In our continuing series, SportsBusiness Daily/SportsBusiness Journal asks top sports personalities for their thoughts, ideas, aspirations and likes. Today, Daktronics National Sales Manager JAY PARKER.
What I Like...
An insight: You can't provide the best solution to a customer's challenge without first truly understanding their needs.
An influential person in my career: Dr. AL KURTENBACH, co-founder of Daktronics. He had the vision, saw the need and created an industry leader around serving customers.
An out-of-the-box idea: Need-based solutions created by Apple with their family of products. Staying connected for business and personal needs via social communications.
A timeless idea: Take nothing and no one for granted.
A sports facility: Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Daktronics' first indoor "Super System" installation with a uniquely designed center-hung display that has been replicated throughout our industry.
A sports event: March Madness captures the country and dominates the sports pages. There are always David vs. Goliath matchups, buzzer-beater games and Cinderella stories.
A strategy: Relationships sell.
A hire: The recent hire of URBAN MEYER. Can this move be a game-changer for the Ohio State University football program and the rest of the Big Ten Conference?
A brand: Nike and Under Armour.
A trend: Information on demand, at our fingertips. Fans want scores, statistics and video on demand. Mobile devices, LED, IPTV and control technologies make that possible.
An innovation: Smartphones. The power in the hand-held device is amazing and the future is unlimited. How will these devices influence the industry in the next 10 years?
A story that bears watching: The NBA (post-lockout).
An idea or invention I wish I had thought of: Performance-enhancing clothing (Under Armour/Nike).
A fantasy job: A successful football coach.
What I Like About...
My job: I am a true sports fan. I enjoy all levels of sport. My job allows me to stay very connected to the sports industry and the sports page.
Sports: It's a reflection of real life: hard work, dedication, teamwork, discipline, accountability.
Sports business: It's always changing. Great companies continue to adapt and deliver new products and services to the market.
Sports media: The ability to stay in touch. Getting industry news almost immediately. Staying on top of specific developments that are important to our customers.
Sports technology: The integration of LED video, digital signage, scoring, stats, IPTV and control technologies in a truly integrated system, and the ability to paint or brand an entire facility with the touch of a button.
Competing: Makes you wake up and stay motivated.
Sports fans: Their passion and loyalty to their teams.
What I Would Like To...
Change in what I do: Ability to get away for some good quality quiet time.
See: The economy getting out of the slump it is in. We need people to get back to work and the economy growing again.
See more of in sports: Fans getting more access to the athletes and the ability of the family of four to afford attending events on a regular basis.
See more of in sports business: Another Olympic Games on U.S. soil.
See less of in sports: Tattoos, long hair and trash talking. Athletes are role models for the youth of today and need to set good examples.
See less of in sports business: Colleges in the headlines for rules violations. Let's all play by the rules ... no one is above the rules.
See different: Purchase decisions based on price alone.
What I Don't Like....
In general: I believe in the Golden Rule, but too many people believe it means "He who has the gold makes the rules."
Pet peeve: Excessive touchdown celebrations. Act like you've been there before.
In sports: Free agency. I grew up where players stayed with the same team for many years. I miss player and fan loyalty. I like fantasy sports, but where did the loyalty to the team go?
In business: Politics. There is too much of it in the world today. It often gets in the way of making sound business decisions.
About sports fans: I love team loyalty, but all need to be respectful of visiting teams and their fans. Everyone should have fun at sporting events.
What I Like...
People: People who are class acts. People who are humble, reliable and dependable.
That would surprise those who know me: I am an "American Idol" fan. I cannot sing, but I really like professional karaoke.
Above all else: Family and friends are most important.
About myself: I strive for work-life balance and work hard to juggle the busy business world and still have time for my family.
Heroes: BEAR BRYANT, BUD GRANT, TOM LANDRY: Quality coaches who survived the test of time.
Players: WALTER PAYTON, JERRY RICE.
Teams: South Dakota State University Jackrabbits, and all teams and properties that have Daktronics equipment.
Cities: Denver, San Diego, Phoenix and Miami.
Possession: My boat. I love to be on the water on a hot sunny summer day.
Memento: Framed photo from opening night for the Minnesota Wild given to me by a couple very special friends.
Time of year: Fall, because the weather gets cooler and football season kicks off.
Music: '80s music and country.
Books: "Control Your Destiny or Someone Else Will" and "How to Be Like Coach Wooden."
Authors: I follow JEFFREY GITOMER. He writes great selling books and articles.
Magazines: Sports Illustrated, SportsBusiness Journal.
Website: ESPN.com.
Gadgets: iPad and iPhone, amazing technology.
iPad apps: Documents To Go, Keynote, TripIt.
Chores: Yardwork. Nice to get outside and enjoy the day.
Hobbies: Boating, watching my children's events
Trips: Trips with family and friends watching my son play college football.
Movies: "The Bourne Identity."
TV: "SportsCenter" and "Suits."
Concerts: TIM MCGRAW, GARTH BROOKS.
Artist: TERRY REDLIN
Food: A great hamburger.
Dessert: Flaming bananas Foster. Wow, if done right, [it] is to die for!
Drink: A cold beer, especially at a great game or on a hot summer day.
Scent: The smell of great food.
Vacation spots: Hawaii and Huntington Beach, Calif.
Cars: Chevy Suburban, the all-purpose machine for living in the upper Midwest.
Singers: Garth Brooks and Tim McGraw.
Quote: "Hard work beats talent if talent doesn't work hard," and "You can't expect change if you keep doing the same thing."
