Random Thoughts

        A side note...I don't know if I've mentioned it yet, but Sarah and I share the largest office in the Raycom Building.  Even if you split it in half, it would still be bigger than the offices of the people we work with.  We have a television, where we have Sports Center, Regis and Kelly, or CMT running all day...sick, I know.  There is a large window that opens up to the lobby and lets in direct sunlight.  It's a place that people like to stop by, and I LOVE that!  Because, let's face it.  I work with cool people!  I'm spoiled. 

        Alright, I know I don't need to be talking about buying clothing but for those of you looking for good work attire, GO TO GAP!  I got a pair of black slack (ish) pants from there for $35 and they are SO great.  The fit is called True Straight and they really streamline a look.  They are not as wide leg as a traditional pair of slacks, but they are a nicer fabric than wearing a pair of dark jeans.  In a relatively casual work atmosphere, that is pretty typical in the sport world, I still feel the need to dress up.  But a suit looks out of place.  These pants, which I obviously bought in a long, are a great length (I can even wear heals with them without them looking awkwardly short), and an even better fit.  A solid investment piece to keep in your wardrobe!

Get yours here: http://tinyurl.com/3x8l8oe

        

        Back to work.  Hands up if you think going to work in an almost ALL ACC atmosphere was fun today.  If you kept your hands down, you got it.  ACC Football biting the big one in general this weekend was not a good thing for Raycom or Charlotte Collegiate Football (especially the ACC Championship)...YIKES!  At this point, I'm thinking that the Tigers might make it to the Championship by default.  It's an interesting dynamic to work for a Bowl and a Championship that will most assuredly bring in 2 completely different sets of teams but will be drawing from some of the same audiences.  The overwhelming losses were certainly a bad thing for the Championship, but for the Bowl, it had potential to mean good things...it's a weird dynamic. 

        OK today was busy, per usual.  We are calling people to get all renewals in for the Bowl by Wednesday.  Somehow, I have managed to get about 95% voice mails.  Sarah actually got to have conversations with people...lets just say that leaving 65 of the same voice mails gets a little redundant.  Here's to hoping I have some messages of my own tomorrow tomorrow and can finally have some conversations about ticket sales!  

        We got some good feedback today about the luncheon, and the only complaint he had was that he would like for the name tags to be a little more creative.  I was kind of disappointed that we didn't get it perfect, but we did the tags exactly as he had originally asked and if that is the only feedback we got from him, I can live with that!  

        We're hosting a viewing party for NCSU VS. CINCY on September 16 at the EpiCentre and our job is to really push that on Twitter and Facebook.  Today we came up with a makeshift social media plan to promote the viewing party.  By the way, if you are in the Charlotte area, you should come out to Strikecity, Blackfinn or Whisky River on Thursday because there are going to be great drink specials (especially if you have an extra point pass) and it should be a really fun crow at each of these venues (all three will be showing the game).  Some of the things we will be promoting different aspects of Thursday night that will hopefully draw in consumers: last Alive after 5 at the Epicentre, The actual game-articles about the teams and kickoff times etc..., and the drink specials available at the party.  We are going to link to Alive After 5, Strike City, Blackfinn, Whisky River, and the Epicentre as much as possible.  We also decided to do a contest on both Facebook and Twitter on Wednesday that will involve retrieving a prize at the party.  Sarah and I had a phone conference with Melissa Kern who manages the social media for the EpiCentre and their venues, and she had some good ideas as well (including an additional contest!)  We are exchanging some great prizes, to be announced later, and she has promised to link to our social media sites as much as possible.  It was a very productive convo, and I'm excited to see how effective it might end up being!

        On a final note, I'm sure that I've mentioned this in other posts but I really love working in a small group because I have gotten to work in all facets of the big games.  All along, I have said that I want to get into sport promotion but what I'm realizing that Event Operations MAY be a more accurate description of what I want to do...I'm not sure, but I think that title better encompasses what I ultimately want to do.  Snaps for taking productive steps towards figuring out where I want to go with my career!