Drew Hays (M.Ed. 2013) Sports Sales Manager, Visit Wichita.
What’s your current position with Visit Wichita and can you give a brief overview of what it is you do? I have been working for Visit Wichita for almost three years now as their Sports Sales Manager. My job is to bring in sporting events, tournaments, conventions, etc… to drive economic impact to the city of Wichita.
What would you say most motivates you to do what your job and what are some of the goals you would like to accomplish?
Wichita means a great deal to me personally, so when I’m able to see athletes from around the country come in and compete in our city then that is something that gets me motivated & excited. Wichita as a city has a lot of momentum right now, and what better way to share that momentum than with athletes from a different state or even country. I have a number of personal goals when it comes to different events that I’d like to someday see in Wichita – stay tuned.
What were the circumstances that led you to this job? As a student you will constantly hear about the importance of networking. I “lucked” into the position because I had met three people earlier in the year, one from Visit Wichita and two from the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission. Turns out two of the three sat in on my interview with Visit Wichita, and the other one sent me the job description. Without making those three connections I would have never heard about the opportunity and might have never been offered the position.
Did you have any key mentors or people who influenced you?
Adam Nuse, GM of the Nashville Sounds and WSU Alum was someone who I have a lot of respect for and one of the major reasons I applied for graduate school at WSU. Without his knowledge and influence I’m not sure I’d be where I’m at today.
Were there specific experiences you gained while studying in the Sport Management program that prepared you for the work you do today?
In my sports events class at WSU, we were required to create a sports tournament and donate proceeds to a local charity. Our group organized an Ultimate Frisbee tournament – you have to deal with facilities, sponsors, recruitment of teams, and all the other necessary items that are required with hosting an event. In my role now, I have to have all the same items organized in preparation to submit a bid to host an event.
What advice or suggestions would you give to someone that wanted to pursue a degree in Sport Management?
There are a lot of careers in sports other than working for a team or athletic department – I for one wanted to be the GM of a baseball team one day. My job is an example where I work with sports daily in the sports tourism industry, something I had never really known about before applying for the position. Other jobs are out there too, I know of a stereo speaker company that has a dedicated sports manager that works with Extreme Sport Athletes on a daily basis as their company sponsors them. Be sure to take a look at all opportunities out there before you decide which direction you’d like to go with your sports management degree.
How did your experience at Wichita State help you find your first position after graduation?
My internship during my time in the graduate program at WSU was with the Wichita Wingnuts, which transitioned into a full-time job with the same organization.
How difficult was it to transition from college life to your professional life? And what advice would you give to students that are close to graduation? Once again rely on your connections – your instructors, classmates, sports mgmt. alumni all have different connections that you might not have. It never hurts to reach out to someone that might know someone within an organization that you’re applying for – especially if you’re 1 of 1200 applicants. Plus, if you’re interviewing for a job, write a hand-written thank-you note to those that interview you – personalized thank-you notes will go a lot further than you might expect.