On Tuesday, March 3, the American Marketing Association (AMA) hosted Director of Ticket Sales for the Chicago Cubs, Brian Garza, and Manager of Ticket Sales Brad Nagel to talk about their career’s journey with student perusing sports management careers.
Garza perused a marketing major at Western Illinois University, but soon found out about sports management after meeting and talking with other Western Illinois students. Then in the spring of 1993 Garza got an internship with the Chicago Cubs, working in the area of service, by making sure those who had rented out suites had a great experience. After the internship was over, Garza received a full time job in the ticket office.
What he had planned to just be a five-year plan, turned into a more permanent situation when the assistant director of tickets sales position opened up and he decided to take up this new role. Presently, Garza now holds the director of ticket sales position.
Katelyn Newcomer, the president elect for the upcoming year for AMA, explained how AMA is an organization that aims to improve marketers by helping members network and build their career through events and experience. She reached out to Garza because of the insight he could provide in the field of marketing.
“I think in such a competitive industry it is beneficial for those going into sports marketing and sports management to listen to the ins and outs in the industry,” Newcomer explained. “Building our resumes and gaining experience is so crucial that listening to experts, I believe, helps students get motivated…and helps students gain an idea of what they need to do to better prepare themselves for the real world.”
Some advice that Garza offered to students in regards to having their resumes stand out from the hundreds that businesses usually receive is to show how passionate and involved you are with the job you are applying for; stating how some of the resumes he enjoys seeing are the ones that includes presentations or plans that offer ideas that could be implemented could help the company within that job area. “Sending the right creativity, to the right person” he explained, could make all the difference.
The “real world is just around the corner,” says Newcomer for many students here, and events such as this are a way to prepare students for that world.
For anyone who wants learn more about AMA and the opportunities they present, or be apart of events such as this, they can attend the AMA meetings which take place every Wednesday at 5:30 pm in Goldsphon 20.
