Baker Proud Spring 2017 - 21

BAKER PROUD | Spring 2017

Since 2015, Jenna Brantley, '11, has served as
a national sales manager for Legends Global Sales, an
industry service provider owned by the Dallas Cowboys,
New York Yankees, and Live Nation that works with sports
and entertainment venues to develop unique partnership
platforms for prospective
brands, among other
sport-related services.
Brantley-an exercise
science major and a
member of the women's
basketball team during
her time at Baker-manages a division that specializes in naming rights,
sponsorship consulting,
and sales execution.
From a young age,
Brantley knew she
wanted to be involved in
sports in any kind of professional capacity, and her first
break into the industry came shortly after she received
her Baker diploma.

"After moving to New York City two days after
graduating, I quickly faced major adversity. My position at
Madison Square Garden was put on a hiring freeze due to
an NBA lockout. After grinding it out for six long months,
I started my career in a yearlong inside sales program,
selling season tickets for the Knicks, Rangers, and Liberty.
Inside sales programs are cutthroat. They hire 20 kids
straight out of college and one or two will make it out alive
and get promoted to account executive. I made the cut!
"The promotion put me in a position to pick my next
move. After many interviews and tours, I accepted a role
with the most valuable sports franchise in the world: the
Dallas Cowboys! I continued to sell at a high level and
lead the corporate hospitality sales team, which helped
me land my current role."
That role has
made Brantley privy "I think the students,
to many rare expeprofessors, and coaches
riences, including
at Baker hold each other
one that particularly
to such high standards."
stands out in her
memory.
"The Cowboys [sales team was] outsourced to provide
additional firepower and sell Super Bowl 49 suites in
New York City. This was not a paid incentive, instead [I
received] an all-expense paid trip for two! I picked up my
tickets from will call and somehow landed ROW ONE at
the Super Bowl! I've yet to meet someone who sat row one
at a Super Bowl!"
Although it's hard to beat front-row Super Bowl tickets,
meeting one of her sports heros and role models tops her
list of memorable moments.
"I've been fortunate to meet many athletes, actors,
politicians, musicians, and so on. But, my favorite athlete
is Kobe Bryant. Last year I was having breakfast with the
Lakers' equipment manager and, 20 minutes in, Kobe
joined and I freaked! I've always idolized his work ethic
and passion for the game."
While she may have taken many lessons from Bryant's professional devotion, Brantley says the lessons
she learned at Baker helped prepare her for the working
world.
"I think the students, professors, and coaches at Baker
hold each other to such high standards. You're ready to
bring your A game to the next chapter in life."
Brantley's advice for current students who want to pursue a career like hers is simple.
"Share everything! You will never have enough time to
sell to everyone, so if your method is working, help folks
out! And take as many internships as possible! Experience
coming out of school will set you apart."

back to the NFL out of my future, but there's something to
be said for the motorsports industry in that it gives you a
little taste of everything. The Speedway doesn't just have
NASCAR; it has supercross, global rallycross, concerts, motorcycle racing, and so much more! One thing's for sure:
Once you're in the sports industry, it's hard to ever picture
leaving it."
Ultimately, Lyons said, carving a career in sports is
about passion.
"I've always said that I wouldn't want to work at a job
that I hated, and working in sports isn't about the money,
it's about going to work every day to do something you
love, which is exactly what I was looking for. No day looks
the same."
Which day has looked the most unique so far at the
Speedway? Sometimes the obvious answer is right, according to Lyons.
"My most memorable moment working in professional
sports so far was at my first Daytona 500. I'd been working
at the Speedway for three months, but it wasn't until I was
standing in the infield before the race looking at a sold-out
crowd in our brand new facility and hearing 'Drivers, start
your engines!' for the first time in person that I realized
just how lucky I was to be working at such an iconic venue. If you've never been to the Daytona 500, it's difficult
to understand just how large the facility is and how small
it makes you feel, and I got to play a part in it all. Nothing
has quite lived up to that moment."

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Baker Proud Spring 2017