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Football General Manager & Scouting Course

NFL Combine Football Career Conference

Conference

at the 2013 NFL Combine

 

Note: If you have registered for this event, you have been sent attendee instructions. Please look in your junk file or trash to locate.

When:
Friday and Saturday, February 22 & 23, 2013
(This year we are starting Friday night at 7pm to allow more of you to participate.)

Where: Downtown Indianapolis, Indiana in the heart of the action at the Hyatt Regency

Who: Anyone 18 years or older (16 & 17 with a parent or older sibling)

Why: Sports Management Worldwide would like to invite you to join us at our Sports Career Workshop in downtown Indianapolis at the NFL Combine. This seminar provides an invaluable opportunity to learn about numerous careers in sports and network with professionals currently working at the highest level of sports. Head coaches, GMs, Rod Graves, Arizona GMDirectors of Player Personnel and Scouting, ESPN writers, experienced sports agents, former professional athletes and many others will be in attendance.

For anyone that is looking to work in sports, you can't miss this opportunity to meet and learn from sports executives and the SMWW staff, all in the atmosphere of the NFL Combine! Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the behind the scenes of the upcoming NFL draft; create relationships with key individuals in the sports business community and advance their knowledge of the business of sports. If you have never been in Indianapolis around the NFL combine, you are missing an opportunity to be apart of NFL personnel's biggest events of the year.

CLICK HERE TO
Sign Up!

More than 2,500 coaches, team owners and advertisers and more than 220 national journalists from across the country come to Indianapolis for seven days to meet and work out the athletes who hope to be drafted by NFL teams. Right in the heart of the action, this educational experience is an exclusive opportunity to break into the field of sports management. Don't miss it! 

College Credit Available: Most attendees are not college students but sports people looking to start or advance their career in professional or collegiate football. However, for those of you who are in college and would like transferable credits to your school, one hour of college credit is available for an additional $50 to Western Oregon University. After you register for the conference, one college credit is available here.

Group Discount: Several University Sports Management programs do attend. If you are interested in bringing your school, please contact workshop@smww.com and we will provide group discounts. (Most college students attend on their own.)

What can you expect?
Click here for videos about our past Basketball and Hockey conferences. Conferences are similar, but the sport of focus and location varies. Events in summer are more casual. Indianapolis will be business casual. (Slacks and polos and sweaters.) Attendees rave about our conferences. We have a very high satisfaction rate and many returnees. Many sports business conferences are over $1,000. We keep pricing low so that those wanting to advance their careers in sports can afford to attend.

 2013 Speakers: 
(Teams & Executives do not yet know their schedules for the NFL Combine. We put together a rough draft of the agenda for the day to give you an idea of what to expect. Speakers will changes as teams make meeting schedules and flight arrangements.)

  • Mark Dominik, Tampa Bay Buccaneers General Manager
  • Adam Schefter - ESPN
  • Aaron Schatz, Football Outsiders & Pro Football Prospectus
  • John Wooten - NFL Legend, fondly respected as the "Godfather" of the NFL
  • Mark Warkentien, NBA Executive of the Year, New York Knicks Director of Player Personnel & former Denver Nuggets GM
  • Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, President and Founder, Sports Management Worldwide
  • Will Johnson, Pittsburgh Steelers Fullback
  • Ross Weaver, Detroit Lions Defensive Back
  • Russ Lande - NFL Draft Expert for GM Jr Scouting
  • Mike Stoeber, Jacksonville Jaguars Video Assistant (XOS)
  • Greg Hylton, Indianapolis Colts,Vice President Premium Seating & Ticket Sales
  • Matt Littlefield, former NFL pro & college scout
  • Josh Liskiewitz, College Scout with GM Jr Scouting & The Football Standard
  • Marc Trestman, Chicago Bears Head Coach (tentative)
  • Dr. Chuck Patterson, Career Planners College Consulting
  • Jeff Cieply, Assistant Athletic Director for Sales at Indiana University
  • Kristen Kuliga, NFL Agent (female agent representing the most NFL players)
  • Leo Ezerins, Executive Director,  CFL Alumni Association
  • Jack Mills, NFL Agent
  • Jim Solano, NFL Agent
  • Kelli Masters, NFL Agent
  • Tony Agnone, NFL Agent
  • Steve Nash, Integrity Sports Broadcasting Network
  • Mary Lee Gilliland, Madison Sports Partnerships CEO

    SMWW Staff:
  • Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, SMWW President
  • Marcus Williams, NFL Agent 
  • Jeff Brodie, NBA Agent & SMWW Director of Basketball
  • Chase Sbicca, SMWW Student Services Director
  • Liz Lashbrook, SMWW Executive Director


Conference Fees:

Rates good thru Friday, February 22, 2013

Includes:

  • Friday Night Welcome Reception
  • Saturday Conference & Workshop sessions.
  • Saturday Networking Lunch

(Conference Fee does not include meals or hotel accommodations or entrance to the NFL Combine.
Note: This year the Fritz Pollard Aliiance Reception is NOT included.)


  • General Admission: $250. Onlne before Friday, February 22, 2013  click here
  • College Students and Faculty: (Your university will be on your name tag. All Sports Management Worldwide Students and Alumni are included at this rate).Walk ups $200. Online only $175 before Friday, February 22nd, 2013  click here
  • Team and Agency Employees Register here: (The team or agency you currently work for will be on your name tag.) Walk ups $200. Online before Friday, February 22, 2013 only $175 click here

Questions about the workshop can be directed to workshop@smww.com

Note: This conference does not inlcude enterance to the NFL Combine which is closed to the public. For more information, visit the NFL Scouting Combine website. Speakers are subject to change and not guaranteed.



Hotel Rooms:

 Hyatt Regency Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Downtown Indianapolis — State Capitol
One South Capitol Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46204
1.888.591.1234
1.317.632.1234

Rooms are still available at the Hyatt. We also encourage you to visit Priceline.com and select a hotel downtown Indianapolis for a huge savings.



Conference Sponsorships & Tables:

 For those individuals interested in partnering with Sports Management Worldwide we have sponsorships available. This includes tables at the venue and promotion of your product or services. Tables start at $500 and include attendence. For more information, please contact workshop@smww.com

Career Conference Agenda

(Speakers will be added and times will change. Due to schedules still being arranged, and teams finalizing who on their staff will be attending, this schedule is tentative.) Please keep checking back to this webpage for updates and changes. A final schedule will be sent to registered attendees one week prior to event.

Friday, February 22, 2013

   
 

 

7:00pm to
9:30pm
SMWW Welcome Reception in downtown Indianapolis 

Private Party at the famous Indianapolis Colts Grille. All attendees are invited to join this fabulous networking opportunity. Registration will be open during the reception as folks fly in from all over the USA for the conference. Drop by upon your arrival and meet the SMWW Staff & Faculty, Conference Speakers, and friends of SMWW. 

Saturday, February 23, 2013 

8:00am Registration opens.

8:30am

Q and A with NFL Legend

John Wooten, former NFL Executive, played for the Browns 1959-67, Redskins 1968. Highly respected by NFL Executives. 
Affectionately known as NFL's Godfather.
              
9:00am

Q and A with Tampa Bay Bucs General Manager
Mark Dominik

9:30am

Break

9:45am

Scouting & Digital Video Editing with the Pros at the NFL Combine

Aaron Schatz, Football Outsiders & Pro Football Prospectus

Russ Lande - GM Jr. Scouting, The Big Ten Network & The National Football Post

Matt Littlefield - former scout for the Chiefs, Rams, and Jaguars. 

Josh Liskiewitz, College Scout with GM Jr Scouting & Pro Scouting Director of the Football Standard

Mike Stoeber, Jacksonville Jaguars Video Department 

10:45am Break
11am

Keynote: Mark Warkentien, NBA Executive of the Year, New York Knicks Director of Player Personnel & former Denver Nuggets GM

12:00pm Lunch (Included with conference registration)
1:00pm

Will Johnson, Pittsburg Steelers Fullback and his SMWW Agent Advisor Joe Tyler.
Will was not invited to the NFL Combine and not signed out of West Virginia University. Hear his inspirational story of how a year later he fought his way and became a starter in the NFL.

Ross Weaver, Detroit Lions Defensive Back and his SMWW Agent Advisor Al Thomas.

1:45pm Break
 
 2:00pm Q and A with ESPN Adam Schefter

Adam is one of the top pro football reporters in the industry with more than 20 years of covering the NFL. Schefter joined ESPN as an NFL Insider in August 2009, and he appears on SportsCenter, NFL Live, Sunday NFL Countdown, Monday Night Countdown and ESPNEWS throughout the year in addition to contributing regularly to other platforms, including ESPN.com and ESPN Radio.
2:45pm Break
3pm 

NFL Agent Panel:  "Tips to Success in finding Top Draft Picks and Securing Endorsements"

Kelli Masters, NFL Agent

Tony Agnone, NFL Agent

Jack Mills - NFL Agent

Jim Solano - NFL Agent 

Kristen Kuliga - NFL Agent

 

3:45pm

Break

 4pm

 How to Break into the NFL & NCAA via Marketing & Sales

Greg Hylton, Indianapolis Colts VP of Marketing & Sales

Jeff Cieply, Assistant Athletic Director for Sales at Indiana Universtity

4:45pm

Marc Trestman, Chicago Bears Head Coach
"Perseverance: Life Lessons on Leadership and Teamwork" (tentative)

 

 

 

CLICK HERE TO
Sign Up!

 

 

FAQ:

  • Who Should Attend?
    The Sports Career Conference is designed for individuals with an interest in a sports business career. Via the workshop, discussion groups and keynote speakers you will be introduced and learn in-depth about the job responsibilities of professions in the NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS, NBA, NASCAR, WNBA, and minor league sports. Attendees include business professionals wishing to break into new markets, to college students wanting to get their foot in the door to sports agents making a start! A variety of topics covering scouting, management at different levels, agents, player personnel, athletic director, sports administrator, sports marketing, endorsement deals, draft analysis, salary caps, promotions and the inner workings of behind the scenes in almost every sports business career.
     
  • What's the Format?
    You will have time to ask questions after the individual presentations or panel discussions. There will be social events and other opportunities to meet speakers, fellow attendees, and sports executives. Friday and Saturday are jam packed with speakers and opportunities to network. The Sports Career Conference is held in the headquarter hotel in the middle of all the NFL Combine action near Lucas Oil Stadium. Due to the NFL Combine schedule we are juggling speaking engagements and panels up to the last minute! Each year we have surprise visits from NFL personnel. They literally walk by our meeting rooms all day and we try to squeeze them onto panels between their meetings at the combine.
     
  • When should I arrive?
    Registration starts Friday evening at 7pm with a Welcome Reception to meet fellow attendees, SMWW Staff & Faculty, speakers and friends of SMWW. It is a great time to network and register for the conference. Saturday conference and workshop sessions are approximately every hour. We pack the day full of fabulous speakers so that you can glean as much as possible in one day.
    You don't want you to miss a single opportunity! However, we do keep the event affordable so that those of you flying in and flying out can come late or leave early. Most conferences like this are in the middle of the week. We choose to offer this workshop on the weekend so that those of you working full time can attend. The format is fun, fast and enlightening. Our attendees come from all 50 states, Canada, England, and we have even had some attend from Africa and China.
     
  • What should I wear?
    Dress is business casual.
     
  • What do Sports people say about the event:

    "What a wonderful weekend I had at your Sports Career Conference! The conference was informative, enlightening, inspirational, and very educational. It was a classy event with some heavy hitters of the sports industry used as guest panelists. I cannot begin to share with you the great experience I had. Thank you is not enough, but it is well deserved. Most impressive was the number of young people who traveled from all over the country and from abroad to attend the conference. It speaks volumes about the reputation and quality of your organization."
    Reggie Williams
    VP, Community Relations, Memphis Redbirds (AAA) & Former MLB player

    "This is the ’must attend‘ event of the year for those involved in sports management programs who truly care about experiential education, establishing networking contacts with senior level executives, and exposing students to visionary thinkers in the field of Sports Management. Few people in the world can attract this level of talent and put them in one room to share their experiences. The SMWW Career Conference is the kind of student-focused activity that will raise retention rates, career placement rates, and student satisfaction rates."
    Ted Bouras
    Northcentral University

    "As an Assistant Professor and Program Coordinator of the Sports Management Program, I found the SMWW conference to be informative and a great way to keep a pulse on what is going on in the sports industries, from professional sports to youth sports, from marketing to sports agency and athletic advising. The information gained and networking opportunities were endless."
    Janice E. Wardle
    Assistant Professor,
    Sports Management & Internship Coordinator
    Wilmington University

    "Thank you and cheers to the entire SMWW team! The wealth of expertise you gathered across sports industries for all attendees in both panel and networking settings was truly amazing and exciting. I look forward to shaking and baking with the many sports leaders I met at the conference. I am already looking forward to the 2009 conference!"
    Paul Martino
    Global 500 corporate Director and ESPN Sports Ticker Gameday Statistician

    "The Sports Management Worldwide Career Conference is an great event for anyone interested in exploring the world of professional sports. They cover every aspect of professional sports including Motorsports and the importance of the technology used today. Centered in the heart of the amateur sports capitol of America and during the NFL Scouting Combine, Indianapolis is an ideal location at an ideal time for this conference."
    Jared Slinde
    North Dakota State University
    M.S. Sport Management

    "This past fall the executive committee of the undergraduate sport management club came to me with the idea that they wanted to attend the SMWW Sports Career conference. To be honest it was not the choice I would have made as their faculty advisor. To my surprise and delight, the SMWW staff provided our students with a wonderful package so that they could afford registration, meals, and lodging in downtown Indianapolis.
    Over 41 students from the West Virginia University Sports Management Club attended. It was awesome! Students shared with me their excitement of meeting top level executives in the Sports field at the conference. They were overwhelmed that the conference speakers stayed around after their sessions to meet the students. Students collected many business cards and passed out their resumes to perspective employers. The word of mouth got back to WVU before we did! Students that were not able to attend were disappointed. Students are already planning to attend next year.
    From my perspective it is a win-win situation. Students can only learn so much in the classroom. The value of spending three days in the same room with some of the top sport and athletic administrators in the United States is extremely valuable to these undergraduates. As one student said: "It (the conference) was worth every penny!"

    D. Floyd Jones, Ph.D.
    Associate Professor
    Sport Management Program
    West Virginia University

 

2009 Conference Recap

Download 2009 Schedule and Speaker List (pdf)

2008 Conference Recap

Download 2008 Schedule and Speaker List (pdf)

2007 Conference Recap

2006 Conference Recap

2005 Conference Recap

 

2010 Speaker List including Fritz Pollard Alliance Awards Reciepients and Speakers

  • Dr. Lynn Lashbrook- President and Founder Sports Management Worldwide
  • Rod Graves, Arizona Cardinals GM
  • John Wooten- NFL Legend & NFL Executive
  • Harry Carson, NFL Legend & Fritz Pollard Alliance Executive Director
  • Adam Schefter, ESPN
  • Daniel Kelly, Former NY Jets Pro Scout & Current College Scout for GM Jr. Scouting
  • Aaron Schatz - Football Outsiders & Pro Football Prospectus
  • Chad Reuter - Senior Analyst for NFLDraftScout.com partnering with CBSSports.com
  • Wes Bunting, National Football Post’s Director of College Scouting and SMWW Alumni
  • Jimmy Halsell, former Salary Cap Analyst for the Washingtion Redskins
  • Steve Nash, Integrity Sports Broadcasting & SMWW Faculty
  • Kristen Kuliga-NFL Agent, Doug Flutie & more
  • Mary Lee Gilliland, Learfield Sports, National Account Manager
  • Mike Reinfeldt, Titans Executive Vice President & General Manager
  • C.O. Brocato, Tennessee Titans National Supervisor of College Scouting
  • Reggie McKenzie, Green Bay Packers Director of Football Operations
  • Alonzo Highsmith – Green Bay Packer College Scout (Southwest)
  • Craig Richardson, Fritz Pollard Alliance
  • Ray Anderson, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations
  • Cyrus Mehri, Fritz Pollard Alliance
  • Dutch Baughman, Executive Director of the Athletic Directors’ Association
  • Bob Wallace, former St Louis Rams Executive Vice President
  • Billy Bidwill, Arizona Cardinals Owner
  • Will Carroll- Football Outsiders & SI.com
  • Rick Horrow- Fox Sports & CNN Sports (invited)
  • Mark Washo- Washington Freedom GM & SMWW Faculty
  • Jack Mills- NFL Agent, 30 Year NFL Agent, clients include Eric Dickerson & many others
  • Jim Solano- NFL Agent (having represent over 600 clients in 30 years)
  • Jack Bechta, NFL Agent
  • Daron Roberts, Detroit Lions Asst. Secondary Coach
  • NFL Draft Prospects
  • Kris Kovatovic- Indiana Pacers Inside Sales & Fever Sales/Service Director
  • Greg Hylton- Indianapolis Colts, Vice President Premium Seating & Ticket Sales
  • Russ Lande- NFL Scout/Sporting News.com and SMWW Faculty
  • Chris Codero, Miami Heat Account Executive & SMWW Alumni
  • Ryan Latham- Tacoma Rainiers and formerly Boston Red Sox and SMWW Alumni
  • CJ Lovett, NFL Draft Prospect
  • Dr. Chuck Patterson- The Ohio State University
  • Joe Bonahoom- Director of Baseball, SMWW
  • Dr. Gary Sailes- Indiana University Sports
  • Marcus Williams- Director of Football, SMWW Agency
  • Chase Sbicca- SMWW Director of Student Services
  • Ben Kopca- SMWW Sports Career Advisor
  • TK Kee, SMWW Director of Football Research & Scouting


Sidebar

NFL Combine Sports Career Conference Speakers
(Speakers vary from year to year)


Mike Tannenbaum
New York Jets GM

 
Dawn Aponte, Miami Dolphins
Senior Vice President, Football Operations
 


Kevin Colbert
Pittsburgh Steelers GM
 


Rod Graves
Arizona Cardinals GM

 


Mike Stanfield, New Orleans Saints
Vice President, Ticket & Suite Sales
 


Raymond Berry, HOF
NFL Legend
"Greatest Game Ever Played"




Art Shell, HOF
Raiders 1968-82
Former NFL Coach
 


Kelli Masters
NFL Agent
 


John Wooten-
NFL Legend & NFL Executive
 


Adam Schefter,
ESPN NFL Insider





Russ Lande, GM Jr.
Sporting News & NFL Scout



Dr. Lynn Lashbrook
SMWW President




Greg Hylton, Indianapolis Colts
VP Premium Seating & Ticket Sales



 
Kristen Kuliga,
NFL Agent



Ray Anderson,
NFL Executive VP of Football Operations


Mary Lee Gilliland,
Ahklun Sports & Entertainment
Managing Director


Jack Mills
NFL Agent



Mike Reinfeldt,
Titans Executive EVP & GM


Bob Wallace,
former St Louis Rams EVP


Aaron Schatz

Football Outsiders & Pro Football Prospectus



Wes Bunting,

National Football Post
Director of College Scouting


Jimmy Halsell,

former Washingtion Redskins Salary Cap Analyst
Football Outsiders


Matt Moore
SMWW Client
Miami Dolphins QB


Ross Weaver
SMWW Client
Dallas Cowboys DB

Chad Reuter
NFLDraftScout.com

Daniel Kelly,
GM Jr. Scouting

Steve Nash,
Integrity Sports Broadcasting & SMWW Faculty

C.O. Brocato,
Tennessee Titans National Supervisor of College Scouting

Reggie McKenzie,
Green Bay Packers Director of Football Operations

Alonzo Highsmith
Green Bay Packer College Scout (Southwest)

Craig Richardson, Fritz Pollard Alliance

Cyrus Mehri, Fritz Pollard Alliance

Dutch Baughman, Executive Director of the Athletic Directors’ Association

Billy Bidwill, Arizona Cardinals Owner

Will Carroll- Football Outsiders & SI.com

Rick Horrow- Fox Sports & CNN Sports (invited)

Mark Washo- Washington Freedom GM

Jim Solano- NFL Agent

Daron Roberts, Detroit Lions Asst. Secondary Coach

Kris Kovatovic- Indiana Pacers Inside Sales & Fever Sales/Service Director



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