Name: Tom Glick
Age: 35
New title: Senior director of team marketing and business development, NBAPrevious job: Senior vice president, sales and marketing, Sacramento River Cats
First Job: Ran lawn-care business with brother
Education: Bachelor of arts (1990), government, Cornell University
Resides: Philadelphia
Grew up: Needham, Mass.
Executive most admired: Tom Dickson and Sherrie Myers, founders of Lansing Lugnuts and Montgomery Biscuits minor league baseball teams
Brand most admired: Starbucks
Favorite vacation spot: Summit County, Colo.
Last books read: “Jonathan Livingston Seagull” by Richard Bach and “Posterity: Letters of Great Americans to Their Children” by Dorie McCullough Lawson
Last movie seen: “Troy”
Favorite movie: “Ocean’s 11”
Favorite musicians: Morrissey, Chris Isaak, Willie Nelson, Frank Sinatra
Typical hours worked in a week: 60
Tom Glick fit in an interview to discuss his move from baseball to the NBA by calling from his hotel room early one Friday.
Glick, a recipient of SportsBusiness Journal’s Forty Under 40 Award in 1999 and 2000, is busy traveling across the country to work with the staff of NBA and National Basketball Development League teams to maximize ticket sales, sponsorship development, marketing, broadcasting, community and public relations, and game presentation.
Glick works with a team of 35 people focused on helping each of the NBA, WNBA and NBDL teams in their marketing and business goals.
Glick said his favorite part of his move to the NBA is “meeting people within the department that are talented, creative and resourceful.”
What is the biggest challenge in your new position?
Staying current on all of the latest trends and best practices in our industry and then being able to communicate those to each of our teams. Then, collaborating with them to be able to incorporate those practices to improve their businesses. While it’s the biggest challenge, it’s also the most fun and rewarding part of being in this department.
What is the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?
Choosing to take my first job out of college in sports instead of choosing the safe option. There were other more traditional options that I could have taken in selecting careers. I chose to pursue my passion and follow what I enjoyed.
What is your biggest professional accomplishment?
Running the Huntington Cubs at the ages of 23 and 24. I was in charge of a five-person staff and responsible for pulling the team and a business together for the very first time.
What is your biggest professional disappointment?
Learning how hot dogs are made and having Opening Day snowed out in 1997.
What is your career advice?
Learn to write well and speak in front of groups. Throw yourself into your work, make a commitment to be great, never stop learning, [and] make sure you work with great people that are bright, committed to what the team is doing, and have fun.
What one story are you continuing to watch in the sports business?
The emergence of database marketing as a critical component of the selling and marketing of the sports team. Just like it continues to be an important part of business development of organizations in so many other business categories.
What one element would you like to change about the sports industry?
As a fan, I’d love to see the players stay with their teams for longer periods of time.
