On April 11, the Philadelphia Phillies
opened the doors of Citizens Bank Park to a
group of 200 inspired students to take part
in the media night themed baseball game,
which featured a panel of experts in the
fields of marketing and media.
Experts that fielded questions at the forum
included Dave Buck, senior vice president
of advertising sales for the Philadelphia
Phillies, as well as Brian Monihan, Comcast
Sports Net Philadelphia senior vice president
and general manager.
Other speakers at the forum included
David Yadgaroff, senior vice president and
market manager at CBS Radio, and Dave
Patterson, vice president of production at
MLB Network.
When asked what employers are looking
for from future graduates, David Yadgaroff
tied it directly to the occasion by saying,
“in a lot of ways it’s like baseball, you want
a five-tool player, you don’t want a fielder
who can’t hit or a hitter who can’t field.”
He continued on by saying, “make sure that
you create a broad enough portfolio that can
demonstrate what you can do.”
Further questions regarding how to receive
a job after an internship were answered by
Dave Buck who responded by saying, “be
the guy that they can count on, be the guy
who is there early and stays late.” He went
on by saying, “do everything you’re asked
and begin looking for new things.”
Another question to the panelists was the
idea of professionalism and how it must
exist in obtaining a job in today’s society.
Scott Palmer, Phillies director of public
affairs, had the best answer when he simply
said, “if you want to work in baseball more
than anything else, then you are going to
work seven days a week, you’re going to
work holidays, you’re going to go in early
and stay late.” He went on to say, “if you
want to be a broadcaster, same thing goes, if
it’s Easter Sunday, you have to tell the kids
you will dye the eggs later.”
Students from all over the Philadelphia
area began the night by immediately becoming
speechless as the elevator doors opened
to the conference room in the basement of
Citizens Bank Park where all the athletes
take questions from reporters.
When the night first began, students participated
in a networking hour in which they
were able to talk to many of the marketing
and advertising sales staff of the Philadelphia
Phillies.
Also during this hour, tours took place
into the Phillies broadcast booth as well as
the press box where Phillies beat writers
were already preparing for their night’s
work.
After the panelists fielded questions, the
surprise entrance of Phillies first baseman,
Brock Stassi, shocked the crowd of students.
Up and coming media students were able
to ask the 33 round pick of the Phillies some
questions after getting his call to the big
leagues this past year, which concluded the
media section of the evening.
Students were then released to their seats
to enjoy the second game in a series between
the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets
Suffering a blowout loss, the Phillies were
never in the game as they fell to the Mets
14-4.
Although the panelists provided strikes of
inspiration and sprinkled confidence about
the future for the students who attended the
event, the