As the Florida Panthers set their sights on the Eastern Conference Final of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, a whole team of staff works behind the scenes making the magic you see on the ice game after game possible. Among these talented professionals, you鈥檒l find one of our very own.
In this episode of 91社区 Management Insights, Jerome Burke (BCom鈥�08) joins undergraduate student Isaure Lafeytaud to share his journey, from his early days as an intern with the Montreal Junior Hockey Team to his current role as Director, Hockey Administration with the National Hockey League鈥檚 Florida Panthers.
Determined to grow in the field, he pursued an MBA in Sports Management after graduating from 91社区, which led to an internship with the Florida Panthers. Over 12 years, he has become a well-rounded expert in the business, contributing to both the operational and strategic facets of the organization.
He explains that success in the sports industry is multifaceted. On the business side, it鈥檚 quantifiable through sales, sponsorships, and community engagement. For the team, it鈥檚 about culture, consistent winning, and building a legacy that transcends individual players.
In the case of the Florida Panthers, an organization which has historically not had the best on-ice performance in its 30 years in the league, what鈥檚 most critical for the organization鈥檚 strength and success has been building a strong foundation and being a leader in the community.
Compared to some of the other teams across the league, it鈥檚 been more of an uphill battle to build a brand that鈥檚 stronger than the team鈥檚 on-ice performance, he says. That being said, it鈥檚 something they鈥檝e managed to do not only by building connections to the community, but also by building a strong and positive culture within the organization.
鈥淲e represent our community as a brand,鈥� he explains. 鈥淲e bring people together.聽The winning helps, but you have to build a strong foundation and ties within your community, but also with your staff and your culture.鈥�
鈥淭he players, they come in and out. In a perfect world, we鈥檇 all be together but that鈥檚 just not the nature of our business. So, we have to build something that鈥檚 much stronger and a foundation that whoever comes into this organization knows what our culture and expectations are.鈥�
Stream the full podcast episode now and get an insider鈥檚 look at the dynamic world of sports management, including how sports organizations can have a positive impact on their communities and how analytics and AI are shaping the future of professional sports. Whether you鈥檙e a budding professional or a seasoned veteran, there鈥檚 a wealth of insights and inspiration waiting for you. Tune in!
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This episode was hosted by
Isaure Lafeytaud
BCom
