Meet Eray Saban, the Assistant General Manager of ASM Jacksonville and the Director of EverBank Stadium, home to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

As you’ll learn in this episode, Eray is no stranger to a large stadium and event, and all of the challenges that come with it. From sports games, to sell-out concerts, to dealing with the FBI, his job is to make sure that every attendee has a safe and enjoyable experience.

Previously, his roles have included Event Operations Manager at Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong, Stadium Event Manager at Marvel Stadium, and Event Operations Coordinator at Tennis Australia.

Lots to look out for, including how to break into the US sports industry, skills needed to manage large-scale events, and how to effectively manage and lead.

Enjoy the episode!

We cover:

(01:25) Who is Eray Saban?

(02:38) Reuben & Ryan welcome

(07:40) What’s happening in the SportsGrad Community?

(11:45) Get to know Eray: Quick-Fire Questions

(15:25) Who are ASM Global?

(19:45) Journey from China to the US following his role at Marvel Stadium

(25:05) How Eray navigates the safety and well-being of crowds at large events

(30:29) Things people wouldn’t know about event management

(31:25) How Eray transitioned to living to the US

(33:27) Application process for an NFL stadium

(35:45) What to know about the US Visa process

(39:29) How Eray used LinkedIn and networking to get hired for overseas roles

(44:39) How differentiating yourself will get you your dream roles

(47:53) Similarities and differences between the AFL and NFL

(52:07) The investment that goes into public safety

(53:35) Challenges as an event manager

(58:14) How Eray has dealt with the transition into leadership

(1:01:09) Advice that has shaped Eray’s leadership skills

(1:03:24) One action that you can do to start your event management career

(1:06:27) ASK SPORTSGRAD

Additional episodes you may enjoy:

#41: Eray Saban (Marvel Stadium) - How to Launch your Career in Event Management

#208: Kerry Gassner - How to make a career change into the sports industry

---

Want a weekly dose of career inspo? Get industry stories, upcoming events, and the latest sports jobs in your inbox each Friday.

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This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.au

Thanks for listening! You’re all legends.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Jack Coles, Project Lead at FIFA Sound.

FIFA Sound organises all of the music you hear for FIFA, whether that be the brand music on TV, music for the ceremonies and fan festivals, or working alongside artists and the music industry - to create an atmosphere and identity at all FIFA events.

In today’s episode, Jack walks us through what it’s like to work at the FIFA headquarters, what his role involves, and how they work to create a lasting impact at FIFA tournaments.

Lots to look out for, including how to go from a volunteer role to a FIFA Project Lead (without a uni degree), navigating a career change after 10 years in an industry, and the skills needed to work at one of the largest associations in the world.

Enjoy the episode!

We cover:

(00:42) Who is Jack Coles?

(01:41) Reuben & Ryan welcome

(04:42) What’s happening in the SportsGrad Community?

(07:12) What it’s like working at the FIFA headquarters

(09:59) Get to know Jack: Quick-Fire Questions

(15:40) How Jack took risks and swapped industries to begin his career in sport

(22:18) Jack’s role at FIFA Staffing and what they were responsible for

(24:20) How Jack moved to FIFA Sound and began working on the 2022 World Cup

(25:54) What is FIFA Sound and what is Jack’s role?

(33:05) How game atmospheres, identities, and operations are created through the music played

(37:00) How FIFA Sound works with music artists to benefit both them and the football community

(40:36) Challenges that Jack has to navigate in his role

(44:42) What a day in the life looks like for Jack

(47:27) How FIFA Sound works with the fan festivals to contribute to the tournament’s impact

(48:57) The most important skills to work in a role like Jack’s

(52:35) Lessons that Jack would pass on to those wanting to get into the industry

(55:35) ASK SPORTSGRAD

---

Additional episode you may enjoy:

#185 - Sam Hickson (Football Australia) - Living the dream with the Socceroos at the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

---

Want a weekly dose of career inspo? Get industry stories, upcoming events, and the latest sports jobs in your inbox each Friday.

👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad Newsletter

The SportsGrad Community connects Members to peers, professionals, events, jobs, and development opportunities. Join as a Rookie or Pro Member.

👉 Become a SportsGrad Member

Want our recruitment insights? Hiring Managers, get the SportsGrad Talent newsletter

👉 Subscribe to SportsGrad Talent

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok!

This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.au

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Shayla Clarke, Audience Growth & Engagement Coordinator at the Richmond Football Club. Shayla started her career with the Tigers, and over 6 years tasted premiership success, as well as growth in multiple roles. Lots to look out for including how to get a job in the AFL, how to progress and be promoted at work, what it’s like working at the MCG on match days for close to 100,000 fans, and how to engage the huge fan base of the Richmond footy club. 

We cover:

(01:00) Who is Shayla Clarke?

(01:52) What’s happening in the SportsGrad Community?

(05:17) Shayla’s secret side-hustle

(06:55) Get to know Shayla: Quick-Fire Questions

(09:57) What working in Fan Engagement at Richmond FC involves

(13:27) Shayla’s career journey to this position

(18:27) What at match day at the MCG with Richmond looks like

(22:47) What to do when things on match day don’t go to plan

(24:27) Planning for the 2024 ANZAC Day Eve match

(27:07) How to create new fans of a football club

(29:28) Richmond’s multicultural programs

(30:37) What it’s like to win an AFL grand final as a staff member

(36:52) Skills needed to work in Fan Engagement in the AFL

(39:51) Shayla’s advice to her younger self at the start of her career

(42:07) ASK SPORTSGRAD

---

Additional episodes you may enjoy:

#38: Grand Final Special - BTS of the 2020 AFL Premiership with Kevin Wilson from Richmond FC

#59: Fan Engagement at the Sydney Sixers with Aaron Wharton

#238: Journey to Diversity & Inclusion Consultant with Rana Hussain

---

Want a weekly dose of career inspo? Get industry stories, upcoming events, and the latest sports jobs in your inbox each Friday.

👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad Newsletter

The SportsGrad Community connects Members to peers, professionals, events, jobs, and development opportunities. Join as a Rookie or Pro Member.

👉 Become a SportsGrad Member

Want our recruitment insights? Hiring Managers, get the SportsGrad Talent newsletter

👉 Subscribe to SportsGrad Talent

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok!

This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.au

Thanks for listening! You’re all legends.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet the legend that is Chloe Dalton, Founder of The Female Athlete Project. Chloe's remarkable journey as an athlete and an advocate includes clinching a gold medal in Rugby 7s at the Rio 2016 Olympics, and growing The Female Athlete Project to 125k followers.

Chloe is an outstanding leader championing gender equality and empowering female athletes worldwide, using her platform to elevate the visibility of women’s sports.

Chloe’s now a 2x published author, and The Female Athlete Project has become Australia's fastest-growing women’s sport platform.

Plenty to look out for including her journey as an athlete, the origins of TFAP, the team and business model behind the scenes, the impact she’s having in the athlete community, how she responds to ‘the standards not good enough’ and ‘why should they be paid the same?’ Not to mention her candid approach to dealing with trolls!

We cover:

(01:00) Who is Chloe Dalton?

(02:20) Reuben & Ryan welcome

(04:50) What’s happening in the SportsGrad Community?

(07:39) Chloe’s early life as Physiotherapist

(10:35) Get to know Chloe: Quick-Fire Questions

(13:06) How Chloe’s career as an athlete took off

(18:56) Chloe’s transition from Rugby 7s to AFLW

(22:02) What inspired the birth of The Female Athlete Project?

(25:17) How Chloe learnt the skills to be a content creator and business owner

(29:14) The challenges that come with promoting female sport online

(33:39) How Chloe deals with internet trolls

(40:22) What impact of The Female Athlete Project looks like

(42:47) How Chloe impacted equal pay for Paralympians

(45:26) What’s in store for the future of The Female Athlete

(47:47) How The Female Athlete Project makes money

(50:27) What role will The Female Athlete Project play in the evolution of sport?

(53:27) The biggest lesson Chloe’s learnt on her TFAP journey

(56:22) ASK SPORTSGRAD

---

Additional episodes you may enjoy:

#238: Journey to Sports Diversity & Inclusion Consultant with Rana Hussain

---

Want a weekly dose of career inspo? Get industry stories, upcoming events, and the latest sports jobs in your inbox each Friday.

👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad Newsletter

The SportsGrad Community connects Members to peers, professionals, events, jobs, and development opportunities. Join as a Rookie or Pro Member.

👉 Become a SportsGrad Member

Want our recruitment insights? Hiring Managers, get the SportsGrad Talent newsletter

👉 Subscribe to SportsGrad Talent

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok!

This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.au

Thanks for listening! You’re all legends.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Elle Steele, the National Project Manager for Disability Sports Australia’s ‘Building Inclusive Sport Clubs’ Program. 

Beyond her day-to-day gig, Elle is also a Paralympian, Founder, TEDx speaker, and inclusion advocate. If you're interested in a career in the diversity & inclusion space, you're going to love this episode.

We dive deep into her main initiative, the ‘Building Inclusive Sport Clubs’ program, where her goal is to promote the access and inclusion of people with disabilities in sporting clubs across Australia.

Heaps to look out for, including Elle’s career journey, how to make your organisation more accessible and inclusive, learnings from being a Paralympian, and how Elle wishes everyone would view those with a disability. 

If you want to get involved at Disability Sports Australia’s ‘Building Inclusive Sport Clubs’ forum, register your interest here: https://bit.ly/4bNnSjv, or email Elle at [email protected]

---

We cover:

(00:48) Who is Elle Steele?

(01:50) Welcome

(03:36) What's happening in the SportsGrad Community?

(08:11) Welcome Elle!

(09:11) Quick-Fire Questions

(14:26) Elle’s role at Disability Sports Australia

(20:27) Promoting disability inclusion at organisations and clubs

(21:59) Elle’s journey and her mission

(26:20) Challenges in Elle’s personal life and career

(32:25) Transition from professional swimming to rugby

(35:23) Lessons from competing at a Paralympic level

(47:29) How sport organisations can practice disability inclusivity

(52:18) How you can get involved in DSA’s ‘Building Inclusive Sport Clubs’ Forum in March

(55:37) Elle’s message for the world

(58:39) ASK SPORTSGRAD

---

Additional episodes you may enjoy:

#116: Matt Levy, Paralympic Gold Medallist

#145: Anna Livingston, Tennis Australia Chief Diversity & People Officer

---

Want a weekly dose of career inspo? Get industry stories, upcoming events, and the latest sports jobs in your inbox each Friday.

👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad Newsletter

The SportsGrad Community connects Members to peers, professionals, events, jobs, and development opportunities. Join as a Rookie or Pro Member.

👉 Become a SportsGrad Member

Want our recruitment insights? Hiring Managers, get the SportsGrad Talent newsletter

👉 Subscribe to SportsGrad Talent

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok!

This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.au

Thanks for listening! You’re all legends.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Pete Lock, the General Manager of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at Queensland Cricket.

Pete has over 10 years of experience within cricket, overseeing the commercial, sponsorship, hospitality, marketing, digital, and communications for Queensland Cricket/Brisbane Heat.

In this episode, he deep dives into what it’s like leading the most followed social media sports team in Oceania, his career journey that has lead to his role as a General Manager, and what it was like when they signed on AB de Villiers!

Lots to look out for including how to progress within an organisation, how to be an effective manager, and what it’s like being a part of a championship team.

If you enjoy this episode, come along to the Brisbane SportsGrad meetup on the 7th of March and listen to Pete in-person, where he is going to be a panellist.

Enjoy the episode!

---

We cover:

(00:54) - Pete’s introduction

(01:59) - Welcome!

(03:51) - Meetup recap

(08:20) - Community Updates

(12:45) - Welcome Pete!

(15:47) - Quick-fire questions

(20:03) - Pete’s career journey to get to Queensland Cricket

(22:22) - What Pete looks for when hiring

(24:39) - How Pete’s role has evolved over 10 years

(27:32) - How Pete overcomes challenges at work

(32:22) - Managing the announcement of AB de Villiers

(35:52) - Career highlights

(36:34) - In-season vs off-season day

(39:16) - The impact that the success of the Big Bash has on yearly outcomes

(44:02) - Why the Heat prioritise in-match experience

(46:57) - How Pete cultivates a team environment where people stay for years

(49:52) - Skills needed to be a General Manager

(54:32) - Benefits of being with an organisation for a decade

(55:37) - Advice from Pete

(57:19) - ASK SPORTSGRAD

---

Additional episode you may enjoy:

#244 - Katie Staniforth (Cricket Australia) - Event Manager at Cricket Australia

---

Want a weekly dose of career inspo? Get industry stories, upcoming events, and the latest sports jobs in your inbox each Friday.

👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad Newsletter

The SportsGrad Community connects Members to peers, professionals, events, jobs, and development opportunities. Join as a Rookie or Pro Member.

👉 Become a SportsGrad Member

Want our recruitment insights? Hiring Managers, get the SportsGrad Talent newsletter

👉 Subscribe to SportsGrad Talent

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok!

This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.au

Thanks for listening! You’re all legends.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Barbara Sikorski, the Global Head of Media Operations at SailGP.

Barbara is far from a stranger to international events. Previous to SailGP, she has worked at the likes of the 2016 Rio Olympics, the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and the International Paralympic Committee.

She is now on the epic team at SailGP, where she manages everything to do with the media operations for the global event.

Lots to look out for in this episode, such as what it’s like working at major events all over the world, lessons she has learned from her experiences at the Olympics, and advice on how to work in Media Operations like her.

If you enjoy this episode and hearing Barbara’s journey, you can come along and meet her in person at our Sydney meetup on the 15th of February, where she’ll be joining us as a guest speaker.

Enjoy the episode!

...

Timestamps:

(00:40) - Introduction

(05:56) - Community Update

(10:10) - Welcome Barbara!

(10:58) - Quick Fire Questions

(20:37) - When Barbara knew she wanted to travel the world

(26:22) - The major events Barbara has worked on

(31:47) - What it’s like working at SailGP

(34:07) - Who SailGP are and their purpose

(37:22) - How SailGP is working towards gender equity

(41:48) - Lessons Barbara has learnt throughout her career

(46:57) - Comparing the Olympics to SailGP

(50:25) - Working at SailGP highlights

(57:00) - Advice for those wanting to work in Media Operations

(59:34) - Additional episode recommendations

(1:01:17) - ASK SPORTSGRAD

...

Additional episodes you may like:

#256: Meet the SailGP staff on the ground in Saint-Tropez

#228: Melissa Lawton (SailGP) - Journey to Chief Content Officer

Want a weekly dose of career inspo? Get industry stories, upcoming events, and the latest sports jobs in your inbox each Friday.

👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad Newsletter

The SportsGrad Community connects Members to peers, professionals, events, jobs, and development opportunities. Join as a Rookie or Pro Member.

👉 Become a SportsGrad Member

Want our recruitment insights? Hiring Managers, get the SportsGrad Talent newsletter

👉 Subscribe to SportsGrad Talent

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok!

This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.au

Thanks for listening! You’re all legends.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Ankita Karungalekar, Sports Presenter for the Mumabi Indians, Cricket Australia, and KOJO.

Reuben met Ankita on a whim at the end of 2022, where she told him that being a Cricket Presenter was her 2 year goal. Inspired by Rana Hussain presenting at the T20 World Cup in Adelaide, she thought to herself, “why couldn’t I do this too?”.

Less than a year later, she found herself standing on the same oval, doing the same thing as her inspiration and now mentor.

She is also killing it in the social media space, using her personal brand to promote her sports presenting and grow her career.

Lots to look out for, including how to land your dream job, how to work overseas, and what a day in the life looks like when working at the IPL and Cricket Australia.

We’re stoked to be back in 2024 - let’s go!

___

We cover:

(01:39) - Introduction

(07:12) - SportsGrad Talent update

(08:27) - Community Update

(13:27) - Welcome Ankita

(18:05) - Quick Fire Questions

(23:42) - Challenges Ankita identified when moving to Australia

(25:38) - When Ankita realised her dream to work as a presenter

(29:11) - How Ankita landed her first sports presenting role

(33:59) - What it’s like working for the Mumbai Indians and the IPL

(40:45) - Ankita’s tips for dealing with imposter syndrome

(44:42) - What it’s like working for Cricket Australia/KOJO

(49:07) - How Ankita takes inspiration from other presenters and the essential skills needed.

(57:36) - How Rana Hussain is now a mentor for Ankita.

(1:01:08) - Ankita’s advice for her younger self

(1:04:39) - ASK SPORTSGRAD

Additional Episodes you may enjoy:

#104 - Marc Ohlmus (Sky Racing) - How to grow a career from communications

#238 - Rana Hussain - Journey to Sport Diversity & Inclusion Consultant

Want a weekly dose of career inspo? Get industry stories, upcoming events, and the latest sports jobs in your inbox each Friday.

👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad Newsletter

The SportsGrad Community connects Members to peers, professionals, events, jobs, and development opportunities. Join as a Rookie or Pro Member.

👉 Become a SportsGrad Member

Want our recruitment insights? Hiring Managers, get the SportsGrad Talent newsletter

👉 Subscribe to SportsGrad Talent

Follow us on Instagram and TikTok!

This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.au

Thanks for listening! You’re all legends.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello and welcome to the last SportsGrad episode of 2023!

We can’t believe how fast this year has flown by, and we have a lot to unpack - from the nitty-gritty of how SportsGrad levelled up, to juggling goals, and simply tackling life.

In today’s episode, we recap on all of our favourite moments from the year, answer questions from the Community, and chat about learnings and goals for the year to come. Additionally, Reuben and Ryan dive into how they navigated their personal lives, such as Reuben dealing with his sexual assault case coming to fruition, and living/working overseas for 6 months.

This year has been an absolute blast, with some of our largest meetups, best Community wins, Grand Prix live shows, coffee catch ups, and so much more!

However for now, that’s all from us - we’ll be back in your ears soon.

Thanks to everyone who tuned in for another great year.

Have a safe and happy New Year!

💛 Reuben & Ryan

In today's episode we cover:

(00:00) Introduction

(14:34) Community Update

(17:39) Quick Fire Questions with a twist

(25:48) Questions from the SportsGrad community

(26:15) How we handled things that didn’t go as planned

(33:45) Member wins across the 2023

(40:01) Our Fav podcasts from the year

(45:19) What we’ve learnt in 2023

(55:09) What advice we would give ourselves at the start of 2023

(01:01:07) ASK SPORTSGRAD

#151 - How to network your way into sport (without getting lucky)

#194 - 5 things I wish I knew before I started my career

Want to stay up today with all the new podcasts, events, and blogs to help you get a job in sport?

👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad Newsletter

Need help landing a job in sport?

👉 Become a SportsGrad Member

Want to hire the best grads in sport? Let us help you recruit.

👉 Help me recruit talent

If you want to learn more about us, connect with us on LinkedIn!

Reuben Williams

Ryan Walker

SportsGrad

Instagram

TikTok

This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.au

Thanks for listening! You’re all legends.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Meet Olivia Hogan, Head of Marketing and Communications for the Asia Pacific at Sail GP.

You might remember Liv from episode #256 on the ground at the Saint-Tropez Sail GP regatta, where we went behind the scenes of the most exciting and action-packed race on water. Liv’s role is crucial in growing the fan base and brand awareness all around the world in their breakout season.

In today’s episode, Liv dives into the marketing and comms side of SailGP, the challenges she has faced in getting to where she is, what a day in her life looks like, and the skills needed for her job.

If you want evidence of how to travel the world and work in sport, need help navigating your career direction, or want to hear about job opportunities at SailGP, press play and tune in - enjoy!

In todays episode we cover:

(00:00) Introduction

(04:13) Community Update

(08:05) Welcome Liv

(10:56) Quick Fire Questions

(20:27) Liv’s favorite parts of her role at Sail GP

(25:13) How a Sail GP season is structured

(28:33) The ownership structure in Sail GP

(32:02) How Liv landed her role at Sail GP

(38:57) Challenges Liv has faced in her career

(42:50) Specific KPIs Liv’s team works towards

(48:11) Liv’s role on Race Day vs Non-Race Day

(55:12) Skills that have helped Liv in her career

(58:06) Liv on looking at a career in Sailing over other major sports

(01:02:15) ASK SPORTSGRAD

#22 - Hayley Hamp (Collingwood FC) - How to launch a career in sports marketing

#256 - Meet the Sail GP staff on the ground in Saint-Tropez

Want to stay up today with all the new podcasts, events, and blogs to help you get a job in sport?

👉 Subscribe to the SportsGrad Newsletter

Need help landing a job in sport?

👉 Become a SportsGrad Member

Want to hire the best grads in sport? Let us help you recruit.

👉 Help me recruit talent

If you want to learn more about us, connect with us on LinkedIn!

Reuben Williams

Ryan Walker

SportsGrad

Instagram

TikTok

This episode is brought to you by Deakin University, the Official Education Partner of The SportsGrad Podcast. Find out why their Master of Business in Sport Management is not one of, but the best one in Australia ranked at #1 at www.deakin.edu.au

Thanks for listening! You’re all legends.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.