← The Breakfast Club
The Breakfast Club
The Latest: Digital Transformation in Sports | A Conversation With Melissa Proctor
00:15:28
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This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.
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What a matchup we got, y'.
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All.
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This is that classic HBCU vibe. Non stop action. The band is rockin and the crowd lit. Chance echo drum beatin Everybody showing that school pride. A game like this, yeah, it calls for an ice cold Coca Cola. Ah, Crisp and refreshing. That's a game changer right there.
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Yeah, that taste always hits the right note. Just like the band at halftime. And just like that, we're back at it. Passionate fans, school colors everywhere and an ice cold Coca Cola. That's a winning combo no matter the sport, no matter the yard. Everybody knows fan work is thirsty work. So grab a Coca Cola and keep that HBCU pride going. Wishing the holidays could come early. If you own or manage your business, they can wear with help from iHeartRadio, people are already shopping for their loved ones and hunting for deals wherever they can find them. Including right here. They're listening to the radio. They're listening to podcasts. They could be listening to you. Don't wait for everyone else to kick off the holidays. Get your best season of the year up and running today. Call 844-844-IHEART or visit iheartadvertising.com.
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You know.
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The shade is always shadiest right here. Season six of the podcast Reasonably Shady with Gisele Bryant and Robyn Dixon is here dropping every Monday as two of the founding members of the Real Housewives Potomac. We're giving you all the laughs, drama.
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And reality news you can handle.
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And you know, we don't hold back.
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So come be reasonable or shady with us each and every Monday, listen to Reasonably Shady from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Thanksgiving isn't just about food. It's a day for us to show up for one another.
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It's okay not to be okay sometimes.
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And be able to build strength and love within each other. I'm Eliakhani, host of the podcast Family Therapy, a series where real families come together to heal and find hope.
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I've always wanted us to have therapy, so this is such a beautiful opportunity.
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Listen to season two of Family Therapy every Wednesday on on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Jingle bells, jingle bells Jingle all the way.
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Yo, yo, yo, yo.
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Can we get a Thanksgiving first? I'm hungry.
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What's up, y'?
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All?
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It's Kadeen and Deval, the hosts of the Ellis Ever after podcast.
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This holiday season.
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Tune out the noise and tune in to Ellis Ever After.
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On Ellis Ever after, we get real with our crew about family, love and.
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Marriage and everything else in between.
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Listen to Ellis Ever after on America's number one podcast, Work iHeart. Follow Ellis ever after and start listening on the free iHeartRadio app today.
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I'm the homegirl that knows a little bit about everything.
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And everybody knows you don't lie about that, right?
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Lauren came in hot.
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Back on the grind.
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Hey y', all, what's up? It's Lauren LaRosa. And this is the latest with Lauren LaRosa. This is your daily dig on all things pop culture, entertainment news, and all of the conversations that shake the room. Baby. Well, I got to recently be a part of another conversation that definitely shook the room. I traveled down to Atlanta to be a part of the HOPE Global forums, which is an amazing, amazing meetup of so many like minded people across various industries. Sports, entertainment, media, business, tech, anything that you could think of. People were in the room representing it. And not just people. I mean, some of the biggest and best minds in it. I got to hear Byron Allen speak about his journey from just being a young kid whose mom would take him to work as she worked in television to turn it into a billionaire TV mogul who owns so much of his own everything. I also got to hear from owners of some of the biggest sports teams in the world, including the Atlanta Hawks, and hearing them talk about AI and things that we should be leaning into right now made me rethink because I'm not against AI, but I've never been a person that was like, I want to use AI so much for my businesses. If you guys can't tell from all these conversations I keep having with the people, I'm such a people person. Like, I like to actually talk to people, interact with people, see facial expressions and body language and feeling and express emotion. And AI just doesn't do that for me.
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But I get it.
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I understand that as these new things come across all industries, we have to adapt. And those who adapt the best are heading up the conversations and heading up all of the deals. So it was great to hear and be in this room. John Hope Bryant, who is the creator of the HOPE Global forums and his foundation and everything that he does with bringing all these amazing people together invited me down and I actually was able to be in live conversation on the main stage at the event with a black woman who is, when I say goals, she is out here running it up. And I'm not just Talking about running it up in the sense of money, phones in your ear, in the pictures. No, no, no, no, no. What I mean is she is making real impact. She is the chief marketing officer of the Atlanta Hawks. She's running things over there also on the State Farm arena side. And she is a black woman who understands culture, people, but also impact. I got to have a conversation with Melissa Proctor. Let's take a listen. And it's very like, I have a friend here, Milano D. Rouge, who I know she got to work with you guys as well. And I think I tell people all the time that when you get to get in these corporate structures and you see how these teams are ran and the investments and all that, it just broadens your horizons. So talk a little bit about your community footprint and, you know, what's important to you, not Atlanta Hawks, but to Melissa personally. What's important to you that each person in the community, like a Milano D. Rouge or who, whoever else that they walk away with when they interact with your program at the Atlanta Hawks stadium.
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You know, I mean, I think everyone gets to walk away with something different. You know, me being from Miami, but now being in Atlanta, Atlanta means something different to everyone. And, you know, I love. Even when I met Milan, we talked about her clothing line. She's like, I always want to do something in sports. And I think the idea of you can't be what you can't see is really important. I didn't know there was anyone who looked like me that was a CMO of an NBA team, even when I started working for the Heat when I was in high school.
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Right.
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But ultimately, over time, now that I'm in this position, I'm always trying to give opportunities and help. You know, we do it a lot with our community, bring in students to be able to understand, here are people that work in sports. This is, you know, opportunities that can exist. And so I think when we look at the community or through my lens, it's, how do we do this in the most credible and authentic way, where we're able to utilize all the resources and everything that we have to help the community be better? And as an example, you know, a couple years ago, we had a City Edition uniform, and it was. The theme was Lift as we fly. You know, the team, they're dunking, they're flying. We want to lift up the community as we do that. And so we said, every day at 404, we have these amazing boards outside of our building, digital, big billboards. We said, we're going to Highlight a local small business at four or four every day and give them a platform that they wouldn't normally be able to have.
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Yeah.
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And it was. And it was amazing for us. And some of the businesses were like, oh, my gosh, people were out there crying on the sidewalk, you know, handing out stuff and sampling. And it was a gesture, but for us, it was connected to everything. It wasn't just about selling jerseys or selling tickets to the game. It was really around how do we look at that and see the idea of future proofing? You know, sports community for us has been one of the most important things in how we look at our business in the past. And also going forward.
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What do you think has been your biggest success in really leaning into digital across the, you know, the arena, but also like, the team? What's been like, one of your biggest success points of, like, we. We did that.
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I mean, I think we have so many different ones because when you look at digital, it could be the things that are consumer facing, but also a lot of what we're doing behind the scenes.
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Talk about that.
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We have an amazing Chief Technology and Innovation Officer Kim Romito, who may be here, who's phenomenal. And I think since she's come on board and really partner with our team, it was how do we look at all of our data and our analytics and all of our information through one pane of glass where ultimately everyone can understand and see and get the information that we need in order to make our business better, be more efficient, understand more about our audience. And so I think sometimes it is a technology you see outside. But now, I mean, we're looking at AI in a lot of really interesting ways. How can we predict behaviors for our fans in the future? And so I don't know if there's any one thing that we've done. What I really am proud of, what our social team does, it's how do we look at our technology and even things like our social platforms in new and unique ways?
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I do really good at that.
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Yeah.
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Because I'm not like a big sports person, but like, you guys pop up on my feed because it's very, like, fresh. You tap into, like, culture and pop culture really well.
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Yeah. And for us, it's always how do we lean in? But we have to understand our audience. And so even having people on the team that look different, it's diversity across the board. While obviously Atlanta is, you know, a great city for many different audiences, for us, we know that diversity and inclusion is a really big part of our Brand and always has been and always will be. And so we lean into that across. But I'd say technology for us, yeah, across the board is consistently evolving.
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Now, I know a lot of people. There's been so many conversations across sports about ticket sales and getting physical people in seats. I know you guys do a lot of, like, initiatives to bring people into the, you know, stadium, but what has been, you know, your strategy there with just making people want to come out and actually sit and see a game and not stream it and not. Or. And how do you lean in when they want to stream it and not sit in a physical seat?
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Yeah. I mean, the world is changing very rapidly. And we'll say, even with the way that technology is today, obviously the new NBA deal and streaming platforms, fans can watch games on more platforms than ever before. Yeah. And a lot of them are looking more at sports personalities and folks who are creating content to give them the play by play of the game versus watching the whole game. So I think for our next gen strategy, it's very intentional because in order to get them to continue to come to games in the future, we have to make it worth their while.
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Right.
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But I will say, from a ticket sales strategy, the NBA has done a lot over the past few years. They've created the NBA cup, which I know is currently going on to try to get fans interested, obviously, for basketball, we know that once, you know, Christmas hits and it's like, all right, now we're on to the second half of the season, getting ready for playoffs. So the beginning of the season, we do a lot of different things. Whether it's, you know, unique platforms, theme nights, We've always really leaned into what's really Atlanta. HBCU night is one of our biggest nights. We're actually honoring Outkast at our game tomorrow night. Fire. So the Rock and Roll hall of Fame. All right.
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For the Rock and Roll hall of Fame.
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Yeah.
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Okay.
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For the induction. And so, like, we always are looking at ways that we can connect to Atlanta, the city, but find relevance for our fans to bring them in. And really, ultimately, it's creating an amazing experience. We do that better than anyone else. And so I've had, you know, folks that travel to different teams, and they're like, when I come to Atlanta, it's a party.
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Right.
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And we really want to look at how do we make this the most Atlanta experience ever? So we really, really look at, you know, consistently being number one in game presentation across the NBA is the way to do that. And getting people indoor and having them want to come and experience it here because it's a great night out at the end of the day. Chef Garvin is our chef at the arena and he's phenomenal. And so it's not just looking at it through one lens, but across all.
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What's up? It's big long from It's Up There Podcast on this episode, we're unpacking the difference between toxic love and a real bond. How so many of us were taught to survive love instead of experiencing it. A lot of men think being solid means being silent. I'm good. I got it. That's the script we memorize before we even know ourselves. Because somewhere along the line expression got labeled weakness. So now we perform composure while we're falling apart. You'll share your body but not a conversation. And that's not intimacy. But what if being a man really means you care enough to communicate? Real love isn't loud. It's consistent. It's the small things. The small check ins, the shared accountability, the honesty that feels awkward but keeps everyone safe. Stop confusing numbness with dependability. We got to break the cycle and break the pattern. This special episode of It's Up There podcast with long brought to you by Healthy Sexual from Gilead sciences. On the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.
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Run a business and not thinking about radio, think again. Cause more people are listening to the radio on iHeart today than they were 20 years ago. And only iHeart broadcast radio connects with more Americans than TV, digital, social, any other media, even twice as many teens than TikTok. And that reach means everything. Just think about the universal marketing formula. The number of consumers who hear your message times the response rate equals the results. Now let's get those results growing for your business. Radio's here now more than ever. And iheart's leading the way. Think radio can help your business. Think iheart streaming, podcasting and radio where the reach is real. Let us show you@iheartadvertising.com that's iheartadvertising.com or call 844-844. Iheart one more time. Just call 844-I-844, Iheart and get radio working for you.
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May 24, 1990, a pipe bomb explodes in the front seat of environmental activist Judy Berry's car.
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I knew it was a bomb the second that it exploded. I felt it rip through me with just a force more powerful and terrible than anything that I could describe.
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In season two of Rip Current, we ask who tried to kill Judy Berry and why. She received death threats before the bombing. She received more threats after the bombing. The men and women who were hurt had planned to lead a summer of militant protest against logging practices in Northern California. They were climbing trees and they were sabotaging logging equipment in the woods. The timber industry, I mean, it was the number one industry in the area. But more than it was the culture, it was way of life. I think that this is a deliberate.
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Attempt to sabotage our movement.
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Episodes of Rip Current Season 2 are available now. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Atlanta is a spirit. It's not just a city. I didn't really have an interest in being on air. I kind of was up there to just try and infiltrate the building. It's where crunk was born. In a club in the West End 4 World Star. It was 5, 5, 9, where a tiny bar birthed a generation of rap, where preachers go viral and students at the HBCU turned heartbreak into resurrection. How do you get people to believe in something that's dead? Well, dreamers brought Hollywood to the south, and hustlers bring their visions to create black wealth. Nobody's rushing into relationships with you.
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Where are you from?
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They want to look you in the eye.
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Where the future is nostalgia.
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Talking to chatgpt. She like you really the first lady to have a gangster girls tape in Atlanta, Georgia. Like, that's what separates you from a lot of people.
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And I was like, you know what?
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You right.
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Atlanta doesn't wait for permission. It builds its own spotlight. I'm big rude. Let us guide you through the stories behind Atlanta's most iconic moments. Listen to Atlanta is on the I heart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast.
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A
Now, you talked a bit about the athletes becoming sports personalities. That has become such a big thing because people have podcasts and they're streaming and, you know, all of these things. I know it can work really well for you guys, like when your teammates or their teammates are out and they have podcasts and people are coming on and it leads into ticket sales. But I also know it can potentially be crazy when they get on there and say crazy things. And now the team has to answer for it. What have been some of your, like, best moments? And kind of like, ugh, why do we have to deal with this when it comes to that? Just people being able to have their own voice on these platforms.
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C
You know, I think we've been really fortunate to have an amazing group of guys in our team that are high character. You know, I think our coaching staff and in our gym, we really recruit guys who are amazing. So we haven't had a lot of those. Like, oh, I wish you do this. One thing I would say is, you know, during COVID and obviously in the summer of 2020, there was a lot going on and it was really, really challenging. And at the time, our head coach was very vocal and was going out and doing things in the community. And it was amazing for us as a brand because it was aligned with what we believe. And so often, you know, not just players, we have personalities that are doing things. For example, I was just telling the folks backstage, DC Young Fly, we did a podcast we created with him last season called Hawks af.
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Love that.
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Which is Hawks and Friends and dc.
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DC is.
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We call him the energy coach. You know, like, he is such a big, authentic, Atlanta born Hawks fan.
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Yes.
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And sometimes he gets really passionate and we're like, okay, D.C. okay, that's great. But, you know, you know, we're together in this, so we're doing our thing. But, you know, this is our second season of Hawks af and amazing working with him and just seeing how much it's grown as a platform. But just, you know, the love that people have. And so sometimes, especially in sports, there's so much passion associated with sports and you can't necessarily tell people to turn it up or turn it down.
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Yes.
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But I think allowing players to have their voice and use their platforms in their own way is truly important. And I think we've worked with a lot of guys now that are doing so many great things in the community, and we try our best to help amplify the work that they're doing through our channels as well.
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A
I was watching a. Well, I felt like we should clap for that. That was.
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C
That was good.
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A
I was watching an interview you did with the CEO of Revolt. It was like one of the CEO conversations that he does.
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Tavia.
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Tavia. Yeah, davio. And you said that there are a bunch of questions that you always ask yourself when you walk into a room, like, what's the problem? And how can I solve it? And what keeps you up at night? Yeah. So I want to end with those two questions. So first question is, what's a problem right now that you see as you were trying to take sports branding into the future, and how can some of the people here solve it for you?
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Wow. I mean, that's a really big question. I mean, I think that there's a lot happening, you know, in the space and just with the economy and fans, like there's, there's a lot in the world and that energy and we talk about it internally, but, you know, as we look to the future, I'd say the thing that's probably most on our mind right now is AI.
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Yeah.
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And the way that people are consuming is so different. So even if it's you, in the past you would go and search something and go to Google and find a homepage. Now no one is looking at a homepage. You're going to, you know, your chat bot or whatever you name it, is telling you exactly where to go, what to buy, and so needing to make sure that we are ahead of the curve in that way. So if you're even curious of, hey, what's the best event happening in Atlanta today? It's a Hawks game. Here's a link to buy the ticket. And so we have a great team of people that are actively working on that on a regular basis. But I think as we continue to look at how do we adapt technology and evolve as technology evolves, you know, getting in front of streaming, making sure that our young fans still want to participate with us and come to our games is something that we're always thinking about consistently and trying to find ways that we can continue to innovate.
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So AI companies, streaming companies. Listen, she got some plans, I better help her figure it out. And the last question, what's keeping you up at night right now? Like, what are you trying to like, actively get over the hump about?
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C
You know, I have an 11 year old daughter and on a regular basis she's keeping me up at night in a lot of different ways. But it's interesting because literally this morning she was looking at something on her iPad and I'm like, what is she looking at? What exactly is this? What's happening? And that energy is so much more of what's happening in the world. I always am like, okay, how do I stay on top of this? How do I get ahead? And obviously being a super busy executive, but also being a super busy mom, she's the thing that's keeping me up most at night, wanting to make sure that I can do a good job, but also be able to balance and find harmony between being able to, you know, be a great executive but also be a great parent.
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I know marketing is strategy, but is there ever really harmony? Oh, wait, we'll clap for that first. Clap first.
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I'd say there's never balance, but I believe you can find harmony because the idea of knowing that everything's going to be equal is probably not feasible. But at some point you got to work really hard and at some points you got to live. And I think that, you know, being able to have that flexibility between the two and being aware of that is important. We talk a lot about mental health and wellness within our organization and with our teams and just making sure that we're able to support them and what they need. Because ultimately we can work hard every day, but we're people at the end of the day and we're all living.
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A
Yes. Well, I've enjoyed the conversation. Y' all enjoyed the conversation? Yes. You are amazing. Keep doing the work that you're doing. Keep having boosie there yelling. Okay, we'll be seeing it.
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C
You'll be swag surfing.
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A
Yes, I know. I would love to come to a game and I don't know if there's anything that we haven't touched on that you think is important to get out in this room, but if so, would love for you to just put it out there right now or if I've got everything, let me know.
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C
I think you got it. But I really just appreciate the opportunity in being here and I'm really excited for the next part of the panel.
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A
I'm excited, too. Well, y', all, listen, she's going into the future of sports and branding. Not even going. She's already there. She's already doing it. So let's celebrate her. Give it up for the conversation with Ms. Melissa Potter.
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C
Thank you.
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A
Thank you. Give me a hug.
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Thank you guys so much for tuning in. I hope you guys got as much from this conversation as I got. I mean, in real time. I was just. I'm always so fascinated to hear from people who actually care about people and not just care about people because their business or because they're in the business of people. I know I just use people a lot. But you guys get what I mean. I think a lot of times, you know, when you work in a more front facing job, you see a lot of performance. You see people who are very performative. So it is always very refreshing to be surrounded by people who actually have passion, care, but also really want to make an impact. And that's all these hope Global forums are about figuring out a way to trickle down success opportunity, you know, finances and financial literacy to underserved communities and continue that conversation. So I'm just happy to have been a part of the conversation. I'm Lauren LaRosa. You guys could be anywhere with anybody talking about all of these things, but you choose to be right here with me every single episode. I appreciate you guys for that. I'll catch you in my next one.
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This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.