willkboddington-blog

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Quarter Times entry

In the words of Sam Duncan, “can you believe it?!” It’s all over, and what an experience it was. Having now completed three years of studies I am overwhelmingly proud of myself and what I have been able to achieve.

Of course, the highlight of the degree, like many other students, was the internship experience. I was lucky enough to complete mine at the Glen Eira Sports and Aquatic Centre (GESAC), one of the premier leisure facilities in the country as well as a shorter, complimentary internship at the VAFA as a marketing intern.

For the GESAC role I contributed to the ongoing maintenance and administration of the centre’s internal sports competitions and programs. The role included a lot of administrative work and correspondence to the internal stakeholders. The experience was a great way to broaden my skill set as I look for employment at the completion of my studies. My approach to selecting an intern host was where I was going to best fit in and where I was going to learn the most. The role at GESAC definitely suited these two goals and now I am finding that I am easily able to apply for jobs in the leisure industry where coming into the course this was something I would not have even thought about that.

My time at the VAFA, although short, was a valuable experience in order to improve my skills and understanding of marketing and sponsorship. I was tasked with helping design a new sponsorship proposal among other documents and I could instantly see how what I had learnt in the course complimented what I was putting into practice at the VAFA, strengthening my skill set.

When it comes to my studies, let me put it simply, I was glad I stuck with it. Particularly during the first year there were definitely some motivational issues as well as the struggle to adapt to the new uni lifestyle. Learning how to study again was one thing, but moving from the city, meeting new people and forming relationships was a difficult task.

I look back three years ago, and I can’t imagine where I would be if I didn’t grit it out and keep going because I feel I have set the foundations to a successful life ahead. But what I believe is more important is the relationships I have formed with my lecturers and classmates, I have truly made friends for life and am also extremely excited to see where my classmates path takes them, somewhere extraordinary no doubt.

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Student showcase and overall reflections on the internship and your studies.

The showcase day was a great experience and great day to cap off a significant achievement. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about my fellow students’ experiences and although incredibly grateful for my experience, I was also quite envious of some of the amazing things my classmates got to do on their internships. I was very excited coming into the day to share my lessons and experience with my friends and celebrate what we have achieved together.

My overall reflection of my internship, unsurprisingly, is overwhelmingly positive. The lessons and values I learned during my time at both GESAC and VAFA I will take with me throughout my career whichever way I decide to go. My skill set has never been as broad as it is now, and without the internship experience there is no was known I would be as confident as I am to apply for a range of different jobs. It was an important goal for me not to pigeonhole myself in to one specific aspect of the industry or really focus on one particular skill. By completing my full 228 hours at GESAC and an additionally 70 at VAFA I felt I was able to achieve this goal due to the multi-faceted approach I took in applying for and accepting my internships. My knowledge of a range of skills including marketing, administration, writing, budgeting and a while host of others puts me in good stead to apply for variety of different sorts of jobs, which I already have done. Some jobs I have applied for are involved in vastly different industries such as journalism, marketing, digital media and leisure. The leisure industry in particular is something I would not have though about applying for coming into the course three years ago, but thanks in most part to my time at GESAC I have found it has opened up a completely new industry for me.

For my studies in general, I feel I have achieved something I didn’t know I was capable of. I have suffered through some tough times since starting the course and coming out now having completed it is something I will be forever proud of myself for. In the beginning, the whole university experience, particularly being in Melbourne, was quite overwhelming for a simple country boy like me. Living alone for my first year in a small apartment, not knowing anyone within 100 kilometres of me was something that truly harmed my motivation. Never was there a time though where I genuinely considered dropping out or giving up, because I knew I would reap the rewards and looking back on it now, I was glad I was able to push through.

The study in general was different to how I imagined it to be. It’s a credit to the course at how hands-on the assessments are, and I did not think after year one that I would be leaving with the skill set and confidence I have now to take on the world. I have made new friends, grown as a person and built the foundations for the next phase of what will hopefully be a very successful life.  

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Career aspirations including goal setting

Setting goals is a great source of motivation and also gives you a great indication of the progress you have made and yet to make. Goal setting is something that is used in many organisations as it gives employees a sense of achievement and gratification once those goals are achieved (Lunenburg 2011), therefore setting goals can also be very rewarding. As mentioned previously the overarching and end goal in regard to my ‘uni-life’ is to secure a job in industry as soon as possible. But along the way I have set small goals and realised the hurdles I will need to jump in order to achieve them to reach my end goal. Whether it be part of the subject requirements or not a goal of mine for this semester was to vigorously job search and get my name out there as much as possible.

The first job I applied for seemed a great opportunity for me at local newspaper the Geelong Advertiser as a sports reporter. I felt well equipped to be able to secure this job, mostly through what I have been studying in the course. Although journalism is not top of my list when it comes to what I wish to secure as future employment, this opportunity suits my skills and interests well. It’s a credit to the multi-faceted approach that I have taken towards my studies that I felt confident enough to apply for the role. Putting the lessons and skills into practice from the transition class last semester felt rewarding also but also slightly daunting. Unfortunately, on this occasion I was not able to secure the role as they opted for a more experienced candidate. This is obviously something I am finding trouble with when it comes to applying for jobs at this early stage, experience is something that is essential in many job descriptions so that’s something I am going to need to work through.

Whilst it would be terrific to secure full time employment shortly after the completion of my studies and internship and this is definitely a goal of mine, I am also a realist about how likely this might be for me. So as I apply for jobs and think about my job aspirations, I am now considering many different possibilities including; jobs outside of the sports industry where my skills can be transferrable such as in marketing, events or communications. I would also consider casual or part time positions if it meant getting a foot in the door and gaining some experience which is obviously so valuable. Ideally, I would love to stay on at GESAC at this stage. So far I have loved working there and found real value in the work I do. Early on in my internship I thought it was going to be unlikely that I secure any sort of employment beyond my internship, mainly because of the nature of the employing process of the centre. Due to GESAC being council run, there are many different factors that go into validating a new position to create for a prospective staff member. Although now that I am nearing the end of my internship, my confidence levels in securing employment have increased tremendously to the point that my supervisors are submitting a bid and putting in a lot of effort to secure a position for me to stay on for paid work. Given where I thought the internship was going initially, I am extremely proud at how I have managed to get to a point where GESAC are keen to secure a spot for me.

REFERENCES:

Lunenburg, F 2011, Goal-Setting Theory of Motivation, International Journal of Management Business and Administration, vol. 15, viewed 18th November 2019, http://nationalforum.com/Electronic%20Journal%20Volumes/Lunenburg,%20Fred%20C.%20Goal-Setting%20Theoryof%20Motivation%20IJMBA%20V15%20N1%202011.pdf

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Achievements and milestones both technically and professionally

It has been a goal of mine since the outset in my internship and even overall university experience to develop a broad skill set and make myself as appealing to employers as possible. In many ways this can be related to how an athlete approaches their training. As Parker (2012) states “this is analogous to athletics, where an emphasis on “winning” can lead to individuals being discouraged and abandoning sports, whereas an emphasis on skill development helps athletes improve their abilities and then win more often.” In this case for me and my fellow classmates winning may be securing our full-time dream job, but this isn’t necessarily the goal straight away, it is more so we can develop our skills and abilities so we can apply for and be suitable to as many jobs as possible.

So, when it comes to what I have achieved both technically and professionally, almost everything I have achieved and learned at GESAC has been something new and something I can add to my skill set. Many things I have learnt has been brand new information, including things that I haven’t studied as part of the content I cover at university. These technical skills specifically include; administrative work, budgeting and financing and overall maintenance of leagues/sporting competitions.

One achievement I have been particularly proud of is how I have been able to build my initiative. There has been now several occasions where I have been trusted by my supervisors to complete work without either of them in the office and I feel I have completed this work to a high standard. I am not afraid to answer and make phone calls some, if not most of these calls would be corresponding with complaints from players or parents involved in the competitions. I felt I was able to handle these situations well and while also showing how much I had learned to this point about the internal competitions and the centre itself in regards to rules and regulations. In these situations, it is obvious I was able to develop my professionalism and my ability to deal with difficult situations.

I am also extremely proud and thankful for the new relationships I have formed during my time at GESAC. From the very beginning of the internship I could tell I was going to fit in nicely to the organisation and have been able to work with people of similar interests, values and even age. Given the size of the centre there is always someone to talk to and also still I am meeting and getting to know new faces every day. These relationships have greatly increased my confidence that I will be able to secure work at GESAC beyond the completion of my hours whereas earlier on during my internship it was quite apparent that there might not be an opportunity for me. Given the circumstances, I would be extremely proud of my efforts if I am to secure employment after my hours have been completed and this is obviously the ultimate goal for me from this point forward.

REFERENCES:

Parker, R 2012, Skill Development in Graduate Education, CellPress, viewed 18th November 2019, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1097276512003863

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Being an effective team member, contributor, building confidence & being efficient

Ever since the transition subject last semester, it has been important for me to discover my unique value proposition (UVP) and how to pitch that to a prospective employer i.e. personal marketing. Ever since learning about how important a UVP is and how to pitch it, this has been a focus of mine during the internship as I know post-internship I will be applying and interviewing for paid work. Denning & Dew (20120 refer to a UVP as one of the most common pieces of professional wisdom, so I will always be developing this to sell it to prospective employers. I mention UVP as being an effective team member by being confident and contributing is what I see as my UVP.

I was incredibly proud of my ability to almost immediately feel like I had become a contributor at GESAC. After the first 50 hours or so, I felt incredibly confident in being able to do my own tasks and work independently. This was shown through my midway supervisor evaluation which reassured me I was doing the right thing and working to the best of my ability. Some of the comments on my evaluation included; I take personal pride in the programs run at the centre, work independently but not hesitant to ask questions, strong problem-solving capabilities and that I’m not afraid to table ideas. It was refreshing to hear this sort of feedback, as these sorts of qualities i.e. my innovation, leadership and confidence, were all things I would pith as my UVP in my applications and interviews last semester.

Personally, my UVP lies in, what I believe, my ability to communicate and work as an effective team member. Through the assessments I have completed during the course, I have found my best work has come when doing group assessments. Additionally, my ability to communicate well and be a good leader is something I will do my best to emphasise and prove to prospective employers in the future, using the skills I have developed during my studies and my internship. To know that these things are coming to fruition so far as I complete my internship makes me very proud of my efforts to date. I have always prided myself on these qualities, but something I always find challenging is continuing to get better and not be content with what I have done so far. It will be within my best interest to continue to work hard, develop relationships and continue to do the things I have been doing well. The overall goal of course is to gain a job out of this experience so I am keen to prove that I can consistently deliver what is required and always look for new challenges.  

REFERENCES:

Denning, P Dew, N 2012, The Myth of the Elevator Pitch, Research Gate, viewed 12th August 2019, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nicholas_Dew/publication/254004669_The_Myth_of_the_Elevator_Pitch/links/544924af0cf2f6388080def2.pdf

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Challenges (e.g. the nature of the work, working hours, motivation, tabling of ideas)

Challenges are what makes us learn the best, no new valuable lesson has been taught without a challenge, so for me, I love challenges, I love stepping out of my comfort zone and I lobe the feeling of learning something new and then being able to share that with others. As Loretto (2019) explains, there are good and bad learning experiences, but each is a challenge and each you will learn from. So, in saying this, everything I have faced so far in my internship has been a challenge, from something as little as learning how to log into the computer, to finding my way around a new environment. Some challenges though are tougher than others.

One of the toughest challenges I have faced since commencing my internships and also since classes started back up is the amount of time I now have on my hands or lack thereof. Balancing my studies, internships and work has been a tough ask and is something I am still working through. The travel to and from Geelong each week has been difficult to navigate and given the amount of value I am getting out of the internships I am completing, it’s been harder for me to find the same level of motivation I had in previous semester to complete assessments, but also motivation to work at my paid job in the bottle shop, which is also still important to me. The reasons behind the lack of motivation could include feeling burnt out after a day at my internship or spending a lot of time on the road. The pressure of job searching and the need to secure employment has remained at the back of my head since last semester and this is what I continue to use as motivation as I start to feel burnt out and overwhelmed by the amount of work left to do.

I have dealt with this particular challenge well so far I believe but have had to make some sacrifices if I am to continue to get assessments in on time and work to a high standard. Unfortunately, one of those sacrifices was the need to finish up at VAFA earlier than I had hoped. My short time at VAFA I felt was extremely valuable still, I learnt new skills and gained new insights and my design ability in particular has gone to a high standard thanks to some of the roles I was tasked with. Seen below is just a couple of my favourite slides from when I was tasked with redesigning and rewording the VAFA’s generic sponsorship proposal presentation, this is a piece of work that I put most effort and time into at VAFA and something I am extremely proud of. Even during my shorter stint, I feel I was able to enhance my employability tremendously and this document is certainly something I can see myself bringing up at future job applications and interviews as proof of good technical design skill.

Nevertheless, there is still plenty for me to do as I continue to complete my hours at GESAC and continue to look for new challenges while also maintaining the current ones I have faced. This has been an invaluable experience for me so far where I have learnt some important lessons as I look forward to finishing the year strong and get involved in an industry I love.

REFERENCES:

Loretto, P 2019, The Common Challenges New Interns Face, The Balance Careers, viewed 30th September 2019, https://www.thebalancecareers.com/common-challenges-new-interns-face-19866245

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Finding your feet in the internship and completing initial tasks (i.e. first 40 hours)

As always and obviously, initially there is a lot of learning involved. Most of my first days at EGSAC were spent going through basic administrative tasks and working through understanding the competitions I would be helping run. One of the best ways I learn is from other people and watching what they do. As Eraut (2007) says “there’s no way to overestimate the importance of learning from the people around us.” These words reassure me that I need to continue to watch and learn and not be afraid to ask questions and seek advice. When we’re open to learning from others, we benefit from their experience as well as our own and we can inherit their wisdom and knowledge Eraut (2007). Heeding this advice, I make sure that I listen into phone calls that Georgie or Sophia are making, take notes on what they are teaching me, seek other members of staff for advice and watching what my supervisors are doing when I get some down time. Of course, finding my feet is not all about learning what to do but of course fitting in with my new colleagues.

As mentioned in the last entry, a lot of ‘finding my feet’ was about trying to build relationships and get around the office as much as possible to get myself immersed in the workplace culture. This helps me build confidence and reassures myself that I’m at the right place to build experience and employability opportunities. This was something that proved somewhat difficult to do, particularly at GESAC.

Although my role was based in one department of only two staff members, GESAC is an incredibly collaborative environment, so getting my head around the organisational structure of Glen Eira Leisure has been a challenge. Understanding who to go to for specific tasks or questions and realising different staff members roles has been difficult. In saying this, I am quickly learning and developing my skill set to suit what I am being tasked with, this includes a lot of administrative tasks such as emailing, fixturing, rostering to the more hands on jobs such as setting up courts, supervising games and packing equipment. It has come as a surprise to me how different some of the tasks are compared to what I was expecting and in comparison to the skills I have developed while studying in the course. This was something I have not struggled with as much at VAFA. Given the size of the office was much smaller, it has been easier to get to know everyone’s names, their roles and where to go for help. Likewise, the skills I have been putting into practice better reflected what I have learnt in the course. The amount of tasks I am required to do has been quite overwhelming but was strongly advised to take notes to help with some of the laborious tasks as is the nature of administration. I am still finding plenty of value in these experiences, my intern hosts and others at GESAC remind me that the nature of the industry is that there will be times where the days are filled with admin and mundane tasks. But, as mentioned I am still enjoying and taking value in the experience this brings as I know this will better prepare for future work.

REFERENCES:

Eraut, M 2007, Learning from other people in the workplace, Oxford Review of Education, viewed 12th August 2019, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0305498070142576.

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Preparedness prior to commencing the internship and assimilation into the organisational culture

Prior to the commencement of the internship, it was easy to get a good gauge on what the culture would be like, particularly at GESAC, from the interview process. The interviews gave a good idea of the feel of GESAC and it made me confident that I would be able to fit into their workplace comfortably. The organisational culture at GESAC is one of high integrity and professionalism such is the centres reputation as one of the premier facilities in the country. GESAC had an immediate sense of professionalism and inclusiveness once commencing the internship. This is evident through everything from the people and staff there to the layout and feel of the office. It felt like a privilege to be involved in such a prod organisation but admittedly, this was intimidating at first. Particularly due to the fact the centre was undergoing a serious audit during my first week at the centre, but even seeing this first-hand gave off such a professional atmosphere.

Similarly, after interviewing with VAFA, I was able to understand the nature of their organisation. With a smaller office of only 10 people, taking control of the country’s largest amateur sporting league, it was clear that everyone had, and was well aware of what their role was, and it was always a busy office. As I thought I would, I found it easy to settle into the workplace at VAFA, given it was a place full of people with similar interests but also the laid back nature and the ‘banter’ that floated around the office was something that suited me nicely.

One of the best lessons I learnt from completing the transition to professional practice class last semester was the importance of workplace culture. When selecting the internship I wanted to complete, I had these lessons in mind, where I would best fit in and enjoy the culture best was of high priority for me. In order to understand the culture that’s right for you Dickie & Dickie (2006) describe two different ways you can recognise an organisations culture. The first is the visible level, this is how you can depict an organisations culture purely on what you see and how the people within the organisation behave. The second level, ‘invisible culture’ can be identified by knowing the core values of the members of that organisation. Commonly you will find that members of organisations that work well share similar values and beliefs. Therefore, it was important to note how an organisation acts and what values they hold are similar to your own so you can fit in seamlessly and contribute at all times.

Sport is a great example to use when it comes to good organisational culture and how it can create success. Typically, the most successful teams are not necessarily the ones with the highest skilled and fittest athletes, but the teams who share a common goal and understand their role and place in the organisation. While there are differences between the organisational cultures of business and sport there are also many similarities (Hoye et. al. 2012). Both sporting and organisational culture tends to reflect a willingness to embrace a standard of performance that promotes quality. Furthermore, purely because you fit in well with one sporting club doesn’t mean you will style or attitude will bode well with other clubs, the same applies for businesses.

Having learnt all this and understanding what it means to be a good cultural fit, I felt well equipped in the early stages of my internship to make an immediate effect and become a contributing team member. My assimilation into the workplace culture has so far gone well and now it is my challenge to continue to form relationships in order to make the most of the time I have and build my employability.

REFERENCES:

Dickie, L & Dickie, C 2006, Managing organisational environments, in Cornerstones of management: skills in practice, Tilde Publishing, Manly, NSW, pp. 35-46.

Hoye, R Nicholson, M Smith, A Stewart, B Westerbeek, H 2012, Sports Management, Elsevier Ltd., Oxford.

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ENTRY 5 MONETISING DIGITAL MEDIA: PODCASTS, VIDEOS, BLOGS AND WEBSITES

Thanks to the introduction of digital and social media, it has never been easier to interact, connect and communicate with anyone and everyone. This is especially the case in the world of sport. Sporting organisations now have 24-hour access to their stakeholders thanks to the advances in digital media. Sporting clubs can create tailored content such as podcasts, videos and images to engage with everyone on their own personal level, giving consumers preference and choice. The sports fan is better connected then ever before, but with ease of access for consumers comes an increasing demand for round-the-clock content. Even at the sporting event itself, spectators want interaction and will constantly have their heads in their phones. This leads to millions of photos being shared through the social media platforms themselves, instead of the teams that generate the content, therefore, making it tough for the sporting team to generate revenue from content (McMullan 2017).

Furthermore, with the advancements in user-generated content technology, it’s starting to re-shape the traditional sports sponsorship landscape. Fans act as brand advocates, for both the sports property and the sponsors involved. It is important that sporting organisations use this as a driver to bump up the value of sponsorship deals. More content is being created than ever before, meaning more reach for teams and sponsors but it also means fans can be more selective. As a result, it’s difficult to value this exposure now that it is about more than just views, shares or attendance numbers (McMullan 2017).

The ease of access to content new technology allows along with its affordability means anyone can create content essentially however they like. This challenges the traditional means of receiving news, information and updates on your club is outdated and therefore decreasingly valuable. User-generated content through videos, podcasts and blogs is increasingly popular and taking eyeballs away from mainstream media and professionally made content. It’s now incredibly important for sporting organisation to recognize what drives the modern consumer and understanding what content resonates with certain fans and adapting their production to suit this (Braskich 2016).

Sporting organisations are now judged not only on how they perform on-field but increasingly their interaction with their fans and quality of content they create. It is now considered that the quality of a brands digital content and their prevalence on social media can boost the brands value. But, that value won’t necessarily be monetary unless they can convert their consumers into transactional customers (Lalli 2018). For a sporting property to own and monetize fan generated content themselves would be what sets them apart from their opponents.

REFERENCES

Braskich, T Ishtiaq, F Doo, M Vasudevan, V 2016, Content re-monetisation: How to have your cake and eat it too, Journal of Digital Media Management, Henry Stewart Publications, viewed 16th October 2019, https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/hsp/jdmm/2016/000005/00000001/art00004

Lalli, F 2018, From Club to Media: the Data Driven Experience and a new model for monetization. The Sport Digital Transformation is started, Medium, viewed 16th October 2019, https://medium.com/@fabiolalli/from-club-to-media-the-data-driven-experience-and-a-new-model-for-monetization-598bf4890d78

McMullan, C 2017, The #1 Source of Unrealized Revenue by Sports Teams Today, Digital Sport, viewed 16th October 2019,  https://digitalsport.co/the-1-source-of-unrealized-revenue-by-sports-teams-today

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ENTRY 4 SPORTS APPS AND MOBILE BETTING SHOPS

New technologies have affected the way people work and play and have also enabled new ways in which people can gamble. Gambling has the potential to drive changes in consumer behaviour that few forms of entertainment can. Now, as smartphones become increasingly prevalent amongst the public, so too can gambling be undertaken on mobile phones. Smartphones allow a greater range of interactions with the user than other computers. These can be used to deliver a unique gambling experience over and above other online gambling. Until these more recent generations of smartphone, the graphical and processing limitations of mobile phones meant that the rich gambling environments necessary for some types of gaming were not possible. This has meant for greater opportunities for betting companies to create diverse, engaging and easy-to-access products for their consumers (James et. al. 2016).

This development of new digital technology has seen a huge rise in the amount of betting in Australia on sporting events, which in turn benefit the sporting organisations from a financial point-of-view significantly. Sports betting now accounts for 25% of the Australian betting market and there are now over 300+ sports betting apps available for smart phones. As more and more people turn to sports to place a bet, the betting companies are also turning to sport to advertise, meaning the amount of money these agencies pump into sport is monumental. A 5-year deal struck by the AFL in 2015 with CrownBet (now BetEasy), is worth a staggering $50 million (Wilson 2016). Meanwhile, many AFL clubs are also affiliated with betting agencies, most recently NEDS, who inked a new deal with the Brisbane Lions earlier this year, which saw the agency become a primary jumper sponsor. It is the first time an AFL club has had a betting agency as a jumper sponsor since 2013 (Cherny 2019), suggesting sports betting sponsorship is only increasing.

So, the issue remains that these affiliated betting agencies exist as incredibly popular applications and on other digital platforms. Meaning their exposure through sporting clubs and organisations is creating a strong gambling sports and gambling culture, as the video below explains.

In 2015, 41% of all regular sports gamblers which totalled to 234,000 adults experienced gambling-related problems. This was more than double the rate of ‘regular’ gamblers, such as gamblers who bet on horse/greyhound racing, poker machines, in casinos etc. This means that one fifth of all regular gamblers who experienced problems in Australia regularly participated in sports betting (Armstrong & Carroll 2017).

While the revenue keeps coming in for sporting organisations partnering with betting agencies, the stigma attached to this relationship is undeniable. It can be convincingly argued that the prevalence of online betting and existence of betting apps has been a major influencer of this. Nevertheless, without the existence of these partnerships, major organisations could struggle to find the same value and benefit in partnerships with other industries. This indicates that despite the problems surrounding, the market value of sports betting with the help of digital media will only continue to grow.

REFERENCES

Armstrong, A & Carroll, M 2017, Gambling activity in Australia, Australian Gambling Research Centre, viewed 16th October 2019, https://aifs.gov.au/agrc/publications/sports-betting-australia

Cherny, D 2019, Betting sponsor set for AFL jumper return at Brisbane Lions, The Age, viewed 16th October 2019, https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/betting-sponsor-set-for-afl-jumper-return-at-brisbane-lions-20190317-p514xv.html

James, R O'Malley, C Tunney, R 2016, Understanding the psychology of mobile gambling: A behavioural synthesis, Wiley Online Library, viewed 16th October 2019, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bjop.12226

Sports betting raises concerns over gambling in Australia, 2018, published 3rd February, created by CGTN America, online video, viewed 16th October 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDC4A1Y3n54

Wilson, C 2016, AFL 2016: Gambling revenue the AFL's dirtiest cash cow, The Age, viewed 16th October 2019, https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/afl-2016-gambling-revenue-the-afls-dirtiest-cash-cow-20160401-gnwdmj.html

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ENTRY 3 HOW DIGITAL MEDIA PLATFORMS HAVE CHALLENGED TRADITIONAL BUSINESS MODELS

Digital media and access to it is constantly growing and changing. The amount of platforms consumers have access to now when it comes to sport is far vaster than ever before and this has destroyed the traditional media business model. The impact on the sports industry is stark, for both good and bad reasons. Many sporting organisations are heavily reliant and broadcast deals and the money received from public broadcasters in order to stay on their feet. But, with a magnitude of consumers changing their viewing habits to more digital means, traditional media platforms are finding it harder than ever to make profits on broadcasting sport. In fact, the financial losses some media industries are facing is worrying (Hutchins & Rowe, 2012).

The impact this change to digital platforms has had on the sports industry is quite profound, more exposure, greater reach and communication to consumers is easier than ever. Digital media has given sports organisations the opportunity to produce their own content from inside the four walls of their club, league or department. Examples of this include the AFL’s implementation and creation of their own media department, where they provide content for AFL.com.au and the AFL Love mobile app. AFL Media employ independent editorial and journalist teams to report on the league and produce content on its various platforms. The AFL run media department was an immediate success, within just three years it had become Australia’s biggest sports platform. During the off-season of 2015 (just three years after the launch of AFL Media), the website traffic for AFL.com.au, including the app, grew by 63% in January and 70% in February, meaning the AFL were able to maintain its relevancy year-round without the need for traditional television, newspaper or radio coverage coming from an external organisation (Hayes, 2015).

The creation of AFL Media has given the AFL a chance to reach their audiences instantaneously and provide live coverage of all matches without the need to switch on a television or tune into radio. This of course has meant for audience fragmentation, which has seen the traditional business model of sport and the media break (Happell, 2013).

Sport still attracts a large amount of viewers and eyeballs are still glued to screens that show live sporting contests, but evidently, those screens are not necessarily television sets. With advertisers seeking cheaper alternatives other than television, networks are making loss after loss for broadcasting sport. It is an incredibly interesting time for sports. As an example, approximately 60-65% of the AFL’s revenue comes from its broadcast deal with Telstra and Channel Seven, by looking at the numbers, this will either fall or plateau in the ensuing years, meaning a challenging time for sports organisations to find alternatives to make up for what they are losing from traditional media.

REFERENCES

Happell, C 2013, More footy reporters than the Herald Sun: why the AFL’s media play threatens the big media players, The Citizen, viewed 16th October 2019, https://mumbrella.com.au/how-afl-media-became-australias-biggest-sports-platform-285062

Hayes, A 2015, How AFL Media became Australia’s biggest sports platform, Mumbrella, viewed 16th October 2019, https://mumbrella.com.au/how-afl-media-became-australias-biggest-sports-platform-285062

Hutchins, B & Rowe, D 2012, Sport beyond television: The internet, digital media and the rise of networked media sport, Routledge, New York.

Paying for news 2012, online video, post 9th April, created by ABC, viewed 16th October 2019, https://www.abc.net.au/mediawatch/episodes/paying-for-news/9974074

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ENTRY 2 THE RISE AND RISE OF E-SPORTS

eSports has become more than just competitive gaming but a phenomenon for various reasons in the sporting industry. The nature of eSports consumers is incredibly sophisticated yet also relative to the modern sports consumer, predominantly of a younger age. eSports is almost purely digital, meaning competitive gaming events are streamed online on various platforms for consumers to log in and watch. This is incredibly relevant to the nature of modern audiences, more and more we are seeing consumers switch to digital means of viewing sports through online based platforms, this is truly something eSports is leading the way in. This is demonstrated through popular video game ‘Fortnite’ amassing approximately 40 million users logging into play each month only eight months after its initial release (Arkenberg et. al. 2018). Digital, gaming specialised streaming platform ‘Twitch’ reported that up to 17.7 million hours of eSports content can be viewed in a single week (Arkenberg et. al. 2018). The magnitudes of audiences these digital platforms attract from broadcasting eSports is clear, the value of the competitive gaming industry therefore is astronomical, as consumers from all around the world are able to tune in to watch their favourite gamers play.  As seen in the table below, the numbers are compelling and continue to rise. Twitch has reported a 95% year-on-year growth of eSports tournaments viewership from an already large viewer base.

TABLE 1: Newzoo, 2018, Console eSports is on the rise, viewed 16th October 2019, https://newzoo.com/insights/articles/console-esports-viewership-is-on-the-rise/

Looking beyond the sporting industry, eSports is making waves in popular culture as the industry and can also compete with well-known media juggernauts. According to SuperData (2017), there's now a bigger audience for gaming video than the combined audiences of HBO, Netflix, ESPN, and Hulu. For reference, Netflix's subscriber count is somewhere near 100 million, while Hulu maintains about 12 million (Wilde, 2017). For better or for worse, YouTuber and gaming commentator PewDiePie has over 54 million YouTube subscribers alone.

So does all this viewership and massive growth actually mean the industry is valuable? The numbers suggest that eSports can compete with some of the most prestigious and valuable sporting organisations and tournaments on the planet. American teenager Kyle Giersdorf won $3 million in New York after taking the top prize in a tournament for the popular online video game ‘Fortnite’. Giersdorf competed in an eSports event with a $30 million prize-pool and this number will continue to grow in the coming years (CNBC 2019). Global profits from professional video game competitions will reach $1.1 billion in 2019, up 27 per cent since last year (CNBC 2019) and previously at rates of over 30 per cent per year (Lokhman et. al. 2018). The growth in competitive gaming could very well see the market value of the industry reach a staggering $3.2 billion by 2022 (Pannekeet 2019).

 TABLE 2: Statista, 2019, Fortnite World Cup prize money in perspective, viewed 16th October 2019, https://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/esports/fortnite-world-cup-tops-major-sporting-events-in-prize-money/ar-BBVCzvL?ocid=RDTESPT

Overall, it is clear the eSports is paving the way for all industries, including those beyond sport, as to how best grow your organisation. The boldness of the competitive gaming industry to move beyond the means of traditional media needs to be recognised and similar implementations should be made by more so by traditional sporting organisations if they are to continue to grow in popularity and also financially.

REFERENCES

Arkenberg, C Van Dyke, D Tengberg, J D Baltuskonis, N 2018, eSports graduates to the big leagues: Can the industry help media and entertainment companies access a changing audience?, viewed 4th September 2019, https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/telecommunications/capitalizing-on-growthof-esports-industry.html

Lokhman, N Karashchuk, O Kornilova, O 2018, Analysis of ESports as a Commercial Activity, Problems and Perspectives in Management, viewed 4th September 2019, https://businessperspectives.org/images/pdf/applications/publishing/templates/article/assets/ 10074/PPM_2018_01_Lokhman.pdf

Pannekeet, J 2019, Newzoo: Global Esports Economy Will Top $1 Billion for the First Time in 2019, viewed 4th September 2019, https://newzoo.com/insights/articles/newzoo-globalesports-economy-will-top-1-billion-for-the-first-time-in-2019/

[willkboddington-blog]

ENTRY 1: DIGITAL MEDIA AND THE AMPLIFICATION OF GLOBALISED SPORT

Technological change has been a key driver in expanding the ability for sporting organisations to communicate with fans and stakeholders on a global scale. Therefore, the nature of sports consumption is constantly and rapidly changing, and many forms of digital media have come to the furore in the past decade. Innovation and technological change is partly responsible for the way society behaves and communicates nowadays and arguably wholly responsible for the globalisation of sport. Additionally, sports organisations must also adapt to the way their audiences and fans prefer to consume sport from different parts.

The most common and perhaps the most important means of interaction with audiences is through social media (Schulz & Arke, 2016). Previous technology limited consumers from what content they could access, arguably, sport was just as popular four decades ago as it was today, but technological limitations meant the demand for sporting content worldwide could not be met. But breakthroughs in communication technology has allowed digital media forms such as social media to close the gap between demand and supply of sports content (Schulz & Arke, 2016). Sports organisations utilise social media to communicate as it is unrivalled in the reach and exposure it can generate for a club and its fans. Great relationships can be built between organisations and consumers through proper and extensive use of social media platforms (Schulz & Arke, 2016). Social media allows for great interactive discussion between all stakeholders which benefits the sporting organisations greatly when it comes to decision making and provides instantaneous feedback. As quoted from Schulz & Arke (2016), social media “has provided consumers with unprecedented options and experiences and has changed the very nature of the sports media dynamic.”

As an example, major sport events now create an astonishing amount of discussion between social media users and social media activity has a notable rise during these events (Smith & Stewart, 2015). Therefore, it is integral that organisations take advantage of this. The Australian Open as a major sporting event generated up to 15,000 tweets per second at the climaxing moments of crucial matches (Smith & Stewart, 2015). The event has gathered more than 100,000 Twitter followers and over 750,000 followers on Facebook (Smith & Stewart, 2015). This provides another avenue for exposure for Tennis Australia, the Australian Open and its sponsors at a time when the tournament is already dominating headlines in newspapers and filling the nightly news. This might seem mightily impressive but, consider the Australian Open social media volume when compared to the 150 million tweets posted during the London Olympic Games and the 15-20 million for the US Superbowl (Smith & Stewart, 2016). Social media is such a popular avenue for sports discussion as it allows for unmitigated communication about events and happenings to a broad audience, again, proving to be an essential tool for sporting organisations to utilise.  

All of this may seem like only a positive thing for sporting organisations, but with the improvement of digital technology and the rapidly growing number of platforms on which to consume sports related content means traditional media is suffering. Gone are the days now where TV is king, now with so many ways to watch sport, television is losing its stranglehold and control on the media. With viewership numbers down and still falling, advertisers are looking elsewhere and cheaper and more appealing alternatives to expose their products. For example, 282,000 people watched this season's final ODI on January 18 on Fox Cricket — just 25 per cent of the 1.13 million that watched the same match last year on Channel Nine (Mark 2019). Telstra Live Pass reported 2.3 million subscribers across all its sports in 2018. In August, Telstra broke a record for the most mobile devices streaming sport on its apps in a single weekend, with 1.2 million individual devices streaming NRL, AFL and Netball through the sports’ apps. At one point on the weekend of August 10-11, 82,120 viewers concurrently streamed the Hawthorn versus Geelong AFL match. Across all the sports apps, the highest number of concurrent viewers to date is 109,000 (Mark 2019).

Further to this, domestic sporting organisations such as the NBL and the A-League, struggle for viewership due to the ease of access fans of the sport now have to overseas competitions like the NBA and EPL. Australia has the highest number of subscribers to NBA League Pass than any other country outside of the US. Below, NBA commissioner Adam Silver delves into his understanding of the globalisation of sport while also noting the challenges that domestic leagues face from foreign organisations and sporting leagues, such as Major League Soccer in the US competing with the likes of the EPL.

Overall, digital media has proven to have an enormous impact on the sports industry. It has provided so much opportunity to reach new audiences and allows for greater interaction with consumers. The amplification of globalised sport only digital media to thank, but it is also making domestic leagues need to work harder to promote their sport in the face of some of the worlds most powerful organisations overtaking domestic consumer bases.

REFERENCES

Mark, D 2019, With Big Bash, A-League, AFLW and the NBL competing for viewers, there is such a thing as too much sport, viewed 16th October 2019, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-10/too-much-sport-ratings-attendance-cricket-football-basketball/10792710

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on the Globalization of Sports: SVG Summit 2016, 2016, online video, post 10th June, created by Sports Video Group, viewed 16th October 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm9DylSL-I4

Schultz, B Arke, E 2016, Sports Media: Reporting, Producing and Planning, 3rd edn, Focal Press, New York, NY

Smith, A & Stewart, B 2015, Introduction to Sport Marketing, 2nd edn, Routledge, New York, NY.

[willkboddington-blog]

Transition to Professional Practice - Entry 4

CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF YOUR INTERNSHIP APPLICATIONS RELATIVE TO BEST PRACTICE, AND YOUR PREPARATION AND INTERVIEW PERFORMANCE AT THE INDUSTRY DAY OR INTERVIEWS.

The internship application process as something I found I enjoyed and at the same time learned a lot of valuable skills that will be directly applicable come the time to apply for jobs.

Firstly, the internship applications were something that I did not find particularly difficult, yet I was challenged with the somewhat laborious nature of the task, given I applied for a total of nine internships. The task did although give me a fantastic grasp on the importance of customising resumes and cover letters. Instead of taking a shotgun approach and submitting a generic resume to various employers, it is crucial to write and create a resume and cover letter that directly addresses the organisation and their wants/needs.

Addressing selection criteria is particularly important especially including proof you are capable of fulfilling the criteria is vital.  A recruiter is likely to spend 30 seconds or less scanning your application. If the right words jump out, your application will be worthy of further attention and where possible use the same words and the language that is used in the key criteria (Grant, 2018). By even considering the key criteria you put yourself ahead of most of the competition. I decided to take my time in preparing answers to the selection criteria. In putting a little bit of extra work into focusing on what the organisations required from it will come in useful when I approach the interview process. 

In regard to the industry day, I felt it went quite well, applying for a total of nine internships definitely made the day more valuable. I felt I approached the day quite well prepared when it came to my interview techniques and prepared answers, although the interviews weren’t quite as formal as I expected. I learned many valuable things from the day and also in the lead up to the day. All the interview preparation come in very handy, particularly answering the question, ‘what are your weaknesses?’ Bolles (2013) describes the fear behind this question as being “the employer thinking you might have a character flaw and hopes you will now rashly blurt it out or confess it.” Having prepared for this question, I was able to dissect it when I was asked it (or something similar) on the day and answer it so it could be swung in my favour. 

Learning about the STAR response technique was something that proved to be extremely advantageous. The STAR method involves assessing the “situation” where the example come from, such as something I’ve experienced in customer service. Following this is the “task”, which refers to my role in the example, then describing the “action” I took, and finally spelling out the result”. Having this in the back of my mind during the interviews proved very valuable. 

In review of the application process as well as the industry day, I’m already confident I can apply the skills I’ve learned to future job applications and am more confident that I am ready to get involved with an internship. 

REFERENCES

Grant, C 2018, How to Address Selection Criteria, Western Sydney University, viewed 12th June 2019, https://careerhub.uws.edu.au/student/news/details/1079/how-to-address-key-selection

Bolles, R 2013, Sixteen tips about interviewing, in What colour is your parachute? 2013: a practical manual for job-hunters and career-changers, Berkeley, California, pp.201-226.

[willkboddington-blog]

Transition to Professional Practice - Entry 7

REFLECTION ON THE SUBJECT WITH RESPECT TO YOUR STARTING POINT, NEW LEARNINGS AND EXPERIENCES, AND HOW THIS WILL ASSIST YOU FROM A CAREER DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE.

Everything I’ve learned in this subject has been incredibly and will no doubt help me in the near future, pos studies when I start to look for employment. Looking back at where I was when I started, particularly in regard to my resume writing and look of the resume, I have significantly improved in that aspect.

Focusing on resume writing I have learned about the importance of structure and customisation of a resume and cover letter. When it comes to customising, I discovered it was worthwhile to target the specific organisation when applying for the internship and will take this on board when job searching in the future. Customising a resume or cover letter is incredibly advantageous as it shows an employer you have an idea of the organisation you are applying for and they feel appreciated having seen themselves directly referred to.

Part of the customisation process includes directly referring to selection criteria. Prior to commencing this subject, the importance of referring to selection criteria was something I had not realised was so important. The reason why this is so important is because a recruiter is likely to spend 30 seconds or less scanning your application. If the right words jump out, the application may attract the reader/employer to pay more attention or delve further into your resume. It is important also that where possible, to use the same words and the language that is used in the selection criteria word-for-word.

Additionally, I developed my interview skills significantly and learned how to be more formal and professional during a job interview. I was able to further my strengths with building rapport during an interview, something that I personally believe is extremely important. I was able to learn about and develop my skills in STAR responses and selling my UVP through an interview, using techniques such as the elevator pitch. I learned a lot, particularly during the short-list interviews, what I need to improve on when it comes to interviewing. Something that I definitely need to improve on is the prior research I conduct on the organisation I am getting an interview with.

Overall, no doubt the lessons I learned through this experience will be incredibly beneficial, particularly immediately post completion of my degree. I have discovered a lot about myself, including where my strengths lie and also I now have the confidence to know I am ready to get involved in full time work in an industry I love.  

[willkboddington-blog]

Transition to Professional Practice - Entry 6

CRITICAL REFLECTIONS ON THE EXPERIENCE AND PERFORMANCE OF SHORT LIST INTERVIEWS, AND HOW YOU CAN IMPROVE IN THE FUTURE

The short list interviews were a great experience to have and something I will find extremely valuable going forward when applying for jobs. I was lucky enough to be able to have six interviews post the industry day which gave me an even better idea of where I wanted to complete my internship, as well as getting a grasp on where I need to improve in my interview skills.

Bolles (2013) believes an interviewee going into their interview should ask the question to themselves “do I want to work here or not?” using the interview as a way to find out. This is something that I definitely consistently asked myself for every short list interview I had and in probably every interview came out knowing the answer. The way I felt I did this well was through engaging with the interviewer(s) immediately and building rapport from the start.

Building rapport immediately I believe is extremely important. It is commonly believed that interviewers may form opinions instantly on your suitability even before structured questions are asked, and the impressions formed during rapport building may contain job-relevant information (Barrick et. al. 2010). With this in mind I made sure that when walking into the interview room that I made a good first impression and build instant rapport with the interviewer and I feel this was something I did well.

Something that I definitely need to improve on is the prior research I conduct on the organisation I am getting an interview with. Something that would have given me the point of difference in my interview would have been if I researched as much as I could. Bolles (2013) says organisations love to be recognised and can be quite impressed and flattered. When asked about particular organisation’s presence on social media or what I knew about their organisation, I would tend to get stuck and quite stumped which would obviously put me on the back foot when it comes to impressing the interviewer. This is another reason I found this interview process so valuable, as I can now take this lesson and apply it to when I seek employment in the future.

Overall, I am quite happy with how my interviews went and am looking forward to completing my internship. As mentioned, I found the experience extremely valuable and it will be something that I will take a lot out of especially now moving into looking for future employment. 

REFERENCES

Barrick, M Swider, B Stewart, G, 2010, Initial evaluations in the interview: Relationships with subsequent interviewer evaluations and employment offers, Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 95, https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/a0019918

Bolles, R 2013, Sixteen tips about interviewing, in What colour is your parachute? 2013: a practical manual for job-hunters and career-changers, Berkeley, California, pp.201-226.

[willkboddington-blog]

Transition to Professional Practice - Entry 3

THE IMPORTANCE OF PERSONAL MARKETING, BRANDING AND YOUR UNIQUE VALUE PROPOSITION, WHAT IS YOUR BRAND AND AREAS TO IMPROVE.

Approaching the interview and application phase of the subject, it has been important for me to discover my unique value proposition (UVP) and how to pitch that to a prospective employer i.e. personal marketing. In regard to interviews we have gone through in class the importance of an ‘elevator pitch,’ which can be one of the most common pieces of professional wisdom is to prepare and practice a short speech that sells your UVP (Denning & Dew 2012). This skill is something I am keen to work on not only in preparation for the industry day but also something I feel can help with my resume writing.

The elevator pitch is a skill every businessperson needs (Pincus, 2007). To know how to create it, rehearse it, and customise it for a specific audience are areas I will have to work on in order to make sure my personal marketing and branding is as good as it can be. Therefore, this is an area I feel I can improve on. I have a strong indication of where my strengths lie but being able to sell my UVP to a prospective employer is something that I can struggle with.

Personal marketing extends beyond just the interview process and selling your UVP. Your online presence has now become essential when you are job searching. Applications and websites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites have become a place for employers to search for and also evaluate candidates for a role. In other words, if you are selling yourself one way to an employer your online presence must reflect that, it is a quick and simple way for employers to now get a better grasp on what candidates are best suited for the role and if you are what you say you are.

Personally, my UVP lies in, what I believe, my ability to communicate and work as an effective team member. Through the assessments I have completed during the course, I have found my best work has come when doing group assessments. Additionally, my ability to communicate well and be a good leader is something I will do my best to emphasise and prove to prospective employers in the future, using the skills I have developed in this class.

REFERENCES

Denning, P Dew, N 2012, The Myth of the Elevator Pitch, Research Gate, viewed 3rd April 2019, https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Nicholas_Dew/publication/254004669_The_Myth_of_the_Elevator_Pitch/links/544924af0cf2f6388080def2.pdf

Pincus, A 2007, The Perfect (Elevator) Pitch, Bloomberg Businessweek, viewed 3rd April 2019, http://www.mrgriffin.org/FHSWEB/ENT/articles/ThePerfectElevatorPitch.pdf