PROFESSIONAL
What I like …
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■ An influential person in my career: My father [Hall of Fame coach and AD C.M. Newton]. He taught me to be myself and that relationships matter.
■ An out-of-the-box idea: Sam Not Stan campaign. For years I had to explain to people that I went to SAMford, not STANford. I was telling that story to a friend of mine who works at Nike and what his son was going to have to tell people back on the West Coast after he committed to SU, and he designed a T-shirt as a joke. We then took it and put together a marketing campaign around the Sam Not Stan theme.
■ A business deal: Nike signing of Michael Jordan and creating a shoe and marketing campaign after him. Converse had all the stars (Magic, Bird, Dr. J, etc.) but Nike designed an entire campaign around one icon. Revolutionized the shoe business.
Martin Newton
Athletic Director, Samford University
■ What I do: I am the athletic director at my alma mater. I get to serve 350-plus of the best and brightest student athletes in the country.
■ Where I’m From: Born in Lexington, Ky., grew up in Tuscaloosa, Ala., and currently reside in Birmingham, Ala.
■ Where I Went to School: B.A., business finance, Samford University
■ What I Did for My First Job: After college, sales and promotions rep for Converse Inc. in the state of North Carolina; before college, I worked at a gas station pumping gas.
■ A timeless idea: Treating others as you would want to be treated.
■ A sports facility: The old Boston Garden.
■ A sports event: The Final Four.
■ A strategy: How to differentiate yourself from your competitors.
■ A hire: Andy Westmoreland, president of Samford University. Singlehandedly changed the course of this university with his leadership and vision.
■ A trend: 24-hour coffeehouses.
■ An innovation: Converse REACT Juice …
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leaked all over basketball courts everywhere. Maybe the worst innovation ever, but it sure gained national recognition.
■ A pro league or team business initiative: NBA Cares.
■ A story that bears watching: NCAA amateurism and autonomy issues.
■ An idea or invention I wish I had thought of: Twitter. Amazing to watch people share their life story in 140 characters or less.
What I like about …
■ My job: The people. From our student athletes and coaches to our staff and fans, I’m surrounded by outstanding people.
■ Sports: Teaches you to fail forward and learn from mistakes.
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Boston Garden
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■ Sports business: Most people aren’t in the business of sport as a job but a passion and lifestyle.
■ Sports media: I’m old-school and like the old beat reporters that cared and covered a team rather than the new media of trying to out scoop and not worrying about getting the facts.
■ Sports technology: Digital media. The
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Final Four
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ability to watch sports on the go.
■ Competing: Win or lose, you can learn valuable life lessons from each competition.
■ The future of sports business: I’m concerned that everything has become about the almighty dollar and we’ve lost the love of the game in the process.
■ Sports fans: I love their passion for their sport/team/coach/players, however, I worry about their passion for their sport/team/coach/players.
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24-hour coffeehouse
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What I would like to …
■ Change in what I do: I’d like to become a better listener.
■ Change: The NCAA governance model.
■ See more of in sports: Positive role models.
■ See more of in sports business: Loyalty.
■ See less of in sports: Trash talking and poor sportsmanship.
■ See different: I’d like to see all college
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“Pistol” Pete Maravich
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sports become one-semester sports so our student athletes can focus on academics as well as the college experience during their out-of-season semester.
■ Eliminate: The designated hitter
What I don’t like …
■ In general: People who talk over others.
■ In sports: Amount of players transferring on the college level.
■ In business: Lack of planning.
■ About sports fans: When they say or post hateful things about student athletes.
PERSONAL
What I Like …
■ People: That truly care about other people and put others’ needs above their own.
■ That would surprise those who know me: Decorating and changing my office.
■ Above all else: My faith, my family, my friends.
■ About myself: I will own up to my many mistakes.
■ Heroes: My mom and dad.
■ Player: “Pistol” Pete Maravich.
■ Teams: Samford Bulldogs, St. Louis Cardinals and New York Knicks.
■ City: Sandestin, Fla.
■ Possession: Beach house.
■ Memento: 2011 Final Four ring from Kentucky.
■ Books: Reading “Life Is So Good,” by George Dawson. Love anything related to leadership and spy/espionage.
■ Authors: John Maxwell, Timothy Keller, James Patterson, Vince Flynn.
■ Websites: ESPN, Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports, New York Times.
■ Gadget: iPhone 6.
■ App: YouVersion Bible app.
■ Concerts: Earth, Wind & Fire; Bruno Mars.
■ Quote: “Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm,” Ralph Waldo Emerson.
