Stick to Sports Biz

Alex Warneke (SBLive Sports, Pac-12 Networks, Bleacher Report) is a director of social media, lover of politics and Seattle sports. Alex joins Stick to Sports Biz to discuss his background in politics, and his stance on sport management degrees and unpaid internships. Alex and Brandon talk about the FOUR times they worked for the same company, their work in social media, and their ill-fated support of Seattle Mariners baseball.

The Kickoff: Internships in Sports
5:55 - Interview with Alex Warneke
8:00 - Moving to the Bay Area
12:05 - The myth of having a job you love
13:20 - Memories from grad school 
14:50 - Our eerily similar career paths
16:00 - Our first interaction in grad school
20:15 - Reaching out to Adam Schefter and others for career advice
23:30 - Interning for the Oakland Raiders
26:15 - Unpaid internships
31:50 - Interviewing Raiders players
39:45 - Working at SportStream
42:30 - Transitioning to working at Facebook
49:40 - Doing social media for the San Francisco Giants
52:20 - Winding up together again at Bleacher Report
56:00 - Working for the Pac-12 Networks
1:00:30 - The pain of losing a dream job because of the pandemic
1:07:30 - Finding a home at SBLive Sports
1:14:30 - Early career in politics and what politics mean to Alex now
1:25:05 - The struggle that is being a Seattle Mariners fan
1:30:55 - Top 5 Seattle Mariners of all time
1:52:20 - The Recommender
2:02:00 - Old Tweets

Host: Brandon Fleshman
Guest: Alex Warneke
Producer: Tucker Kinder

Be sure to follow, rate, and review the show if you enjoy this episode!

Follow Brandon on Twitter
Follow Alex on Twitter and Instagram

In the first episode of Stick to Sports Biz, Brandon explains the “Why?” behind the podcast. Then he welcomes his first-ever guest, his wife Grace Fleshman (San Francisco Giants, Oakland A’s, San Francisco 49ers). Grace is a mother, mental health advocate, works full-time in tech and moonlights as a baker. She and Brandon discuss what it’s like to work for an all-time great team, their first impressions of each other in grad school, and leaving jobs in sports for tech.

The Kickoff: Why this show?
3:30 - Interview with Grace Fleshman
5:40 - The origins of Grace’s interest in baseball
14:15 - Grace’s first jobs in sports
20:30 - The couple’s first interaction grad school
23:40 - The value of a Master’s in Sports Business
26:25 - Grace’s internship with the SF Giants
28:45 - Being a part of a World Series win
30:00 - The reality of a job in sports
32:15 - Leaving sports for tech
34:55 - Being open about mental health
46:05 - Working in sports with kids
47:45 - Desserts vs. snacks
50:00 - The joys of baking
53:00 - Grace’s love of Peloton
56:50 - Top 5 Peloton instructors
1:07:30 - The Recommender
1:11:05 - Old Tweets

Host: Brandon Fleshman
Guest: Grace Fleshman
Producer: Tucker Kinder

Be sure to follow, rate, and review the show if you enjoy this episode!

Follow Brandon on Twitter
Follow Grace on Instagram