Chelsea Zahn: Tackling Partnership Activation in Sports – Work in Sports Podcast - a podcast by Brian Clapp - Work in Sports

What is partnership activation as it applies to the sports industry? Chelsea Zahn, Pittsburgh Steelers Partnership Activation Specialist joins the show to discuss that and much more!Hi, everybody, I’m Brian Clapp Director of Content for WorkinSports.com and this is the Work in Sports podcast…There is a hunt for fit in the sports industry. Thousands of people each year say to themselves…I want to work in sports. I love sports, I have a passion for sports, I need to make it my career. But they aren’t exactly where or how.That’s where we so often come in, helping to bridge that gap between a job seekers want and a employers need.But let’s take a deeper look on that job seeker side – it isn’t always a smooth process figuring out how to turn a passion, something that really energizes you, into a day-to-day career with earning potential, high ceiling and a dose of reality.I was one of those lost souls through the vast majority of my college career – loved sports – had no idea what to do about that fact. I thought physical therapy for a while… I dabbled in some other ideas… and kept getting back to the big question “What should I do in sports?”I didn’t have anyone to ask back then for advice, there was no Work in Sports podcast, there were no industry experts getting interviewed weekly, there was no LinkedIn where I could reach out and connect with experts in the field. You felt pretty alone in your journey. The vast majority of my professors cared more about how you did in their class, and their own research projects, than the bigger and more important question of “what’s next for you and how do we get you there?”Quick side story, when I first started to consider the idea of working in the media, I had an informational interview with the News Director of a Philadelphia TV station. Couldn’t connect with him on LinkedIn, so I literally reached out with a phone call…and it worked.I was very excited, practiced my questions, and really wanted to make a good impression for hopes it may lead to a job or internship.I remember one of my questions was about the standards he set for their station's news coverage, were there certain things he drew the line on and wouldn’t show, or was everything fair game.He said in no uncertain terms they won’t show body bags on the broadcast, he felt that was unethical and salacious.No joke…that night, feeling like a convert to their station, I watched their news to see this guy and his advice in action! Their first story was a massive car accident… and had at least three body bags in it.I felt rudderless and disheartened at this time. I really felt like nothing was pointing me in the right direction.Obviously, I persevered, and this isn’t all about me, so I’ll wrap up my little story time soapbox with this.I know what it’s like to feel lost, which is why I’m always trying to share my time and effort to help others find their way… in fact, I think I spend an inordinate amount of time trying to find new ways into the industry.One thing our podcast has proven is that there is no one way into the industry, for every Leigh Steinberg sports agency trailblazer, there is a Jennifer Keene, VP of Athlete and Property Marketing for Octagon…a psychology major at Cornell who started out her career at People Magazine in the sales department, or Mike Judge Cleveland Browns Director of Ticket...

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