Front Office Features

Chris is back at Fenway after 18 months of not seeing a baseball game live. He describes his experience and how it felt like he never left. We also learn Rob likes go to really fast in a car. Also we are all in agreement that MLB has a great rule change with the runner on 2nd Base to start extra innings. Chris shares some backstory on the new Red Sox city jerseys that honors the Boston Marathon and how it is a great marketing tool to reach a younger generation. We dive into the MLB All-Star Game decision to move it out of Atlanta and how that will have a ripple effect in a lot of key areas. We also have a ROB RANT alert when we discuss the cliche of a "strategy job" right out of college. Word of advice... don't tell Rob you are looking to come to work for him and set the strategy for the organization before you learn to tie your shoes!

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Happy Opening Day! We made it! Chris gives a fired up speech and reflects on the past year of how far we've come in the sports industry. His key message is "everything is going to be alright!" Rob tells a funny story that of course resonates from Battle Creek about pulling tarps.... which he is still doing today. The guys discuss what work/life balance really means in our industry and how we can do a better job of defining that for younger people starting out. Rob also had a message for Martie when he used to make him come in early on game days. Sorry Martie! We give a real peek behind the curtain on real time emails and the new digital ticketing issues MLB has instituted. This leads to a classic FoF moment when Rob laughs uncontrollably leading to a hiccup outburst. We wrap up with advice on how to approach a career change after your resume has no relevant experience.

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Rob Crain spoke with a SBJ 40 Under 40 Award winner, Gabby Roe, President of Maestroe Sports & Entertainment. Gabby and Rob discuss "high-growth" sports and the business behind them. Gabby discusses his career and what he learned along the way that helped him start the Maestroe venture. Gabby and Rob had a informative discussion about starting your career and how you can separate yourself from the pack.

Give a listen and share on social!

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Chris is BACK! Feeling much better but quite cured or fully diagnosed yet. HUGE NEWS as Rob got his Covid vaccine today as well as Chris's wife, Rachel. Shots in arms baby! Chris's LinkedIn has been blowing up lately and has some advice for folks who waited till now to start reaching out. Rob had a terrible informational interview that has him all sorts of fired up but the guys break out in laughter when Chris drops in his love for popcorn. Advice for starting your new internship you just landed. Chris also shares what led him down this path to have his current medical issues and how he has been dealing with it... STRESS. Don't wait until it's too late before your body shuts down and make sure you can lean on others for help. Plus a behind the scenes success story of a new Fenway partnership.

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The good news of the week is Chris has returned to Front Office Features after three days in the hospital. It is good to have him back! We talk about Chris' stay in the hospital, how he's feeling and what is next. Plus we dive into the big LeBron news from this week, a phone call with Theo Epstein about testing new baseball rules and discussing acupuncture. A fun pod with Chris back in action!

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Chris is in the ER and Rob describes what is going on with his pod partner. Chris will be good soon and we will keep everyone updated on his status.

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We have definitively determined that Tuesday's are the worst day of the week. Rob shares how he heard the news on the AAA season being pushed back at least a month. He got a call that started with "Hey.. did you see the tweet?". Never a good sign! We dive into the hot button topic of the week; unpaid sports internships. Chris is vehemently against the major sports teams not paying interns as we dissect how it affects the diversity initiatives teams have started. Asking socio economically challenged candidates to take a non-paid internship will never break the cycle. This also delves into full time roles that require a college degree but yet pay you minimum wage to start your career in sports. It's a system that is flawed and we blame all the CFOs (just kidding). Chris reads an email that he wrote early in his career to the Celtics that was abysmal and yells at his young self. Plus... "don't be that person" story of the week takes us to Nike and the Sneaker Sales story. If you are a big time Exec don't have your 19 year old kid running a shady operation!

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Chris and Rob are back after a "hiatus" last week. Rob opens the show discussing how he currently is having issues being present at the moment due to so much going on around the building of Polar Park. Chris turns on his therapist hat and they discuss how they both have been so accustomed to being proactive vs reactive in their careers. Rob shares a story about how the bleachers in Wilkes-Barre almost prevented him from opening the ballpark on time. We request our listeners to please reach out and explain this new NBA Top Shot Blockchain Crypto craze that is currently happening. The guys can't wrap their head around how someone is buying digital highlights for over $200,000 and not being able to be replicated. We breakdown our interview with Spikeball CEO, Chris Ruder, and how much fun we had speaking with him. The behind the scenes experience on Shark Tank made Rob even more enthralled given his fandom of the show. Plus... don't do what the now former Mariners CEO did recently with his rotary club appearance.

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What a story! Chris Ruder, CEO of Spikeball, joins us this week to share his incredible journey on how he turned $900 into a multi million dollar sports product and league. From his experience on Shark Tank with Mark Cuban to running and operating a thriving business is a must hear for everyone looking to make their mark in the sports industry. Chris details how he spent his free time in the evenings building the Spikeball brand while working from 9pm to 2am every night. It never felt like work for him as he believed in the vision and the product he was building. One of the key points he touches on is the ability to make your own decisions and be your own boss. Chris has stayed true to his vision and continues to build the Spikeball brand by hiring a diverse skill set for his company. Also, hear how someone found a way to take Spikeball around the world to play a game on Mount Everest!

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David Cohen of the Boston Celtics joins Chris to share his story of his meteoric rise through the Celtics organization. David has been with the Celtics for his whole career while serving in numerous roles. He shares great advice on how he went about securing promotions and new roles internally. Also, David sheds light on the Celtics philosophy for retention and customer service to ensure top of the line experience for their fans. We dive into the future of the NBA and how they have been one of the most progressive leagues. Also, we discuss what makes a great leader and how to manage your staff to maximize their talents.

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