Leisure Delivery System Assignment 2: Jonathan Lee

Introduction:

Whether it be tailgating around the parking lot near Memorial Stadium hours before kickoff, or filling up the stadiums and fields with orange and blue to watch your fighting Illini teams crush their opponents; there is no question the amount of fun and entertainment that surrounds these athletic venues. The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics has a footprint on any sporting event here at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. These athletic events provide fans with a getaway from their everyday life, where the only thing that’s on their minds is bringing home a W. The clock strikes seven, you can hear the thunderous chants by the cheering fans, and that can only mean one thing, GAMETIME!

Background on the Business:

I had the opportunity to meet with the Assistant Ticketing Manager with the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, Allison L. Myles, who provided me with an in-depth look at what goes on around the Athletic offices here at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. DIA, is in charge of managing 13 different sports here on campus, and making sure everything from ticket sales, promotions, sponsorships, and much more are completed come game day. Every bit of detail from the numbering of seats at Memorial Stadium to the entertainment that surrounds the athletic venues on game nights, DIA has had a handprint on. The DIA is comprised of 29 different sectors from basketball and football departments, to corporate relations and marketing sectors, DIA has it all. There are six different building that DIA operates under. They are the Bielfeldt Athletic Administration Building, the Uben Practice facilities, Memorial Stadium, Assembly Hall, Atkins Tennis Center, and Demirjian Golf Practice Facility. You can find these locations on First and Fourth Street, Wright Street, and St.Mary’s road. In order for all sectors to run efficiently, there needs to be an overall command of each area, hence directors and coaches. The President of the Athletic staff is B.Joseph White, followed by Chancellor Richard Herman and Athletics Director Ron Guenter. DIA’s mission statement is “to have the highest quality athletic program in all sports that allows the University of Illinois teams to compete for championships in the Big Ten Conference and the National Collegiate Athletic Association” Their level of criteria for excellence are integrity academic performance, balanced budget, championship program, gender and ethnic equity, facilities, caring community.

Employment:

Employment opportunities within the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics are very slim with everyone vying for a position to work in the sports industry. The high level of interest from students, especially in the RST major of sports management, makes for a part time job difficult, with a full-time job being even more of a long shot. The best way to get your foot in the door with DIA is to build up your resume to make yourself marketable to the head personal. Workers will generally start out under ticket sales or for the marketing department, and work their way up the ladder. The turnover rate is very low within this industry, but the current trends within this industry can be a good sign for the future. Once you get your foot in the door, the best thing to do is wait from that point on. Waiting for an opening position, while working hard is the best way to climb the ladder. The ladder can move from a student worker, to a full-time employee, to an assistant, to a manager with time.


Current Issues and Trends:

The future looks bright from all aspects of leisure and business for the DIA here at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Ticket sales have been booming for football and basketball games, with the football team reaching the 2008 Rose Bowl and the basketball squad having one of the top recruiting classes in the nation, fans are excited about the future here at Urbana-Champaign, which has definitely been shown from a business standpoint. Other notable accomplishment that has helped DIA has been the achievements from the Men’s tennis team and gymnastics, along with women’s cross-country. The only issue that DIA has had to face has been not being able to accommodate all basketball season ticket holders to the seats that they would like, as renewal rates are high, therefore leading to a low turnover in new seats available. When Speaking of the renewal rates for season basketball tickets, this is what Ms Myles had to say about them. “The economy plays a small part in renewals, larger factor is more about sense of ownership over particular seats, about being involved, and about having an identity with the school. The leisure movement for DIA has been expanding, with fans enjoying the games, which has them coming for more.







Leisure Movement in Sports:

As seen from my analysis, leisure plays a big role in the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, whether it be watching the athletic events or playing for them. Assistant Ticketing manager, Allison Myles put it best when sharing her thought on what leisure meant in the sports field. Ms Myles said, “Leisure is time where you have a choice of what you want to, specifically with the sports business, it is an opportunity to use Athletics as a means of leisure.

Synopsis:

From my experience talking to Ms. Myles and researching DIA, I was able to learn more about how the athletics department is able to influence leisure. From the athletic events they organize, to providing students with the opportunity to get involved with sports, DIA has a large role for leisure here at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. The opportunity to work in this business comes with great perks as well as negatives. The advantages with working in the sports field is it provides you with the opportunity to be active in a great work environment, as well as the opportunity to meet and network with people. A large part of this business is networking with your fellow peers, which is the only way to get your foot in the door. That in turn brings us to the negative about working with this particular agency. Since there is such a high demand for this job, the business truly is about who you know. DIA fits in with the leisure delivery system because it offers a wide variety of services that would be considered leisure. Being able to enjoy your free time and do something productive with it, is what DIA is all about. My overall experience with DIA was truly a wonderful one, and in terms of leisure, it doesn’t get better then what DIA can offer to the public.