These College of Business grads are on the ball
In the spring of 2021, the Kansas State University Sports Sales Team finished in fourth place out of 30 universities at the National Collegiate Sports Sales Competition hosted by Baylor University's Center for Sports Strategy and Sales, the University of North Georgia's Mike Cottrell College of Business and the Atlanta Hawks. Members of this team included Bailey Short, then a senior in marketing and mass communications; Kylee Stec, a senior studying marketing; and Katherine Trumble, a senior in marketing and professional strategic selling. All three recall the National Collegiate Sports Sales Competition as being a pivotal part of their overall K-State experience, and after graduation, all three landed their dream jobs in the sports industry.
Bailey Short
Inside Sales Representative, New York Mets
Also interviewed with Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, Real Salt Lake FC
Job Duties: “I reach out to prospective buyers. We emphasize face to face appointments, so I run a lot of ballpark tours as well as hosting clients out to events we hold.”
Let’s Talk About Sports: “I love that not every day is the same. I also like talking to people and getting to know more about their stories and why they became such a big Mets fan. I am a huge sports fan so it’s very easy for me to talk about, and I love hearing more about why others enjoy sports as well. I get a lot of very cool and interesting stories from people.”
Living Situation: Currently living in the other Manhattan. "Manhattan, NY is much different than my hometown of Abilene, KS, a town with 7,000 people. “I love 
always having something to do, you truly never can get bored here in NYC. I moved here knowing nobody and even doing things by yourself is so much fun. Working is awesome because being in a big city there are so many different connections and outlets you can go to. In my spare time I spend a lot of time just walking around and enjoying the city, there is so much to see and do here you never really can get bored. I love to go out to eat and try new restaurants. Italian is my all-time favorite food and here in NYC you can get some of the best Italian! All my co-workers are around my age, so we often go out for drinks or to dinner as well which is super fun!”
K-State Shoutout: “The sports sales competition that Dr. Walker encouraged me to do really helped me land this job. Without that competition, I'm not sure if I would have landed the job. I also had experience working with K-State Athletics and that really helped me get into the sports industry.”
Katherine Trumble
Inside Sales Associate, World Champion Milwaukee Bucks
Had job offers from New Jersey Devils and Arizona Coyotes
Job Duties: She contacts leads/prospects about season ticket packages, half-season, 10 game plans, premium experiences (suites, club lounges) for Bucks, Marquette, and events/concerts, and group outings (10+ people). On game nights, she works sales tables, makes in-game seat visits to clients or prospective clients, and prospect new clients. “It’s a lot of calls, emails, and meetings virtually and in the arena on our dark days (no events going on). We also have sales events where we can bring out prospective clients and have them sit in the seats that they would like for the season. I sell products to customers and businesses alike.”
Culture is King: “I love the people I work with. The Milwaukee Bucks is a wonderful organization and has an amazing culture! I also love being able to have my clients make memories with their families, friends, and their companies. It’s just a great environment to be a part of, especially when you make sales (where you hit the gong or ring the bell based on what you sell). It’s a competitive but friendly and supportive environment to be a part of.”
Living Situation: Katherine grew up in Wichita, KS, and moved to Milwaukee, WI for this job. “It’s a much bigger city with something it feels like going on every weekend. From Summerfest (the world’s largest music festival) to Irishfest to Oktoberfest. There’s literally something to do every weekend!”
K-State Shoutout: “My education at Kansas State really did prepare me for this job. I was a dual major of Marketing and Professional Strategic Selling with the Business of Sports and Entertainment Certificate. The skills that the college offered through the courses I took really prepared me for this job. I was also Dr. Walker’s TA for Sports Marketing in the Fall of 2020, and I was on the Sports Sales Competition team. The competition is where I connected with professionals and managers of sales teams within the industry and honestly how I got my job today. I connected with my manager Tom during the competition and reached out to him after he posted job for the position I’m in today.”
Kylee Stec
Account Executive for K-State Athletics, Learfield
Also interviewed with Tampa Bay Buccaneers, NASCAR
Job Duties: “My job consists of working in ticket sales and services. The focus is engaging and interacting with fans to provide exceptional service to them, while selling tickets and generating revenue for the department. I am making an average of 80 phone calls and emails a day focusing on different outreach to past single game buyers, season ticket holders, email click through list, and a wide range of groups. At K-State Athletics we sell tickets to football, men’s and women’s basketball, soccer, volleyball, and baseball. With selling more than one sport, cross selling becomes key when talking with fans. On a phone call it is important to assess the fan’s needs and that includes what sports they like, how many games they attend.”
K-State Proud: “My favorite part about my job is that I am working at my Alma Mater. Nearly everyone I interact with has a K-State sports story. When I get to hear about a fan’s passion and love for K-State it makes my day. I like the challenge of every phone call being different from the last.”
Living Situation: "I moved from Atchison, KS to Manhattan, KS for college. After being in MHK for the past four years it has quickly become home to me."
K-State Shoutout: “The Sports Marketing program helped prepare me for this job. If it wasn’t for Dr. Walker and the certificate classes I would have never imagined that I would be working in sports sales. One of the most rewarding activities I did was the National Collegiate Sports Sales Competition. That combined what was learned in the sales classes with real sales scenarios that I work with now in sports. Not only did that competition help, but the marketing curriculum also provided me with many different success skills that I have taken with me to my current role. Starting from interview prep and how to build a resume, to interacting with people in a business situation, to applying that to my current role. I continue to use different skills I was taught in the classroom. I recently started to focus more on B2B selling and my classes at K-State help me feel prepared and confident when working with businesses.”