Ed Horne
COO, Madison Avenue Sports and Entertainment
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Ed Horne spent 15 years at the NHL before taking on the marketing and advising practice at Madison Avenue Sports and Entertainment. He recently spent time in our Charlotte studio, and these questions and answers were edited down from our conversation ... to 11 words or less. The full video of the interview is posted below.
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What’s MadAve?
HORNE : “Small and nimble, focused on talent representation, marketing, media and production.”
What sets MadAve apart?
HORNE : “We’re able to do it more hands-on.”
What have you learned about the sports biz?
HORNE : “This is sports, it is entertainment. It’s supposed to be fun.”
Biggest change as a sports executive?
HORNE : “Besides the gray hair?”
Yes, biggest non-hair change.
HORNE : Perspective. “The highs aren’t so high, the lows aren’t so low.”
Mentors and influences?
HORNE : NHL’s Gary Bettman, Rick Dudley of Octagon.
What’s Canada’s beef with Bettman?
HORNE : He’s handled tough issues, always “straightforward and straight on.”
Bettman’s place in history?
HORNE : “About as good a commissioner as I think sports has seen.”
Key issues in sports business?
HORNE : College networks, “the continued movement from traditional to digital.”
What about MMA?
HORNE : Tremendous growth, but “still in a growth mode.”
Growth of sports business internationally?
HORNE : European soccer is an area “we’re … very interested in.”
Will MLS bring in more top players?
HORNE : “To compete, they’re going to have to bring in more talent.”
Young person coming into the biz should …
HORNE : “Follow the money.” Be “a key contributor on the revenue ledger.”
Is the talent level in sports increasing?
HORNE : Yes, because of “the college programs that are out there now.”
Did the iPad change your life?
HORNE : “I’m a whole lot less reliant on ink and paper.”
As a Shakespeare buff, two thumbs up for advice from …
HORNE : “‘Much Ado.’ … Don’t let others tell you what you’re seeing.”
