Sports Panel
The TCU PRSSA Exec with the Panelists. (back row: Erin Arnim, Nicole Wirght, Mr. Kyle Seay, Mr. Joe Trahan, Mr. Joe Calvillo, and Giovanna Caravetta; front row: MAdison Ladd, Cami Fannin, Kristin Robinson, and Madison Benveniste)
TCU PRSSA hosted Joe Trahan (Media Relations & Corporate Communications Coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys), Joe Calvillo (Corporate Communications Manager for the Dallas Stars), and Kyle Seay (New Media Specialist for TCU Athletics). The first ever TCU PRSSA Sports panel was held on October 21st 2015.
All three panelist were asked to describe a "typical day" in their work life.
Mr. Seay said that there is no such thing as a typical day, that every day has the motto of "the little engine that could". Every day is different and every day he has different tasks and goals to achieve.
Mr. Trahan talked about what his job entails. He handles the day in and day out lives and promotions of team members, coaches and the team owner. He sets up interviews with media, sets up open locker rooms with both local and national media (sometimes high school media). He answers emails, sets up meetings with legal teams. He doesn't believe in or work with spin- just facts. Mr. Trahan works on promotional books, manuals, and team yearbooks.
Mr. Calvillo described his job as the gatekeeper between players, managers, coaches, owners, legal teams, and media. His biggest job is "to keep them all from looking stupid and uninformed". He preps them on what the media wants to know and will ask (based on previous interviews). He writes pregame emails, pregame facts to add into the game (screen, on t.v., and over the speakers) - like a stats junkie. He works to building relationships, and said being around and present is the biggest thing that students should know about working in this field. The biggest thing is that this job isn’t structured with a tight time frame- it is a-around-the-clock job that takes tears and years to build solid relationships. "People can see when you are committed and when you are not" Mr. Calvillo said.
How did you decided to work in public relations in sports?
Mr. Trahan said he always knew he wanted to work in the NFL. He said that he always knew that the team travels all the time, so he wanted to do something a little more stable. His dad suggested that he get a job in PR. He applied for 36 national team jobs, every year, and was rejected. He then decided to narrow it down to his one true goal of working in the NFL. He suggested that to be successful to make yourself invaluable, find what makes you different and strengthen it. He interned for four years before getting his job to show commitment. Mr. Trahan said that during the season his job is around-the-clock, and that it is for little to no money.
Mr. Calvillo got an internship with the San Antonio Spurs and that was it. He loved that job and knew that he wanted to work with a sports team. He knew someone from his internship that suggested he apply for his current suggestion and then his letters of recommendation helped him land the job. Mr. Calvillo said that he had three internships, he thought people should get internships not to build up their relationships but to see what they personally do and do not like.
Mr. Seay interned at his college and when the coach came to TCU he got a phone call that changed everything. He loved public relations and sports and wanted to find a way to combine them together.
Following the guided discussion our meeting ended with some time for our memeber to do one-on-one persoanl questions and discussions.
