate. Invaluable knowledge was dispensed by Gillian Zucker who majored in creative writing, started off with a minor league hockey team, and now holds one of the top positions in professional sports. Having a former NBA General Manager at the dispense of hungry students will prove to be essential to the unique learning experience of SBC. Diversity of backgrounds coupled with a breadth of topics makes for a powerful pairing.

My first day of Sports Business Classroom was both humbling and empowering. While every session was enlightening, getting the chance to speak with Kirk Goldsberry was bar none, the most impactful moment for me. Kirk is one of the writers I really look up to and he’s one of the major reasons I got into sports media. He helped me realize through his writing that basketball can be viewed in so many more ways; as broad or minute as one can imagine. Asking him a question and getting real feedback and advice was priceless. I look forward to speaking with him again someday in the future at a packed arena in January, a gym at summer league, All-Star weekend, or wherever else I may find myself.

A whole new game doesn’t just apply to the NBA restart. Sports Business Classroom began an intense week of learning and networking in the business of Basketball on monday morning, and for the first time the experience is available entirely online. The new Virtual Conference, held in the wake of drastic changes caused by Covid-19, came about after it became apparent that holding Summer League in Las Vegas would be entirely untenable in this strange new world.

Students had the opportunity to meet with many of the movers and shakers of the NBA industry, spanning all walks of life. From Capologist and SBC Founder Larry Coon, to media personalities such as commentator Mark Jones and WNBA All-Star Chiney Ogwumike, to Wes Wilcox former GM of the Atlanta Hawks, as well as current Los Angeles Clippers President of Business Operations Gillian Zucker The diversity of instructors and speakers left many in awe of their valuable insights into working in Sports. Through lectures, panels and one-on-one sessions they hammered into the cohort the importance of finding your own voice within the media and business space, the importance of remaining relentless, and making sure that we spend time developing lasting relationships on our journeys. With only four days left, students will be savoring every moment of SBC, with many more exciting events to come before the symposium draws to a close this weekend.

I did not know what to expect when entering the Sports Business Classroom. I am a logistics engineer who is looking for something to keep my mind sharp during this pandemic, and basketball was a perfect motivation for taking this course. Throughout the first day I was consistently surprised and how much I will be able to take away to apply in any industry, despite Larry warning us that this would be the case. I would like to highlight three things that I am positive I will be taking away from SBC from day 1, First, I was blown away by the depth of Wes Wilcox’s introductory SVA 101. The way teams create their calendars and silo responsibilities is an invaluable look at organizational structures within an industry that has to deal with an incredible amount of unknowns. Second, the interview with Jared Greenberg really highlighted how important passion and risk-taking is to grow in competitive industries. Lastly, I got to make a connection with a fellow student who was able to direct me to some sources to apply some work skills towards a hobby, something I have struggled with for a few months. All three of these things are invaluable, and would not have been possible elsewhere. This first day opened my eyes to opportunities to grow that I was not ready for.

The Sport Business Classroom (SBC) kicked off its first ever virtual conference on August 10, 2020. 

Wow what a day! To start, this was far more than I anticipated for an online virtual session. As a primary numbers guy, the amount of CBA material covered, just from CBA 101, was outstanding. I hope to gain much more insight on this topic down the road. In addition, I was happy to see how this program highlighted networking and resume building right off the bat. Ultimately, the biggest thing I took away from the initial day was the networking factor, not just with those who are already in coveted positions but those who desire to be in executive level roles down the road. I loved the opportunity for students to interact with different speakers as well as each other. I learned that the relationships we build here will be strong connections that can assist all of us to obtain desirable jobs within the association. As much as I wanted to see everybody in person at the Las Vegas summer league and work in groups, I feel the virtual sessions far exceeded the expectations I carried. I loved hearing from Mark Jones, Wes Wilcox, and of course, former successful SBC students who proved how valuable this experience is for all our career goals. Specifically, the highlight for myself was listening to Gillian Zucker from the LA Clippers and her inspirational story and her willingness to answer questions and respond to emails if students request more of her presence. As the days progress, I want to continue to gain knowledge of resume building and a deeper dive into the CBA as well as immense myself in the presence of inclusive speakers.

Sometimes in life, you come across people that just understand you without even saying a word. An example of that for me was Day 1 of SBC. The discussions were wonderful but what made them even more special was the transparency of each speaker. Everyone shared incredible insight and a willingness to help understanding the “big picture.” Whether it was Jeff Fellenzer giving us his “4 P’s” as keys to success or hearing the excitement of our class eager to learn, it certainly aligned with my energy! Aside from the 4 P’s Jeff on, it really stood out to me when he said, “have the ability to wear different hats” and “make yourself invaluable.” These are truly words to live by in life as we push forward in this business. I could go on and on about the excellent wisdom Jeff shared but this is what stuck with me the most!

Mark Jones and Chiney Ogwumike were such a delight! Chiney letting us know to “find your voice” was very much in tune with how she climbed the ladder to where she is today. She earned her stripes by having interview mascots! That is seriously a prime example of “earning” it. The stories along with people might change but the grind never does, and her story confirms it. Mark is pure brilliance and listening to him speak feels like chatting with an uncle. He is full of wisdom and stories that are uplifting but keeps it real. I have nothing but the utmost respect for anyone that can speaks with the type of honesty he displays. My favorite line from Mark when speaking on media he said to “entertain, document, and give perspective.” Now that I know his secret sauce, I’ll keep this in my back pocket forever!

Listening to the class 101 sessions on CBA, Scouting, and Media they all had a common theme to me. Understand the information! I was thrilled to learn about the timeline of how the CBA was formulated. How 2-way contracts are structured and the UPC (Uniform Player Contract). Today was a ton of fundamental knowledge needed but it set a great foundation for understanding as the week unfolds. Speaking of “foundation,” learning about the Foundation of Leadership as it pertains to scouting was great. I really want to get into scouting and player development, so this was a pleasure to see. Wes’ major key for today was telling us to “Find a way to help someone do their job better.” Whew, that is a golden nugget for sure! And I try to live my life in the lane of being a helper so again, today really aligned with my energy!

Beau said to “make yourself an expert at something!” As a former hooper I can fully relate to this message. I was a shooter, so I really tried to sharpen my craft in that aspect to be a contributor. I also coached kids to do the same. Find your niche and thrive! Life and sports are so congruent there really is a lesson you can draw from so many corners. Beau’s insight to being great proves that as he provided us with keys to being seen in the sports business world.

I did a lot of listening and observing today as I was soaking it all it. There was so much to learn and plenty of big voices to hear from that had me glued to my laptop! However, I did happen to get the last question of the night with Ed Stefanski as I wanted to find out how aligned the front office and coaching staffs were when scouting. Sometimes you hear about front offices and coaching staffs having differences as to what type of players are needed/wanted. That can cause massive conflict, so it was good to hear first-hand how a front office executive views this task. Ed told us that “the front office and coaching staff should be working in tandem.” And I agree, as the only way to have a successfully ran team is to work together. Everyone has to be on the same page or else it doesn’t work. That is also the vibe I got as everyone spoke today. Whether it is making yourself invaluable or finding a way to help someone do their job better, you have to be a team player. Nothing gets done by having an “I” attitude. The SBC staff was tremendous on all levels and the best way for me to repay is to keep learning in order to make myself helpful. SBC staff is providing knowledge to students that can help make the entire sports world a better place and my day 1 thoughts we’re off to a great start! During Scouting 101 it was detailed that the categories pertaining to Foundation of Leadership are Vision/Purpose/Values/People/Culture. Although these categories are geared towards scouting, they also tie into everyday life. I will carry these with me throughout the week as well as I continue to grow. Day 1 was a blast!

For the first day of SBC, there were a few overall themes and key takeaways that stood out. The first was the importance of being genuine in who you are. Everyone has different experiences and perspectives that shape their own personal views and priorities. People will easily be able to pick you out from a crowd if you are not genuine to who you are instead of trying to be someone else. Every speaker gave their own examples of how they faced a challenge of listening to differing opinions and suggestions with them ultimately coming to a realization that they just needed to be themselves in order to overcome the challenge they faced. A second theme is to make real connections with individuals in order to network. The panelists spoke on how it is not who you know but who knows you when trying to get a foot in the door. More often than not people have to do the work before they actually get the job and by doing this you can gain trust and create a genuine repour with people. A final major topic of conversation revolved around building relationships through strong communication that can help improve and implement a culture. The tone of an organization is set from the top down and has a major impact on the day to day decisions and outcomes of these decisions. Gillian Zucker spoke adamantly on the transparency from ownership down to day to day operations and how this new ownership group with the Clippers has really changed the culture for the better. Wes Wilcox discussed that every decision made within an organization revolves around people and the interactions with one another. From communicating with players families to obtaining intel on a drat prospect requires the out most care and importance in that there is not a job to small to put full and honest effort into.

Anytime you put hundreds of dollars into something, there’s bound to be concern regarding the value of such an investment. I had some nerves going into Day 1 of Sports Business Classroom. A packed schedule seamlessly carried out thanks largely to The 180Group, Inc. removed all doubt that this would be anything less than a significant turning point in my pursuit of a career in sports.

As someone looking to break into the media side, I naturally gravitated towards Media101 and Beau Estes’s insightful sitdown with Jared Greenberg. Nevertheless, SBC preaches awell-rounded skill-set. It’s why I loved broadening my CBA knowledge with Larry Coon in CBA101 and learning more about the business side of an organization with LA Clippers President Gillian Zucker in the SBC Summit. Sessions like these, along with the practical elements of Jobs101 with Jeff Fellenzer, are what will leave me with all the tools to get my foot in the door somewhere and I couldn’t be more excited to further that growth in the coming days.

Today was the first day of SBC and what an excellent first day it was. Each guest brought us a unique perspective of the business of basketball and their respective journeys. Mark Jones flexed on us over the fact that he went grocery shopping with Olympic Gold Medalist Carl Lewis and Chiney Ogwumike walked us through her hectic schedule while working with ESPN. Other guests included Jeff Fellenzer, Wes Wilcox, Gillian Zucker, Kirk Goldsberry, Ed Stefanski, Beau Estes, and the capfather himself: Larry Coon.

During Jeff Fellenzer’s speaking engagement, he talked to us about his keys to success in Sports Business and gave us advice on how to effectively network with other people. Jeff’s a very experienced person and his advice resonated with the students in a big way. My main takeaway from his talk was the 10th point of his keys to success which was: Take time to have fun along the way. I oftentimes have to stop and look around in order to appreciate where life has taken me, so I thank Jeff for reminding us of what’s really important.

Moving on to Wes Wilcox, the former Atlanta Hawks General Manager gave us an in depth look into how an NBA organization runs and how decisions are made. His insight gave us a very valuable picture into how some common transactions that we know, as NBA fans, take place. He talked about trade calls, player evaluation, offseason plans, etc. Wilcox taught us how much hard work goes into being a top basketball executive and how grueling the season is for him.

Gillian Zucker, President of Business Operations for the Los Angeles Clippers, went deeper into the business aspects of an NBA team. These included marketing, sales, promotions, sponsors, and other business operations. I actually asked her a question regarding the Clippers’ lack of marquee players after the departures of Chris Paul and Blake Griffin and how that presented different challenges to the marketing department. Her answer was as thoughtful and eloquent as you would expect from a top business executive. She said that her job was the same and their approach certainly changed regarding their sales strategy. Zucker was a brilliant speaker and she should definitely come back next year.

Some time after, Kirk Goldsberry joined us, and we had a great Ask Me Anything session. Kirk provided us with excellent basketball knowledge spanning analytics, player development, team building, and other topics. The Sprawlball author also talked about his opportunities working in NBA circles whether be it on sports media (ESPN) or for an NBA team (San Antonio Spurs). Goldsberry was an amazing person to talk to and his knowledge of the game is breathtaking.

Today we heard from the voice behind the top 10 highlights, Beau Estes himself! Beau talked about how he got into the industry and brought Jared Greenberg as a speaker as part of the Media 101 class.

Greenberg covers the NBA for Turner Sports and tonight he’s covering the Lakers-Nuggets game as a sideline reporter. Greenberg talked about the bubble life and how being there in Orlando brought different challenges to his job. Beau also gave us a sneak peek into how he works the top 10 video and it was very interesting.

Senior Advisor for the Detroit Pistons, Ed Stefanski also hosted an AMA and answered many students’ questions. The questions ranged from legal knowledge required to work in the NBA, different processes that go into running a team, and others.

Finally, we go to Larry Coon. Larry is known for his masterful knowledge of the NBA CBA and he gave us a small taste of that knowledge. Today we had a Salary Cap 101 class and taught us about the normal career contract lifecycle of an NBA player, an overview of the NBA CBA, and a History of NBA Labor. Later in the week we will receive further lessons on the NBA Salary Cap.

So, there you have it, a recap of SBC Day 1. I hope you all had the same amount of fun as I had and let’s all keep learning from these great professionals!

I have been blown away by how much networking I have been able to complete in only one day considering this is a virtual conference – kudos to Larry Coon and his team. My key takeaways so far have to be how immersive and diverse the material and guests have been. As someone looking to break into the player management and brand management side of this business, the front office and salary cap lessons have been a wonderful start to this journey. Jeff has been instrumental so far in how I can reframe my approach in looking to land entry-level roles in my specified field through his advice on jobs, networking, and how to present yourself to potential employers. Most importantly, none of my questions go unanswered. When I went Jeff’s office hours last night, I was immersed in an environment with like-minded individuals who were hungry to know more. One of my main takeaways so far has been how generous every instructor has been with their time and patience while getting to know you – something I greatly appreciate. Everyone’s willingness to grow together, connect, and guide each other has been a fruitful experience. For example, when I mentioned my desire to work as a player agent and sports marketing, Sergio Milas made sure that he could be a resource to me by letting me know that he can be a guide through this process with advice, knowledge, and connections.

The first day of any new experience always brings about a sense of excitement, hope, and nervousness, and the same could be said for the (virtual) Sports Business Classroom. Larry Coon, Warren LeGarrie, and Albert Hall’s lovechild, normally held in a physical space at the Las Vegas Summer League, was transitioned beautifully to a full-immersive online experience that is sensitive to the demands of the pandemic-stricken world while still allowing students to have a similar experience to what they would have had if they had made the journey to the Sin City. While the classroom experience could never be completely replicated, it could be replaced with the chatroom-like setting that allowed the students and faculty members to engage in a constant dialogue about a number of topics ranging from the topics of the particular class at the time to good, old-fashioned debates about current and historical basketball.

Mark Jones and Chiney Ogwumike began the day discussing the importance of diversity in the workplace, followed by an incredibly important discussion by Jeff Fellenzer on how to properly network with the established industry professionals. Larry Coon then gave a very highly-detailed look at the Collective Bargaining Agreement from the perspective of the players that broke down all of the minutiae associated with player contracts in order to give the students more of an understanding for exercises that are to be performed later in the week. Gillian Zucker then gave an impactful talk on the transformation of the Clippers organization and all of the different aspects of their business and the challenges associated with those factors of the business. Wes Wilcox then discussed the organizational hierarchy of an organization, as well as the responsibilities of a general manager and the timelines of NBA draft scouting and free agency decision making, with Beau Estes finally wrapping up the main content of the day with a conversation with Jared Greenberg from the NBA bubble.

The content provided on the first day of the Sports Business Classroom is just the tip of the iceberg that is the knowledge that the students are going to acquire by the end of the week, and that content, coupled with the atmosphere of the virtual classroom, will have an incredible benefit to all of the students in the short-term as well as the long-term. The content will have a benefit on students’ lives moving forward as they will have more domain knowledge, but more importantly the connections and conversations had through this digital space will make even more of an impact long-term for the students that are trying to make an impact in the world of sports business for the foreseeable future.

When I woke up this morning, I had a whirlwind of emotions because I knew SBC would be an unbelievable experience and allow me to continue my pursuit of working in an NBA Front Office. Do I wish we were all in Las Vegas being immersed in the Summer League? Of course, I was looking forward to returning to the Thomas & Mack Center, as well as experiencing the famous “Schmooze Pit.” Do I wish there were easier ways to network? Absolutely I think we all do but were all making the best of it. Regardless of these extreme circumstances, Larry Coon, Albert Hall and the rest of the crew have done a tremendous job pulling this off and it’s going to be a great week!

Today started off with Mark Jones discussing life in the bubble and the effects today’s social issues are having on sports. It was great because he was very open and I loved how he was shouting out students in the chat. Later on, Chiney Ogwumike joined in and I really enjoyed her enthusiasm she brought in the short amount of time she had. Both of them elaborated on how important it is to be yourself and stay prepared for any opportunity that may come your way.

Jeff Fellenzer came up next and I see why he’s so respected in the sports industry. He constantly elaborated on passion and how important it is to do something you love. I also appreciated his networking concepts and how valuable these relationships can be not just through your career, but also outside the sports world.

The “Godfather” of the salary cap Larry Coon followed up and his session was a lot to take in because there is a lot I still need to learn. I’d be lying if said I doze off from time to time because of the information, but this is exclusive content that not many people will be able to access and the cap is the biggest asset I can learn right now.

Gillian Zucker of the LA Clippers discussed the culture owner Steve Ballmer has created over the past few years and how the organization from the top down is a culture pursuing daily improvement.

The next panel was my favorite of the day. SVA 101 with Wes Wilcox and Dave DuFour. They discussed the foundations of leadership and the key functions to become a successful talent evaluator.

The final panel of the night was media with Beau Estes. Similar to Mark Jones, Beau discussed how important it is to grind and build relationships through the conference and within the business. He then surprised us with Jared Greenberg who is currently in the bubble and gave us a perspective of what it’s like to work year-round in this business.

I didn’t get the chance to listen to Kirk Goldsberry, but I did listen to Ed Stefanski and it was great to hear his stories. I didn’t get the chance to ask my question about the unique skills NBA executives are looking for, but I know I’ll still have many opportunities this week.

Overall, today was exuberating because I got the chance to develop more relationships and learn more about the different ways I can get my foot in the door. I’m so thankful I decided to go forward with the experience and anyone looking to break into the business of basketball NEEDS to attend SBC!

You won’t regret it!

SBC kicked off it’s first day with great insights and information from incredible guests! The day began with sportscaster for ESPN and ABC Mark Jones and WNBA all-star and ESPN contributor Chiney Ogwumike. Both gave excellent insight on their lives and how they got to where they are, as well as stories and advice for the students. Next came the Professor of sports media at USC Jeff Fellenzer, who taught the students how to network and separate themselves from the pack. Following that was general manager and lead instructor of SBC Larry Coon, who taught the basics of the NBA CBA from the players perspective. Up next was an interview with Gillian Zucker, President of the LA Clippers. She talked about her experience of how she got into sports, and how she has helped change the Clippers from a business perspective. After that was former GM of the Atlanta Hawks Wes Wilcox, who went through how and organization is put together and what the staff does on a monthly basis throughout the year. Beau Estes, NBA TV anchor and host, along with NBA TV’s and TNT’s Jared Greenberg, then talked about the basics of media and the importance of relationships. Finally, the students closed out the day with the opportunity to speak with ESPN’s Kirk Goldsberry and Senior Advisor of the Detroit Pistons Ed Stefanski.

The first day of SBC was jam-packed with info from a ton of different speakers. After the introduction from Larry Coon, we listened to some stories and received some advice from both Mark Jones and Chiney Ogwumike. After that, Jeff Fellenzer took us through the art of Networking, and gave advice on how to do so. We then went back to Larry Coon for the CBA 101 to get dip our feet in some CBA information before the deeper dives coming later in the week. Then Gillian Zucker came on to talk about her role with the Clippers, and also share stories about Steve Ballmer. We then got into SVA 101 with former Atlanta Hawks GM Wes Wilcox and the great Dave DuFour. Everything from the structure of front offices to the yearly calendar of a front office was broken down. Beau Estes then took over, leading us through the Media 101 session, including a fantastic interview with current Orlando Bubble media member Jared Greenberg. We then had a our wrap-up for the day with Larry Coon before engaging in AMAs with Kirk Goldsberry and Ed Stefanski, and then office hours with Larry and Jeff.

A major takeaway for me personally following day 1 was just how great the networking and communication programs are on the host platform. I was partially skeptical there would be a way to successfully replace the networking aspect of attending SBC in person—however, the 180 group’s platform was incredibly impressive!

One facet of the basketball world that continues to surprise me as I have become more intertwine is just how tight-knit the community really is. For the past four years as an undergrad I worked for the Brown University men’s basketball team as a student manager. Yesterday morning, I was paired with an attendee named Shawn in the networking tab who happened to grow up playing basketball with one of our assistant coaches. It was one of those small world moments that I have become accustomed to as I’ve continued to build relationships in the basketball community.

To me personally, Larry Coon’s CBA 101 was the most educational session yesterday. In my work as a basketball operations assistant for the LA Sparks, one of my responsibilities has been to create sliding scale spreadsheets of projected salary cap scenarios for the Sparks’ 2021 season. In order to garner a better understanding of how to best complete this project, I have been studying the new WNBA CBA that was put in place earlier this year. As is apparent from Larry’s session, the CBA is a great way to expand one’s understanding of the league and all of its subtle nuances.

I was also intrigued by Wes Wilcox’s presentation on the organizational structure of an NBA front office. In my own experience with the Sparks, it is clear that there is a lot of overlap between NBA and WNBA front offices. That being said, there also exists a stark contrast between the two leagues in terms of the amount of resources that are available to WNBA organizations. Even in the past two years since I have been with the Sparks, it has been amazing to witness the growth of women’s professional basketball. I am confident that sometime in the near future, WNBA front offices will have a more augmented organizational structure that will more closely resemble Wes’ description of NBA front office personnel.

All in all, day 1 was amazingly informative in all aspects and I could not be more excited to continue attending sessions and meeting the rest of the attendees throughout the week!

Day 1 of SBC was the start of a journey I will never forget. Although there was a lot of information, I enjoyed all the sessions I was able to watch when I was not working at my day job. After the enthusiastic and brief intro from GM Coon, the state of the union from Mark Jones was an eye-opening session. His story about his old boss not thinking he was cut out for ESPN and ABC, but then getting incredible offers from those two companies a week later, proved to me that there will always be doubters. You got to believe in yourself because if you don’t, it is apparent and only makes your career tougher. Next, hearing from Professor Fellenzer on how to approach new conversations and how to be unique with my elevator pitch gave me ideas on how to comfortably create new relationships. A lot of the advice I’ve heard from other sources was confirmed by Professor Fellenzer, reassuring me of the steps I’ve been taking to further my career. Finally, learning the ins and outs of the CBA from GM Coon was useful in becoming more familiar with the fine print that most fans will overlook. Mr. Wilcox provided the specifics of a front office structure, inherently giving me the confidence to build one in the future. I can’t wait for Day 2 and all the knowledge it brings.

Network, network, network! It starts and ends with that as the foundation of the conference. This is something I can always do a better job of but I am willing to work on it after hearing how important it is. I have been thinking a lot already about what Jeff Fellenzer mentioned in his session. My biggest takeaway from Jeff is you must convince whoever might hire you that you can add value. It was interesting to get inside the mind of exactly what a General Manager does throughout the year during Wes Wilcox’s session. One of my favorite books I have ever written is Sprawlball. I was able to get a chance to ask him a question which was incredibly fun to do! After one day of the conference, I feel as I have already received a ton of value from this experience.

As an SBC Alum of 2019, I was curious to see how well you all would be able to bottle up all the information and experience of last summer and make it all virtual. It’s very clear to me you’ve been able to do it quite effectively!

Beginning the day with introductions and seeing the familiar faces from last year was great.

Then having Mark Jones and Chiney Ogwumike come on and speak about their paths to success and the importance of the social climate of today and how it affects their roles.

Afterwards, I enjoy hearing from Jeff Fellenzer just like last year. He’s very insightful and knowledgeable about how to best present yourself for your next role.

Of course, Larry Coon’s overview of the CBA is awesome and I just want to be a sponge of all the information he’s providing this week.

Gillian Zucker is truly inspiring and her words on working hard and being yourself will ring through my head throughout my career.

Wes Wilcox’s presentation on the structure of a front office was eye opening with all of the roles that don’t get displayed in the public eye. I’m eager to see more of the breakdowns he can provide regarding talent evaluation.

I loved hearing Beau Estes and Jared Greenberg’s conversation about the media world and how working in this industry affects all facets of your life. Also, hearing about the bubble in Orlando is fascinating.

I also attended the Ask Me Anything sessions with Kirk Goldsberry and Ed Stefanski. Both of them were really able to find their own lanes in the league within their own interests and strengths. It’s inspiring to learn about the unique ways to break into basketball and it reminds me to keep pushing.

The first day of SBC 2020 was filled with enthusiasm and energy, which was made possible by the breadth of the content, the quality of the speakers, and the eagerness of the student body to absorb knowledge by asking thoughtful questions and connecting with one another.  The tone for the day was set immediately by the first pair of lecturers in Mark Jones and Chiney Ogwumike.  In addition to providing unique insight into their careers and experiences, they both made an effort to speak directly with audience members, creating an environment of authentic connection.  This flowed directly into the first round of speed-networking sessions.  In the first hour alone, I connected with, among others, a college coach, a data analyst in the bay area, a writer the Pacers, and an impressive high school student.  The diverse backgrounds of this group are a large part of what will make this week fulfilling for me and I look forward to meeting more attendees as the week progresses.

Before the event began, I was expecting to learn a great deal from industry professionals.  This first day has already surpassed my expectations.  As a labor attorney and CBA enthusiast, I was looking forward to the CBA lectures the most, especially as they are being taught by Mr. Coon.  What I did not expect, was that other professionals like Seth Partnow and Eric Pincus would be active in the chat, providing advice on topics such as what websites they prefer for salary cap information and what computer programs aspiring data analysts should focus on.  For those of us hoping to get a look behind the curtain, those pieces of information are truly invaluable.  In that connection, the SVA 101 lecture given my Wes Wilcox and Dave DuFour was fascinating.  Mr. Wilcox provided an in-depth look at organizational structure, from media and communications, to medical staff, scouting personnel, and basketball strategy experts.  Of the many insights to be gleaned from this lecture, the ones that resonated most with me were that scouting can be both an art and a science, and that the key to achieving success in the basketball industry is being able to help your peers and supervisors do their jobs better.

Much time can be spent highlighting the wisdom shared by the speakers – e.g., Ed Stefanski detailing how he prepares for negotiations, Kirk Goldsberry discussing player development and the modern game, and Gillian Zucker explaining organizational culture, working towards social/racial equity, and how diversity of backgrounds often results in more effective decision making.  Suffice it to say, Day 1 provided a great introduction for what will be an informative, fun, and unforgettable week.