CAA
The golf world has seen a whirlwind of change over the last two years, but Megan Nicol has been a steadying force in helping CAA navigate those choppy waters. Nicol, the firm’s executive of brand consulting for golf, has been at CAA since 2011 when she was just 23.
Over the years she’s had her hands in nearly every part of CAA’s work in the golf space, now managing more than $100 million in sponsorships every year, from Farmers Insurance to bringing T-Mobile into golf via sponsorships with Nelly Korda and Tony Finau.
The women’s game is where Nicol’s impact might be felt most, as she was on the team that formed the idea for KPMG to come on board and sponsor the Women’s PGA Championship. She also helped create the KPMG Women’s Leadership Summit, held annually around the championship, and is the highest-ranking female executive on CAA’s golf team.
Nicol has leaned heavily over the years on Molly Solomon, a member of the SBJ Forty Under 40 Class of 2005 and a pioneer in her own right who began her career at NBC in 1990 and now oversees its Olympics production. Solomon and Nicol connected as NBC has carried the KPMG since its inception.
“She’s been in a lot of meetings through the years where she’s prompted women to speak up and make sure their voice is heard,” Nicol said. “The passion of hers has always been to ensure that women’s golf is getting the coverage it deserves.”
As Nicol’s responsibilities have grown, so has her outlook on team leadership.
“I think it’s really trying to learn to let go and focus on what really matters for you,” Nicol said. “OK, the people you manage, you need to trust them. Delegate. Let the rest take care of itself.” — Josh Carpenter
Megan Nicol
Executive, CAA
Born: Toronto
Education: Florida State University, mass media studies and business administration
Family: Spouse, Greg Scaffidi; children, stepsons Cade (13) and Austin (11), Blake (10 months)
More about Megan
Something that instantly makes my day better: Seeing the success of the younger members of our team, seeing them grow and thrive and be proud of their work.
Advice to my younger self: To listen to advice my boss, Billy McGriff (co-head, CAA Sports) gave me: Hustle fouls are OK. I love hustle fouls. It means you were working too hard, made a mistake, and will fix it the next time. Learn from it, and fix it.
If I did not work in sports, I would be an … : Interior designer or real estate agent. Or both.
I wish more people understood … : That sometimes if I give quick feedback, or hardly any at all — that is a compliment and shows the trust and confidence I have in you.
Person in sports business I’d most like to meet: Billie Jean King. I come from a family of professional, and nonprofessional yet avid, tennis players, and the impact Billie Jean King made on sports as a whole would be fascinating to hear about.
