Gameops.com: What's your background in game operations and presentation?
Pat Walker: I spent the past six and a half years working in game operations and event production for the NBA’s Seattle SuperSonics and WNBA’s Seattle Storm. My career path began at the University of Washington with a degree in business and following graduation, I took a full-time internship with U S West (now Qwest Communications) to be the assistant in their Event & Sponsorship Marketing group. I then spent a year and a half as an Account Manager at an event merchandising company, where my primary client was the Seahawks.
And then came my break…in the summer of 2001, I accepted a position with the Seattle Sonics & Storm as a Game Operations Assistant. As a Game Operations Coordinator in 2003, I earned the opportunity to direct games for the Storm. I was the lowest title to ever call games within the organization, but I was ready for the challenge and by the end of my second Storm season, I was on headset orchestrating the crowd as the team charged through the playoffs en route to the 2004 WNBA Championship.
Over the next year and a half, I climbed the ladder quickly…having been promoted to Assistant Manager following the WNBA Finals and then to Manager of Operations & Event Production in the summer of 2005, where I had the chance to manage a staff and learn the budget and hiring process.
The hard work paid off when I was promoted to the Director level in May 2006 and created the Events & Entertainment department. My group was responsible for Sonics & Storm game presentation, game operations logistics, event production (from Season Ticket Holder parties to press conferences), video production, mascots (Squatch, Doppler) and perfomance groups (Sonics Dance Team, Boom Squad, Dunking Ushers and Storm Dance Troupe).
By the time I wrapped up my tenure with the Sonics & Storm, I had planned, produced and worked over 400 games, 250 events, eight major ceremonies (including jersey retirements for Spencer Haywood and Gus Williams)…and one ESPN Opening Night game where the horn malfunctioned and blared for seven minutes straight…while yours truly raced to the apex of KeyArena to shut it down...but that’s a really long story with a lot of other characters, so I’ll save that one for the book I’m planning to write some day.
Gameops.com: How'd you come to the decision to leave the Sonics and start your own business?
Pat Walker: I started my internship with U S WEST two days after I graduated from UW…and I immediately began an eight-year run of 50-80 hour workweeks. I rarely took vacations, in large part because an NBA and WNBA franchise requires a year-round season. For the first few years working at the Sonics & Storm, I thought I’d be there my entire career and I was going to work as hard as I could to move up the ladder. And then, a series of events happened that completely changed my outlook on life.
With the Olympics taking place in August 2004, the WNBA season was suspended for a month and the playoffs moved to October, which was simultaneous with Sonics Media Day and Training Camp. As the Storm moved through the playoffs, KeyArena filled up to the point that they removed the upper bowl curtain and sold every seat in the house for both Finals home games.
On October 12, Game 3 between the Storm and Connecticut Sun came down to a final defensive stop with a two-point lead and as I set up the scenarios with the crew over headset, one call I made was “Standby confetti.” I looked down and read a 109 on my decibel meter as the ref prepared to hand the ball off for the inbounds…which is basically like standing next to a jet engine. The pass went baseline right and the three-point attempt was a touch long. As the clock expired I exclaimed into the headset “Go confetti!”
The organization had a big party that night, but I was taking it easy because I had a championship parade to plan and a Sonics preseason game in three days. After a couple hours of hanging out, I made my rounds through the room with congratulatory remarks and then headed home to get some sleep.
I took my time in the morning, basking in the October sun…and taking my car in for service. And then, on my way to the office in a loaner car, my world flipped upside down. I got a call from my wife with news that her brother had been in a motorcycle accident and we needed to get to the hospital. When we got there, we found out that he wasn’t going to make it.
It’s amazing how fast your priorities can change…just twelve hours ago, I was experiencing the pinnacle moment of my professional career, but that morning, I didn’t care about any of it…someone else would need to worry about the parade and the preseason game, it wasn’t even on my list of priorities. And over the years that followed, I re-examined my career goals.
Ironically, as I quietly began to look at other avenues…I was being promoted at a fairly rapid rate. I was also having a very difficult time identifying other places of employment that would create the satisfaction and adrenaline rush that is difficult to match outside the world of sports.
In March 2007, I was exposed to an entrepreneurial spirit I never knew I had in me. A start-up minor league basketball team in the area had been out to shadow the Sonics in-arena show behind the scenes. Following a couple of these sessions, the team’s GM approached me about helping them build their game presentation set-up. As I entertained the idea as a part-time concept, I also began to think about long-term potential of it. I registered Pat Walker Productions as an LLC and got a business license…and while the deal with the minor league team didn’t come to fruition, I had still taken the important steps in setting up the basic structure.
After sitting on the idea for a couple months, I decided that I wanted to give this thing a shot at being my sole focus. I met with my boss and the team President to let them know of my plans. I also expressed a desire to work closely with them to find my successor and hand off the reigns in smooth fashion. Over the next six months, I balanced an effort to get PWP off the ground while methodically bringing my Sonics & Storm chapter to a close and passing over the book.
Looking back at it all, I see how every step of the way shaped me and set me up to fully appreciate the opportunity I have now. The thing I’m most proud of is that I can say I left on the best of terms and I still have many strong friendships at that organization…the front office of sports organizations provide an atmosphere that is like no other, you truly become teammates.
Gameops.com: Talk about your first run of projects
Pat Walker: While many people have told me they admired the fashion in which I made a strategic long term transition plan to ensure things were in great order as I left the Sonics, I must admit that it benefited me tremendously as well. One element that I’m very appreciative of is that Sonics senior management fully supported my plans for PWP, so I was able to spend my free time getting the business off the ground while still collecting a paycheck every two weeks for my primary employment, a luxury that very few new business owners experience. By the time my final day with the organization arrived, I had already completed my first consulting project and had several other agreements either signed or in final stages of negotiation.
My first project with PWP took place with the Idaho Stampede of the NBA D-League. The Stampede have been the Sonics affiliate the past two seasons and through this relationship, I had helped them develop several aspects of their game presentation. This past September, the Stampede brass came over to the Sonics office for a season planning session…at that meeting, they learned of my plans to start PWP and a couple months later, that relationship provided me with my first opportunity.
I flew out to Boise in late November, with their home opener just two days away. They had numerous staff members in new roles this season, including their game director and music operator…two very important positions for the show. I was hired to simultaneously teach them the technical side of how to execute a strong game presentation as well as help ensure Opening Night was a hit. After over six years spent working on shows just for the Sonics & Storm, the experience of working with a fan base and staff that was new to me…I knew I was going to enjoy what the future held.
During a real time rehearsal with local rec league teams and playing to an empty house, we spent the first night working out all the kinks. The second day was devoted to reviewing the audio and video library, as well as reformatting the master script to create a user-friendly template. Friday was Opening Night and I directed the game on headset while their game director sat right next to me…I was very focused on not only calling the game, but explaining to her why I was calling elements a certain way or making an audible in the script based on the game situation. I was flying back to Seattle the next day and the crew needed to be ready to put on the show without me, so education was key. The team helped us out by hitting a game-winning 3-pointer with seconds left and the crowd went wild shouting “Hey!” to Gary Glitter’s Rock n’ Roll, Part 2.
After completing my Sonics & Storm tenure the first week of December, my focus turned to a group I had worked with several times in the past while wearing my Sonics hat. Northwest Sports & Entertainment is a promotion company who has two annual basketball events at KeyArena in Seattle each December. This year featured Washington State vs. The Citadel in the “AT&T Cougar Hardwood Classic”, followed later in the month by Gonzaga vs. Tennessee in the “Comcast Battle In Seattle”.
This project was much different than the Stampede because while planning and directing the game presentation was a major element of the games, my responsibilities also included the logistical planning, including team practices, locker rooms, catering and press conferences. I was learning quickly that PWP would provide me with an opportunity to work with clients in many different aspects…always presenting new challenges and experiences.
I also returned to Boise mid-month for the annual D-League Showcase, which is a unique event in which all fourteen teams travel to one market, each playing two games, totaling fourteen games over four days. The event was heavily attended by NBA and international scouts, general managers and the like…and the fans of Boise were treated to as much basketball as they could consume in one week. I worked with the Stampede staff to produce the game presentation, directing 3-4 games per day…following that event, it felt awkward the next few days to not have a headset on my ear.
The latest event I worked on was the highest profile thus far, which took place at Jam Session’s Center Court at NBA All Star in New Orleans. I was hired by NBA Entertainment as the Game Director for the “McDonald’s NBA All Star Celebrity Game” and the “D-League All Star Game, presented by Spalding” (rule of thumb in this industry, always make sure the sponsors are mentioned when appropriate…it’ll make your life easier).
I was especially looking forward to this event for two reasons…it was my first opportunity to work with the league office on their side of the fence, after seeing it from the team side for six years. I was looking forward to that education and seeing the dynamic first hand. And second, the staff working the games included many of my former counterparts from teams around the league. For those of you who have never had the opportunity to hang out with this group, I’ll tell you that they are the most creative, hard-working and fun individuals I know…many of which I consider to be good friends.
That week, we put on two great shows for the All Star fan base, highlighted by Terrell Owens crashing the celebrity game in the second quarter after not being on the pregame roster…and taking home the MVP trophy, cemented by a high flying dunk in the fourth quarter.
Gameops.com: What advice would you give someone who is just starting out
in game operations?
Pat Walker: My advice to someone with aspirations of working in the world of game operations is first and foremost, have patience. The reality is there’s a small pool of jobs, especially at the pro level, and a never-ending line of interested candidates.
In my opinion, the best route into the industry is through internships, they allow you an opportunity to see the operation first hand and figure out if game ops (or any other field in sports) is for you…and by showing a strong work ethic and an ability to add to the strength of the team, you’ll likely be noticed and potentially considered for full-time openings as they come about.
One thing that I also stress to interns is that sometimes you need to be willing to go elsewhere in order to come back. You may have an internship with an MLB team in your hometown, but there is a ceiling above you based on a stable full-time crew. At that point, be willing to go out and look for full-time opportunities with a minor league team for a couple years…and while you’re gaining valuable experience, an opening with your hometown team may have surfaced, quite possibly at a higher level than you would have initially qualified for as an intern.
The other thing to remember as an intern or entry level employee is that while you work in sports, which is typically a very high profile field filled with media and famous faces, you have a job to do. I can’t stress enough the importance of creating a strong work ethic and an ability to focus on the task at hand…even though Tom Brady may have just walked by you in the backstage hallway. There are typically two types of people who enter into a pro sports career…those that are there to excel and move up the ladder, and those that are there to be around the stars and take in the atmosphere. The former typically succeed, while the latter tend to have short lived experiences in the industry.
My final piece of advice to those trying to get their foot in the door is to fully appreciate the power of networking…and never, and I mean never, throw out a business card. You’ll generally find that most people working in sports, especially those near the top, are willing to help someone trying to get their break. The reasoning is simple, anyone at the top had one or more individuals that helped them get opportunities to grow and they’re happy to give back…kind of like “paying it forward”, if you will.
The Sonics hold an annual event called Pro Sports Career Day, which takes place the afternoon prior to a game and about 3,000 aspiring business students come to KeyArena for a presentation by several Sonics employees and sponsors. I spoke at this event last year and I distinctly remember a kid named Riley asking during the program how he could get a job with the Sonics, to which I responded with my internship speech. After the event wrapped up, the speakers went up to the concourse to have some one-on-one conversations with the students. I must have handed out 200 business cards and over the course of the next few days, only one outreach was made in my direction. Riley called me to follow up and a week later, at the age of sixteen, he was a member of the Sonics Promotions Crew…all it took on his end was a desire, a bit of networking and follow up. Still in high school, he’s already building a resume that is sure to pay off in the future.
Gameops.com: What advice can you offer a grizzled veteran of game presentation?
Pat Walker: This is definitely the toughest question of the five, because most grizzled veterans have seen a lot that there is to see. However, as I’ve learned in the first few months of this new venture, you’ll continue to have opportunities if you create them for yourself.
First and foremost, proceed in your career as it best fits you. I started PWP for a variety of reasons, but the main one was a desire for a lifestyle change. The entrepreneurial approach is not for everyone…I didn’t even realize I had it in me until about a year ago. If it is for you, then do your research and lay out a strategic plan, don’t rush into it. And if your best fit is with a team, then be sure to mentally update your five-year plan. It’s important to think about what your growth opportunities are.
Just like I mentioned in the previous question, appreciate the value of networking. Whether that’s with your counterparts across the league, employees with your market’s other teams or theaters where you might find the next great anthem performer. The most successful people in this industry that I know are not necessarily the smartest, but those that are a degree or two away from someone who can enhance their show (perhaps even Kevin Bacon).
If you do reach a point that a better opportunity arises outside of your organization and you decide to take it…make sure you give 110% as you exit. We work in an industry where we have a lot of institutional knowledge about our teams, playing facilities and fan bases. While you are moving onto your next career step, that fan base has grown to appreciate the things you’ve done to entertain them and even though you may be departing, they deserve to continue to enjoy a great show. You’ve probably also developed a family like atmosphere with those in your department and you want to see them continue to succeed as well. By working hard and communicating what you know, the organization will be in a good position to move forward once you’re gone…and most likely, you’ll have secured a lifelong recommendation from them as well.
And finally, take care of yourself. We all know what “the grind” feels like. It’s easy to get caught up in it and that’s the point at which your role starts to feel more like a job rather than an experience. One thing I neglected at times in the past was keeping a balanced life…I’ll always remember a discussion I had with the VP of Marketing when I started at the Sonics, he said “Make sure you devote as much time and energy to your personal relationships as you do to your work.” In doing what I am with PWP, I think I’ve finally achieved that approach in a way that works best for me personally. Above all, whatever path you find is best for you, remember to enjoy it along the way.
President – Pat Walker Productions, LLC
pat@patwalkerproductions.com
Thanks to Pat Walker for his time and patience with this interview.
Look for more from Pat Walker as we are exploring an on-going column with Pat here on Gameops.com in the coming weeks.
