In our continuing series, SportsBusiness Daily/SportsBusiness Journal asks top sports personalities for their thoughts, ideas, aspirations and likes. Today, Minnesota Lynx COO CONRAD SMITH.
What I like in an insight: In prosperity, our friends know us; in adversity, we know our friends.
An influential person in my career: My parents and all the talented educators along the way who unselfishly imparted their wisdom.
An out-of-the-box idea: Whether a part-time ticket taker or a courtside seat holder, treat everyone with the same level of attention and respect.
A timeless idea: Service before all else; handwritten thank-you notes.
A business deal: The WNBA’s recent multiyear marquee sponsorship with Sprint’s Boost Mobile service.
A sports facility: Camp Randall, Fenway Park, Target Field.
A sports event: The Masters is the traditional classic sports event, but one of the best events I have ever witnessed was the highest-scoring game in WNBA history, a Phoenix Mercury 127 - Minnesota Lynx 124 double-overtime game on July 24, 2010.
A strategy: Take care of the little things and big results will follow.
A hire: North Star Marketing Group Owner TOM ANDREWS, who helped create our very successful 2011 branding and advertising campaign.
A brand: Mayo Hospitals and Clinics, Best Buy.
A trend: Social media is now the easiest and most powerful tool to communicate with current and future fans.
An innovation: The Charlotte Bobcats’ smart-card program; personal relationships; sense of humor.
A pro league or team business initiative: Coming from the world of soccer, seeing the MLS’ expansion and innovation around its National Sales Center initiative.
A story that bears watching: Being a history buff, I thoroughly enjoyed PBS’s series “Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided.”
An idea or invention I wish I had thought of: Bing.
A fantasy job: Press secretary for the president of the United States.
My job: The variety of challenges that each and every day brings as well as having a dedicated, passionate staff working together to reach new heights, both from a revenue and branding perspective.
Sports: Being in a business that provides live, unique, anything-can-happen entertainment.
Sports business: The opportunity to create new processes and methods of improving our business operation.
Sports media: You can get detailed coverage of your favorite teams 24 hours a day, including LiveAccess Internet coverage of WNBA games.
Sports technology: Has allowed us to connect with our loyal fan base and attract new fans on a 24/7 basis.
Competing: It challenges us to be better and improve every single day.
The future of sports business: Combining the in-person experience with the comforts of watching a game on television at home.
Sports fans: They are the lifeblood of our business.
Change: The overall perception that women’s sports are not as entertaining as men’s sports.
Change in what I do: Enjoy the small wins along the way.
See: A live taping of “Saturday Night Live.”
See more of in sports: Improving the connection and overall interaction between players and fans.
See more of in sports business: Although many strides have been made, increase teams’ involvement in the nonprofit/cause-related community.
See less of in sports: Over-the-top bravado -- act like you’ve been there before.
See less of in sports business: “We’ll try it and see how it goes” sponsorship deals. Commit dollars and embrace the brand.
See different: Limit the number of timeouts in the fourth quarter.
What I don't like in general: People who drive too slow in the passing lanes.
Pet peeve: Excessive commercial breaks on television and radio.
In sports: Team media coverage solely based on wins and losses and not the personality of the franchise and its players.
In business: Poor customer service.
About sports fans: Fair-weather fans. Let’s all be fans like those of the Cubs and Packers.
What I like in people: Who treat others with respect.
That would surprise those who know me: Refereeing soccer games.
Above all else: Family.
About myself: That I have meaningful friendships and a genuine support system.
Heroes: All the military servicemen and women who protect and serve our country.
Players: KIRBY PUCKETT, CARL YASTRZEMSKI, JOHN HAVLICEK, and BOBBY ORR.
Teams: Lynx, Timberwolves, Twins.
City: Boston.
Possession: Memories of a lifetime.
Memento: A signed Kirby Puckett 1993 All-Star Game MVP baseball (black and orange stitching).
Time of year: Summer because it means golf, a garden ready to be planted and seeing the world’s best female basketball players compete on the main stage.
Music: The E Street Band, TOM WAITS, NRBQ and DAVE BROMBERG.
Books: “Lone Survivor,” by MARCUS LUTTRELL; “Hunting Eichmann,” by NEAL BASCOMB; and “The Brothers Bulger,” by HOWIE CARR.
Authors: THOMAS FRIEDMAN, KHALED HOSSEINI, ERNEST HEMINGWAY, JACK WELCH.
Magazines: Sports Illustrated, Money and SBJ.
Websites: WNBA.com, StarTribune.com, ESPN.com.
IPad app: Flixster.
Chores: Virtually every outdoor chore.
Hobbies: Golf, boating, spending time with friends and family.
Trips: Alaska, Hawaii, Japan, Dominican Republic.
Movies: “The Wizard of Oz,” “Caddyshack,” “Back to School,” “No Country for Old Men” and “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”
TV: “Cheers,” “In Living Color,” “Weeds,” “Mad Men,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”
Concerts: Talking Heads at the University of Miami and the last performance by BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN and the E Street Band with DANNY FEDERICI and CLARENCE CLEMONS (Conseco Field House).
Artist: NORMAN ROCKWELL, BILL MACK.
Food: Seafood and a great steak.
Dessert: Chocolate éclairs and my mother’s applesauce cake.
Drink: Arnie Palmer and Dunkin’ Donuts coffee.
Scent: Smell of fresh-cut grass in the morning and an ocean breeze.
Vacation spots: Several spots in Maine, including York Beach, Ogunquit and Bar Harbor; Key West, Fla.
Cars: Lexus.
Singer: Bruce Springsteen.
Quotation: I have been writing quotes on my kids’ plastic lunch bags for the past several years. Favorites are “Live, Laugh and Love;” “Energy and Persistence Conquer All Things;” and “Leave the Gift of Kindness and Courage.”
