The traditional sports industry is known for being relatively small; you are never further from two or three degrees of separation. If we look at college athletics, that number could be even smaller. It is also known because it is difficult to get in; a lot of people want to work in sports, and there are not many positions. Still, it is not impossible, and new technologies, communication tools, and even gaming and esports opened multiple new pathways into it. 

Our guest Scottie Rodgers, Director of Communications for the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic, has a lot to say about the different ways of getting into the sports industry, about consistency, and about pursuing a dream job. 

In this episode, Scottie shared bits of his story and how he stayed connected with sports throughout his life. Although he always wanted to work in the NFL, he had to wait over 20 years to do it, which he used to gain experience and know the nuances of the industry. We also talk about social media, esports and gaming, the power of communications, and much more. 

Resources:

Visit the Goodyear Cotton Bowl website: https://www.cottonbowl.com/index.aspx

or connect with Scottie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sfrodgers/

or Twitter: https://twitter.com/sfrodgers?lang=es

Full Episode Breakdown:

3:29 – Dr. Marc introduces today’s guest, Scottie Rodgers.

5:57 – Scottie talks about being the first African American Executive in Cotton Bowl’s history. 

7:19 – The 21-year interview. Scottie talks about his experience working on 21 Cotton Bowls editions before getting hired.

10:17 – Scottie describes his experiences as an Alabama College student and how it was his first job at the Athletic Department as a student.

15:39 – Dr. Marc and Scottie discuss the potential of communications and marketing and how those disciplines can bridge gaming and esports with traditional sports.

18:34 – Scottie reflects on how many traditional sports communication tools can be used in gaming and esports.

23:36 – Scottie talks about the several pathways new technologies and communication tools created to get into traditional sports, gaming, and esports. 

29:30 – Scottie highlights the importance of keeping social media tidy and being careful with what we post online. He also reflects on the relevance of being respectful and acting with integrity while gaming, especially when streaming gaming content.