Menu
World Congress of Sports

Lynn Swann Dishes On Becoming USC AD, Coliseum Renovation

Swann’s 30-minute interview covered both his business background and his playing daysTony Florez

Most people in the room at the ’18 CAA World Congress of Sports yesterday probably didn’t remember that Lynn Swann primarily lined up on the right side of the field during his playing days. So, when NFL Network host Steve Wyche, the moderator for Swann’s one-on-one interview, took the seat on the right, USC’s AD had a quick response: “You’re in my chair.” Swann’s 30-minute interview covered his business background and his playing days as one of the best wide receivers to play the game, both of which helped prepare him for the AD chair at his alma mater even though he had never previously worked in athletic administration. “I had served on the boards of global companies,” Swann told the audience. “That’s helped me run a better business practice.” 

SOLID GROUND: The Pro Football HOFer, who won four Super Bowls in nine NFL seasons, said he found the Trojans’ athletic department in solid shape when he took over in April '16 for Pat Haden. “We had a solid core with our staff, so my charge was not to clean house,” Swann said. Despite his distinguished football background, Swann made it clear that “I do not call plays. We have coaches we’ve hired to do that and I let them do their job. My job is to help the coach be a good manager.” Swann was asked about the $270M renovation to United Airlines Memorial Coliseum and he came back with an interesting story about an original piece of rebar that sits in his office. “It’s not round, it’s square,” he said. “That’s how it was in that time period,” referring to the Coliseum, which opened in 1923.

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2018/04/18/World-Congress/Lynn-Swann.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2018/04/18/World-Congress/Lynn-Swann.aspx

CLOSE