Interview: Working In The Sports Industry

Take a moment and imagine your ideal job. Does it involve something you are truly passionate about? How are you going to turn your dream into reality?

Jaclyn Benjamin has turned her dream job into a reality. She is currently the senior account executive for Washington Freedom, a charter member of Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS), based in the Washington, D.C., suburb of Boyds, Md.

Benjamin always knew she wanted to work in the sports industry. Just out of college, Benjamin took advantage of the many people that she met during her college career. However, that wasn’t an easy job. She “spent six months hitting-up every single person that [she] knew, and talked to them about networking and who they knew.” After a frustrating battle, Benjamin finally landed her first job in the sports industry with the Washington Capitals.

However, Benjamin didn’t stop there. She was eager to grow in the industry. After working with the Washington Capitals, Benjamin realized she had an interest working with smaller organizations, and wanted to gain experience working with a variety of teams in the industry.

Benjamin is an influential model for anyone interested in working in the sports industry. In this interview, she explains her responsibilities as senior account executive, the process of how she got where she is today, and her overall passion for working for Washington Freedom. What follows is an edited selection of questions and answers from an interview Benjamin granted for Planet Blacksburg.

Q: I noticed that you have worked for the Washington Capitals. Can you tell me a little about your experiences working there?

Benjamin: Working with the Washington Capitals was my first job in the sports industry. I spent six months hitting-up every single person that I knew, and talked to them about networking and who they knew. I started with the Washington Capitals when they weren’t winning, and the team was actually not as popular as it is today. I was involved in all aspects of the organization from sales, marketing, sponsorship events, website discussion, communications, player appearances and viewing parties. I definitely feel starting with the Washington Capitals gave me the ground work and basis of the sports world.

Q: What got you interested in working with the Washington Freedom?

Benjamin: I grew up playing soccer, actually in the D.C. area through league play in WAGS, which stands for Washington Area Girls Soccer. Clyde Watson, the assistant coach for the Washington Freedom, was also my trainer and coach in youth soccer. I also played soccer in college, but after working with the Washington Capitals, working with a smaller organization, such as the Freedom, I felt would give me even more exposure and experience in the sports world.

Q: How long have you been working with Washington Freedom?

Benjamin: I have been with the Washington Freedom since July 2009.

Q: Have you ever had a passion for soccer or any other sport growing up?

Benjamin: Soccer is definitely a passion of mine. Honestly, before I was heavily into soccer, I was swimming and playing tennis. I was swimming and playing tennis every summer at the community center down the street from my house with the entire neighborhood, but was definitely going to tennis camps and swimming with a private club during the other seasons where there were indoor meets and practices non-stop. I was actually training to go to the Adidas Academy in Bradenton, Fla., until soccer took over and the rest is history.

Q: How did you get the position as senior account executive?

Benjamin: I started in July as an account executive, and was promoted in December, after five months, to senior account executive. I have worked very hard to work closely with the youth soccer community, but feel as though my experience with a bigger organization definitely prepared me to move forward quickly in the Freedom organization.

Q: What type of education did you receive to prepare you for your career?

Benjamin: I did my undergrad at Tulane University in New Orleans, La., with a major in communication and minor in marketing. Playing a sport in college definitely gives you another dimension of the real world, in a sense that you are always balancing your time with academics, soccer, and the rest of your life. I feel this was very important in my development for the real world and transition into the sports world. I am always networking and learning from other colleagues within the organization and industry. Currently, I am attending the graduate program at Georgetown University for a master’s in sports management.

Q: As a senior account executive for the Washington Freedom, what are some of your roles and responsibilities?

Benjamin: Wow! Well, there are just so many. I am responsible for implementing programs focusing on youth soccer, corresponding with WAGS and other leagues in the area, working closely with Freedom coaches, mentoring other account executives throughout meetings, overseeing development of our youth soccer programs with Freedom coaches and attending all youth soccer coaches’ meetings. I also work closely with the community relations manager to set up player appearances with youth soccer clubs. I work closely with the public relations director and web designer, to implement youth soccer programs and leagues on our website. One of my main responsibilities is to sell season tickets, group sales, sponsorships and camps and clinics.

Q: Did you ever imagine this as your career 10 years ago?

Benjamin: Yes, I always knew I wanted to be in sports and I knew that I wanted to be in a job where I could work with people, network and have more than one task at hand. I work very well under pressure and understand what it takes since I have been on the athlete side of things.

Q: What is your favorite part of your job?

Benjamin: I love networking and interacting with other people. I love working with youth soccer players and knowing they have an opportunity that I didn’t have, to grow-up to play professionally. I love working with professional athletes as well.

Q: What is the most important advice you would give a college student, who is about to head into a sports related career field?

Benjamin: The most important advice I would give is don’t burn bridges and always continue to network. The sports industry is a very big industry, yet very small. Even though there are different sports and leagues, someone always knows someone. An example of this would be when I was getting recruited for college soccer. I had been talking to numerous schools, but with this one school, I didn’t want to go there and didn’t want to piss the coach off in any regard, or lead them on. I told the coach that I was very impressed with the program, but it just wouldn’t be a program that I wanted to invest in or see myself moving forward with. The assistant coach I had told that to at that school, ended up being my head coach at the school that I chose starting my sophomore year in college. Small world!

I completely believe that networking is huge tool and it gets you so many opportunities and opens so many doors. I actually got my job with the Washington Freedom through another contact that I came to a game with. He introduced me to the president of the Washington Freedom and I ended up getting an interview a week later.

Another thing I would say is that you have to make the best of all situations. Granted there are always going to be tough days within any thing you do, but making the best of any situation and getting the most out of it, will help you in the long run. Whether it is carrying boxes or driving a van of players to an event, there is always a lesson to be learned. You never know what you could gain out of the experience or who you will meet.

Q: Washington Freedom’s opening night is April 10. What are some of your expectations for this year’s season as far as sales and as well as on the field?

Benjamin: We want to sell out opening night, plain and simple. As for on the field, we want a championship brought home!

Q: What are your long term goals for Washington Freedom?

Benjamin: Along with my responsibilities, I want to get in contact with as many youth soccer teams as possible in the D.C. area, and implement more youth soccer initiatives. I also want to build off of relationships I already have from playing soccer and within the soccer community. As far as sales, I want to be first in the league. At Freedom, I would also like to be promoted within the next year.

Q: How does the business aspect of Washington Freedom set itself apart from other WPS teams?

Benjamin: We are a very unique organization and team, in the sense that we have different countries represented within our team. The countries represented are Canada, Australia, Japan, Norway, France and U.S. This is rare of other women’s teams in the U.S. Our players are very visible to the public, and absolutely love what they do. They understand what it takes to keep fans and the community coming back to games and to the organization.

Q: If someone were interested in a career of public relations or marketing, what would be the first step they need to take?

Benjamin: I would say any way you can get into the industry, whether it is in sales or anything else, it’s getting in that’s important. It’s like a fraternity, once you are in and keep it going, you are in.

Q: How does Washington Freedom maintain interest in fans and employees?

Benjamin: For employees, there are incentives within sales and within the organization for things we do. There are happy hours after work. We work hard and we play hard. In sports, it isn’t a traditional job. The hours vary and you have to know that going into it, but also know that you work hard to play hard. It is never a set schedule and you just roll with the punches.

As far as our fans, we are constantly having events with the players, interacting through our website with fans, and keeping information flowing for fans to know what’s going on with the organization.