How can associating with a sports property help a brand to strengthen its position in the marketplace, locally and nationally?

"Sports sponsorships are very successful because a company can experience a vast amount of exposure in a short amount of time. Athletes wear your logo, your logo is present in the stadium, and social media moments offer endless marketing moments. Also, when a company partners with a sports property, there is an element of trust already built-in. Sports fans trust that their favorite team will choose their partnerships carefully."

Associating with a sporting initiative can help to boost a brand exponentially. Be prepared to discuss with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment what you know to be true when it comes to these sports partnerships and brand strengthening efforts. A few ways that partnering with a sports property can help strengthen a brand locally and nationally include: - Brand exposure to a very targeted audience - Piggybacking on the loyalty factor that is already present - Built-in influence on multiple media platforms - Vast amounts of brand exposure through social media

"Any time a company can partner with a sporting league, they automatically overcome many trust-factor hurdles that would be present with traditional advertising efforts. Locally, these partnerships offer grassroots opportunities for events and sponsorships. Nationally, sports enthusiasts are told by their favorite team to trust the brand in a non-verbal way."

What role do you usually take in team projects?

"I am usually the 'ideas person' in team projects. In my current position, I am not the most persuasive salesperson, but I am highly creative. This skill means that, in most projects, I am great at creating a plan of action but am most comfortable passing the final client-facing tasks to our more extroverted personnel."

The interviewer at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment would like to understand the role that you naturally take on when working in a team-based environment. If you tend to take the lead, you can let the interviewer know, but avoid sounding overbearing. If you usually like to generate new ideas and allow someone else to execute them, share your creative side but express that you prefer for others to take the lead.

"I am newer to my marketing career so, at this point, I will be quite careful with making suggestions in group meetings. I have great ideas that I am more comfortable pitching one-on-one with my boss. The more experience that I gain, the more comfortable I am becoming when it comes to speaking up in team meetings or during team collaborations."

Do you feel performance should be rewarded over experience?

"In sports marketing and media, performance is everything! For that reason, I do believe it should be the primary consideration when it comes to compensation, bonus' and raises. Tenure is vital to consider as well, and also continued education and training are excellent considerations."

The interviewer would like to know your thoughts on being paid based on your work performance, versus being compensated solely on your years of experience. As millennial employees continue to dominate the work scene, more and more employees are requesting compensation based on delivered results. Do you feel that you should be paid based on tenure or results? Discuss this with the interviewer and back your answer with an example, if possible.

"I am all about rewards for performance, being a former athlete, and overall competitive individual. I like the idea of gaining raises, earning more, and even promotions based on my being a go-getter. You can be a low performing employee at six months or 16 years, so I don't think that tenure should be the biggest consideration."

Can you talk to me about your GPA during undergraduate/graduate school?

"I feel that my GPA could have been higher; however, I was working full time while attending classes. All in all, I did learn a lot about discipline and commitment."

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment puts a fair amount of emphasis on post-secondary education. The interviewer would like further details on your more significant successes as a post-secondary student. Are you satisfied with your GPA, or would you change it if you could? Talk to the interviewer about your post-secondary experience. You can keep your answer brief and to the point.If you were satisfied with your post-secondary experience: 'I graduated top of my class and am very proud of my accomplishments during university. The experience taught me to study hard and set goals for myself.'If you were not satisfied with your post-secondary experience: "I feel that my GPA could have been higher; however, I was working full time while attending classes. All in all, I did learn a lot about discipline and commitment."

"I had a 3.8 GPA but did strive for a 4.0. I understand where I feel short, but I was able to achieve a spot on the football team, and earned two scholarships as well."

Do you have experience working alongside, and negotiating with, rights holders and leagues?

"My experience comes from working within a rights holder corporation. For five years, I worked for the European Handball Association. I was privy to many sponsorships offers throughout that time and gained incredible insight on the types of collaborations that worked and the ones that fell flat. I am confident in my negotiation skills and, since I have experience from inside of a rights holder and league, feel I will be a great asset to Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment."

A rights holder refers to a legal entity who holds exclusive rights to copyrights, trademarks, or patents. In sports, examples of rights holders include the NHL, NBA, or NFL. You see their branded merchandise nearly everywhere you look. When it comes to sports marketing, it's crucial that you can collaborate successfully with rights holders, and other entities, who are the gatekeepers to lucrative brand sponsorships. Discuss with the interviewer any experience you have when it comes to communication and negotiations with these entities.

"I am new to my sports marketing career, so although my experience is limited with rights holders and leagues, I do have confidence in my negotiation skills. While obtaining my MBA, there was a strong focus on business negotiations. I look forward to expanding on my knowledge and experience in these areas, as a member of the Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment team."

Name some solutions for customer experience optimization.

"When a company is engaged, has defined values, and a clear understanding of the customer journey, they are then ready to optimize the customer experience. I believe that true optimization comes from strategic customer engagement and segmented customer solutions versus a 'one-size-fits-all' option."

When it comes to client relationships and the client experience, the interviewer wants to know that you have solutions that will optimize the customer experience. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment works hard to ensure that everyone is very well set up to serve their customers, and it's essential that you can express how you are ready to contribute to this goal.

"I believe the best solutions for optimizing the customer experience include identifying gaps between your service and that of your biggest competitor. Also, segmenting your offering and advertising. Next, continually evaluating the capabilities of your organization while immediately repairing any identified gaps."

What does it mean to borrow the equity of a sports team's fan base to build a lasting brand?

"Loyalty is a primary measure of success in any marketing effort. What it means to borrow the equity of a sports team's fan base is that you are piggybacking off of the already existing loyal fan base of the league, and utilizing this factor to benefit your brand. Sport sponsorships are historically very effective because of this loyalty factor."

Borrowing the equity of a sports team's fan base means that a company is making use of the fact that this team has a built-in and loyal audience that they can count on to pay close attention to their marketing efforts. One example in action could be the Tiger Woods' sponsorship deal with Nike. When Tiger showed up on the golf course with a mock neck golf shirt that was deemed to be appropriate golf wear, fans everywhere went crazy. Golf enthusiasts immediately wanted to purchase this shirt style because it was 'pre-approved' by Tiger Woods as an acceptable style of shirt for discerning male golfers. In this case, Nike borrowed the equity of Tiger's influence to solidify this garment's validity.

"To borrow the equity of a sports' team fan base to build a lasting brand essentially means that you are leveraging the team or specific athletes' influence to speak to your target audience. Brands know that the right sports sponsorships will create conversations and open doors to sales much faster than traditional advertising efforts simply because the crucial trust factor is present from the start."

Tell me about your experience with fundraising efforts for charities, non-profit organizations, or grassroots sports in your community.

"Volunteer work is fundamental to me which is why every little league team I have coached for the past four years is also committed to a local charity that focuses on paying for softball equipment for underprivileged children. I believe wholeheartedly that every child should have the chance to play, without financial reasons holding them back. So far, we have raised enough money to pay for 600 children to play softball."

A lot of sports media work is surrounding collaborations between teams, player, and leagues with non-profit organizations or charities. Some of the biggest charitable givers are sports teams and leagues. For instance: - The Boston Red Sox (Red Sox Foundation)- over $52M given - The PGA - over $2B given - NBA Cares - more than $105M in 15 years + nearly 1M volunteer hours Discuss with the interviewer your experience when it comes to supporting the collaborations between sports organizations and charities in need.

"My university internship was with a charity called KidSport. Their corporate partners include the Jr. NBA and the Toronto Blue Jays; Jays Care Foundation. I gained a great deal of exposure to how charitable partnerships work and saw a lot of money come in through corporate sponsorships as well as strategic partners. Through these efforts, we raised nearly half a million dollars that year, helping to give every kid the gift of sport."

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is behind some of the world's leading sporting events. How will you contribute to our track record of success?

"I am very impressed by what Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment has been able to achieve in the sporting events space, from your teams to the real-estate you own. I admire your unwavering dedication to entertaining and immersive experiences. I will contribute to this success by showing levels of dedication and follow through that is uncommon in the workplace. I am always very responsive with an upbeat and open approach. You will not be disappointed in my performance if you choose to hire me."

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment has an excellent track record of success, and the interviewer wants to know exactly how you plan to contribute to it. This question is similar to 'why should we hire you?' in the sense that they are asking you to draw out a specific set of skills that no other candidate will have. Be compelling in your answer since this is your opportunity to sell yourself!

"I will contribute to your track record of success with my recent education in Sports Marketing and my natural ability to act as a leader, even when I am not in a formal leadership position. I believe my success with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment will come from having all of the hard skills that you are looking for, whether learned in school or gained through my internship experience. I am well networked and like to stay informed of best practices in the events industry."

Tell me about your experience in gaining corporate partnerships for live events.

"In my current position we have longstanding relationships with big brands such as Adidas, Coca-Cola, and Wells Fargo. My responsibilities with these partnerships have included identifying, and tracking new prospects as well as approaching them via phone or email. When required, I will source the decision makers and make an appointment to pitch them. My success rate has been very high, and I would be happy to share with you my approach to pitching new sponsorships."

A significant part of funding certain events with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment could be securing corporate sponsorships or advertisers. The interviewer would like to see that you have experience working with potential sponsors, ironing out the details of their advertising efforts. If you do not have experience working with corporate partnerships, be sure to highlight the fact that you are eager to learn and that you will be comfortable with future tasks surrounding sales and promotions.

"Being new to my career, my responsibilities have not yet included working directly with corporate sponsors or advertisers. With that said, I do have sales training and cold calling experience that could be beneficial to Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment when it comes to securing new corporate partnerships for a variety of events."

If you had just one day to sell out a live experience, what are the three most important things you would do?

"If I had less than 24 hours to sell out an event, I would create FOMO, lean into a scarcity mindset, and leverage my network as if my life depended on it. To create FOMO, I would create a social campaign focused on what the person would be missing out on by not coming. I find this approach to be much more effective than describing the benefits of attendance. Next, to create a scarcity mindset, I would set up a quick landing page for ticket sales with a countdown timer. The website visitor could physically see the ticket availability reduce while the clock ticks down. Lastly, leaning on my network is important because people are more likely to buy when there is already an established rapport."

One of the primary goals of a live event is to sell out; and, quickly! Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment prides themselves on their ability to promote and sell out sporting events in record time. Discuss with the interviewer what approach you would take, to sell out an event in 24 hours. There is no real right or wrong answer here as the interviewer wants to see that you are thoughtful, creative, and knowledgable. Let your creativity flag fly high!

"The three things I would do, to sell out an experience or live event in 24 hours or less would be to push out early bird pricing that included an irresistible perk such as free merch for the first 500 tickets sold. Next, I would do a big social media push on Instagram, heavily image focused, which would include images of previous attendees having the time of their lives. Lastly, I would DM everyone in my network and ask them to share the social media posts to create some hype."

Do you have any influential relationships with any leagues, teams, or athletes?

"Over my ten years of experience working in the media and entertainment industry, I have built a solid network of sports executives, broadcasters, athletes, and other representatives. I have collaborated with a few agents in the past as well. I have some strong relationships to bring to Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, including connections within the NHL and the NBA."

The interviewer would like to know what kind of network you bring with you to Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, should you be their successful applicant. The world of sports media and entertainment can be a close-knit community, so it's okay to drop some names, when appropriate, to showcase the influence you could have in this position.

"My internship was with the Professional Golfers Association (PGA), so I have some pretty good connections within that organization. Being new to my career, I have been conscious of keeping strong ties with the people of influence whom I have met along the way. My networking abilities are strong, and I look forward to continuing to build a network of influence while building my career at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment."

What are your 3 favorite forms of entertainment?

"My favorite forms of entertainment have always been reality tv, televised sports, and celebrity-based news. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a sports reporter. Today, although I have different career aspirations, I still find that these forms of entertainment spark my creativity."

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is responsible for a great deal of the live entertainment and sporting events you see today. The interviewer would like to know the types of media and entertainment that you enjoy consuming regularly. Talk to the interviewer about your favorite forms of entertainment and be sure to include why they are your top choice.

"There are so many great forms of entertainment media available to us. I am more traditional and would say that my favorite media types still include magazines, documentaries, and podcasts that focus on sports, business, and other lifestyle topics."

Do you have experience with designing and implementing customer experience programs?

"I have experience with customer experience programs, right from the customer journey map to full implementation and training. The most recent project I was a part of was for a residential real estate company who needed help defining the voice of their customer. Our team walked them through a process that included a customer-centric approach and a full-blown Voice-of-the-Customer program design."

Customer experience programs are systems that companies incorporate to improve their overall CX (customer experience). These programs can include a mixture of new services and solutions, added programs, or even intuitive software. All of this then amounts to a positive and refreshed customer experience. Walk the interviewer through the knowledge you have with designing or implementing customer experience programs.

"Although I have not worked directly with designing or implementing a customer experience program, I do have an understanding of them. If I were to design one, I would begin with developing ways for a company to deliver innovative customer experiences consistently. My focus would be on transforming various steps of the customer journey from awareness to the loyalty stage. I am eager to learn more about customer experience programs with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment."

In your opinion, what makes a memorable live experience?

"There are many moving parts to create a memorable live experience; however, I believe the top three include having a few 'holy-grail moments' where you drop jaws. Whether that be in the production, in the customer service, in the initial welcoming; there must be moments when the attendee cannot believe how amazing they feel. Next, having what we call 'Instagrammable' places and moments. These are backgrounds, structures, or overall environments that are Instagram-worthy. This approach also ensures that we have evergreen marketing content from the attendees ourselves. I am eager to bring more exciting and engaging ideas to Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment soon, helping you to craft these memorable experiences and events."

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment loves to create memorable live experiences! The interviewer wants assurance that you know how to achieve this goal. Give a reply that is thoughtful and shows off your knowledge of the events industry. If you are new to your career, draw upon your own experiences as an attendee and what made them so memorable. Most important is that you bring enthusiasm to your response!

"I have attended many live events and festivals and have found that the most memorable experiences are the ones where customer service is over the top. Also, another common factor in successful events are ones that offer a 360-degree experience, both in person and online. I am eager to learn more about event production from Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment."

If you could only pick one area of focus to build on and connect with a target audience, what would it be, and why?

"While I think that a brand's strategy is usually successful due to its various moving parts, I have seen that emphasizing values is a significant part of building a strong connection with the target customer. When surveying customers of a company whose value proposition was being the most reliable in their industry, I learned they chose this brand over others because they believed they could rely on them no matter the time of day or night. This knowledge made me understand that the value of reliability struck a huge chord with the audience, so I planned a successful ad campaign that showed its employees serving customers overnight, on weekends, and holidays. If I were only allowed to chose one area of focus to boost branding, the value would be it due to this experience."

This question is one where your answer will likely not be considered right or wrong, but it will give your interviewer insight into your thought process, how you connect with an audience and your decision-making abilities. Answer candidly and try to resonate with facts or data. Don't be afraid to pause before answering, and be sure to respond decisively. It's great to be able to think on your feet, but it's also alright to show that when making close calls, you're both thoughtful and confident.

"Studies show that the most impact made on an audience is at an emotional level. If your audience feels that you understand their hopes and dreams, they'll also believe that you're well suited to help achieve them. Almost 48% of consumers say that they rely on companies they trust for guidance on products and services that will help them. So, if I could only focus on one area of building a brand's identity, I'd choose to build a connection with the audience by demonstrating our knowledge of their wants and needs and how we can help to attain them."

Tell me about your experience using hashtags to increase the visibility of your social media content.

"Hashtag campaigns are a great way to promote content in connection with a brand, an industry, and an audience. It allows content discovery by people who are interested in a particular subject - and when you're limited on space or can't use a lot of text to introduce your content, a hashtag acts as a shortcut to providing an overview. I've had great luck with using hashtags to attract new potential customers who were interested in the specific service I was marketing. They searched for the topic specifically covered by my content and may not have found it without the hashtag. Lastly, because hashtags let you boost content visibility for free, I believe they're a necessary part of any content marketing strategy."

You can answer with working knowledge of how hashtags allow posts to be found across platforms or give examples of specific experiences you've had with using them to ensure content visibility.Avoid suggesting any hashtag practices that are spammy to show how you can be useful in using them market content while remaining professional.

"I've seen hashtags help with content visibility because by studying them, I can stay on top of what people are interested in at the moment. Following hashtag trends, I ensure that content is going to be interesting to the audience. This relevance factor also ensures that it will be seen. A second way that hashtags help with promoting content is that they offer a non-costly method to direct the audience to it and encourage engagement. As an example, you can create a specific hashtag to spark conversation around a piece of content within a specific time frame and schedule a structured chat. All of these possibilities are completely free and generate a buzz around content that other methods have yet to achieve."

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment believes that live experiences are an art form. Tell me about the best event you have been to recently. What made it so great?

"Sporting events have always been my favorite to attend, and I must say that Superbowl last year was incredibly well executed and memorable. Despite mountains of attendees, I did not have to wait in line for an unreasonable amount of time, at any point. The sound for the half-time show was on point. I felt entirely entertained the entire time. As an attendee, I felt like an important part of a long-time sporting tradition."

The interviewer would like to get to know you and the types of events and experiences that you consider memorable. If your example includes a Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment event; great! If it does not, that's okay too. It's more important that you come prepared to discuss the details of what made this event so memorable for you. A solid answer will show that you pay attention to detail and that you have a genuine interest in the live events industry.

"Without a doubt, the best event I have been to is Coachella. I have attended for the past four years; each one better than the next. What I find makes Coachella so amazing is the production value. The structures are a spectacle in themselves, but yet the intimacy remains. I can find everything when I need it and never feel lost despite the multiple massive stages."

If you only had social media platforms for event promotions, with zero budget for ad spend, what would you do?

"If I had no budget for ad spend and needed to promote an event on social media, I would use a free trial of an application called Klear to source social influencers in the same realm as the event I was promoting. I would then approach those influencers to promote our gig in exchange for free tickets. Then, I would DM all of our followers on every platform an eye-catching event poster with special early-bird pricing for a limited time."

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment would like to see that you are confident in your ability to achieve results for their business, regardless of the expensive tools or large marketing budgets that may be on hand. Discuss, hypothetically, what your approach would be if you needed to hype an event using social media, but with no advertising budget. Feel free to get creative and show off your creative thinking!

"I believe that social media can be powerful; with or without an advertising budget. I would first send a direct message to our loyal followers on platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. I would send out member-only pricing with a CTA for people to reserve their tickets. I would be sure to utilize the right hashtags and would engage micro-influencers; asking them to post about our event in exchange for free swag or merch."

Of all the potential live events: sports, music, arts, health & wellness and more; with which do you bring the most experience?

"For the past six years I have been working on sporting and music events. I have helped create events big and small; local and global. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment works within the sporting events industry, which is of significant interest to me. Because of my experience in the live sporting event genre, I could make an impact at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment very quickly."

The interviewer would like to know where your specialty is when it comes to live events. Live events come in many forms, including sporting events, concerts, retreats, speaking conferences, forums, and more. Come to your interview prepared to discuss where you are most experienced. If you have a portfolio of work, be sure to bring this with you. If you are newer to your career and have not formed a preference yet; that is okay! Discuss with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment the fact that you are ready to cut your teeth in the sporting events realm.

"My education is in sports marketing. For that reason, I feel that I would be a quick study when it comes to putting together sporting events and other live events associated with sports. With that said, I am eager to learn multiples areas of live event curation and marketing and would be happy with any opportunity you present to me at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment."

Do you understand that working in the professional sports industry is demanding, with very long hours?

"I currently work 60+ hour work weeks with a 24/7 cell phone and am on my email most of the day. I am prepared to work long and hard hours, doing what it takes to succeed in the sports marketing and events sector."

The interviewer wants assurance that you understand the work in a professional sports environment isn't just schmoozing, attending celebrity athlete events and being a part of posh promotions. Being a successful professional in the sports industry is hard work and requires working into the nights, weekends, and on holidays. Assure the interviewer that you are ready for this commitment.

"As a recent graduate, I am well equipped and highly prepared for the fact that I need to work demanding weeks and long hours, to rise above the rest in this competitive industry."

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment produces many events every year, in a variety of our venues Are you willing and able to travel when necessary?

"I understand that the events industry requires a great deal of travel, and I am happy to deliver on those needs. In my current position, I travel for shows, conferences, or pitch meetings as needed. Could you share with me a bit more about the travel requirements for this position?"

Since Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment has many interests around the country and perhaps the globe, the interviewer would like assurance that you are open to travel opportunities. Discuss any work-related trips you may have taken in the recent past, and express your level of willingness when it comes to travel. If you are not sure of the travel requirements with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment be sure to ask questions like how many overnight trips you would be expected to take, or what the travel expectations look like in general.

"As an event marketing professional, I am accustomed to a great deal of travel. Currently, I spend approximately half of my month on the road for overnight trips. Your job posting mentioned one week of travel would be required per month. Is this correct?"

The sports industry often faces public relations issues, or bad press. How do you deal with negative comments or a PR crisis?

"I believe the best practice for handling bad press is to have one dedicated spokesperson for the company, who can create a consistent message and image for the public to absorb. Generally, this would the be CEO or another leader of the company, who has been trained on positive talking points when dealing with the press. Despite the crisis, this person should remain focused on the positive aspects of their company by speaking to its strengths."

The interviewer wants to see how you would make decisions and recommendations when you have to react to something unexpected. Marketing is about managing the outgoing content as well as absorbing and analyzing incoming data. Research into PR crises that other brands dealt with and draw insights from them if possible. Think about the role of social media in the overall brand PR crisis.

"Many companies have recovered very well from a crisis, and the common factor seems to be getting ahead of the bad press. One step could be to push negative reviews and bad comments away from page one, using SEO techniques. Another would be to call the media and get your talking points out before they can turn a negative situation into a full-blown crisis. This effort could including putting together a list of potential questions, and having key members of the company practice answering those specific sets of questions."

What personality traits should someone in sports marketing or sports media possess?

"From reading your job description and knowing a fair amount about the sports entertainment industry, I believe one should be a go-getter, persuasive, and determined never to take no as an answer. Just like myself, a professional in this industry must be ready to hustle and get the job done no matter what it takes. With that said, there should also be a softer side present. For myself, it's important that I am approachable, honest, and transparent with the teams, people, and brands that I represent."

Working in the competitive sporting industry is a tough gig that is worthy of only the most dedicated professionals. Some of the most sought-after characteristics in the sector include: - Persuasive & Strong Negotiator - Socially Intelligent & Self-Aware - Personable & Conversational - Trustworthy - Confident - Go-Getter AttitudeDiscuss the personality traits you believe someone should possess in this industry, and be sure to address the fact that you will bring these skills to Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.

"I believe the most successful professionals in the sports marketing and media industry are ones who seek knowledge, good relationships and get the job done. When you show confidence in what you do, you are overall more persuasive and will make a bigger impact in your work. I am a confident person with great focus and believe my personality will be an excellent match for Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment."

In which ways are social media and sports most compatible?

"Social media and sports moments are compatible in many ways. The biggest trends this year on the topic of social media and sports are videos and the streaming of sporting events. Because of streaming and video, brands have a wider range of platforms on which to advertise as it's not just television receiving viewers. For instance, on YouTube, there are millions of searches and views every day for top moments in sports. On Instagram, people are posting photos of themselves with their athlete heroes. On Facebook, fans are sharing stories about how their favorite teams and athletes are making a difference in their communities. On social media, everyone loves a good story, and when a sport is a thread that weaves the story, that factor makes them even more sharable; which is what social media is all about."

The interviewer would like to know that you have insight into how social media efforts can leverage the work done at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. When an advertising or sponsorship client can embrace the power of social media, their sports marketing efforts see a dramatic boost.

"Sports sponsorships are a way for brands to gain exposure through multiple advertising platforms. For instance, when sponsoring an athlete, their clothing is branded by the sponsoring company, which gives evergreen marketing exposure long after the event has come to a close. See, the athlete is still wearing their logo in interviews, photo-ops, and in their fan base's social media posts. This ripple effect goes a long way for a brand's exposure."

Tell me about your graduate degree and how it will apply in your career with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.

"I have a certificate in Business Administration; however, for the past five years, I have worked as a commercial real estate assistant. I understand a lot of what it takes to attract and maintain clients and negotiate lucrative contracts. I am ready to work my way into a formal management role, and I will take any coursework you recommend, to further round out my blend of experience and education."

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment prefers that their employees bring a 4-year degree; preferably in business, marketing, commercial real estate, or a sports-related area. Discuss your post-secondary education and why you believe your educational focus will help you to be successful with their company. If you do not have the requested post-secondary education, be prepared to defend this by discussing how your work experience amounts to a degree in itself.

"I recently graduated with my MBA, giving me a great deal of knowledge on business law, international business, and contract negotiations. I am ready to apply this knowledge to Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment's talent roster."

Has a brand ever built an emotional connection with you using sports marketing? If so, tell me how they accomplished this connection.

"The most memorable emotional connection that I have experienced from a sports marketing effort would be between Coca-Cola and the Olympics. It was fascinating to learn that Coca-Cola was the first commercial sponsor of the Olympic Games in 1928. Today, there aren't many people who can keep a dry eye when watching the emotionally driven Olympics commercials; myself included. This strong connection builds through the idea of longstanding relationships, pride in country, and community connection. The Olympic Games resonate globally, which makes this partnership especially impactful."

The interviewer wants to know if any sports marketing efforts have resonated with you in the past. It's essential that you discuss any marketing efforts that have stuck with you, and be prepared to talk about what you believe was done right, to make this connection happen. The example that you mention does not have to be a marketing effort led by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment but bonus points if you mention their past work!

"Budweiser's Superbowl ad from 2013 called 'Brotherhood' is one that impacted me so much that I still think about it all of these years later. As an animal lover and sports enthusiast, this ad about the connection between a man and his horse was heartfelt and easy to connect with."

Storytelling has become an essential part of connecting with audiences of all kinds, and using it to market to potential customers is no exception. How can we use big data to employ this tactic in a way that resonates with their audience?

"Big data is important in marketing campaigns because of the insight it provides into the behavior and other personal aspects of your audience. When using it for storytelling in your campaign, you want to know what your audience cares about and how your brand or product relates to an emotional level. Let's say that you are marketing an accounting service for small business. You have collected a huge amount of data to understand the challenges and needs of people that would benefit from your services. The data shows a pattern of small businesses frequently switching accounting software. Digging further into the data, you find that a major frustration they are experiencing is finding a robust yet budget-friendly solution. Instead of just telling this group how your service compares and the price, you can evoke their emotions by telling a story of someone who was just like them and how your service solved their problem. The data has now allowed you to connect to the human side of your prospect in a way that posting product specs and pricing alone will not."

Here you can provide an answer that briefly explains what big data is and how it can be used to craft stories to which an audience will relate. You can give specific examples of kinds of data that you've used in the past, as for storytelling in a campaign.Avoid explaining the storytelling process in your answer. Your response should primarily focus on how to use data to contribute to the marketing process.

"Having a system to use big data efficiently allows you to identify behavior, trends, and interactions within your audience. It lets you humanize and customize your advertising so that it's meaningful instead of disruptive to them. From big data, I've extracted information that tells me what kind of person buys a product, how much they spend on it, when they buy it, how long they use it for, and what makes them want to repurchase. Having this information, I get a clear picture of who is interested in a product and why. Understanding much of their background and history, I know when they'll be receptive to learning about a new product and at the right time, I approach them with a story of someone who is like them, shared similar struggles, and how they were lessened or resolved by what I have to offer. This approach is a human-centric, problem-solving solution that companies can use to achieve a lasting connection that can't be earned using the outdated approach of demanding consumers' attention and telling them what they need."

Our mission at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is to 'Bring the world to its feet.' What does this mean to you?

"My favorite sport is basketball; hands down. I love everything about the game, especially because it takes incredible skill, stamina, and is a worldwide sport that nearly every kid can grow up playing. When you say that your mission at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is to bring the work to its feet, I imagine that amazing feeling I would get as a kid, going to Raptors games, and feeling the thunder of the crowd when they won a home game."

This question is an opportunity for the interviewer to gain a glimpse into your interpretation of their business motto. The interviewer also wants to see that you have researched their organization, and know a bit about what they stand for. Talk a bit about your love of sports, and how you enjoy the enthusiasm that MLSE brings to the sporting industry.

"Hockey is my favorite sport, and many people would agree, the most exciting sport to both play and watch. When watching a Toronto Maple Leafs game at an MLSE arena, literally everyone is on their feet cheering until they lose their voice, every time our team scores a goal, or we stop a slapshot from the opposing team in its tracks. This feeling of cheer and camaraderie embodies 'bringing the world to its feet,' in my opinion."

Do you have experience creating marketing materials for event promotions?

"I have worked alongside creative and design teams; involved in brainstorm sessions dedicated solely to marketing strategies. I am confident in my ability to give useful suggestions that shine an entertaining and value-driven light on the events that we promote."

There is a science to creating marketing materials for event promotions; including the copy used, the imagery, the call to action; and even proper typography and colors. Discuss with the interviewer your past involvement in creating marketing materials for event promotions, clearly outlining your specific responsibilities. If you are newer to your career, without this type of experience, think about a similar project you may have worked on in University, for instance.

"Part of my post-secondary education focused on marketing and promotions; however, I have not yet had the experience of being directly involved in the creative or decision-making process when it comes to event promotions. For one of my marketing classes, I put together an entire promotional strategy for a live music fundraiser. While creating this project, I learned a great deal about event promotions and how to best drive engagement and ticket sales. I look forward to learning more over the years with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment."

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Interview Questions

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1. How can associating with a sports property help a brand to strengthen its position in the marketplace, locally and nationally?
2. What role do you usually take in team projects?
3. Do you feel performance should be rewarded over experience?
4. Can you talk to me about your GPA during undergraduate/graduate school?
5. Do you have experience working alongside, and negotiating with, rights holders and leagues?
6. Name some solutions for customer experience optimization.
7. What does it mean to borrow the equity of a sports team's fan base to build a lasting brand?
8. Tell me about your experience with fundraising efforts for charities, non-profit organizations, or grassroots sports in your community.
9. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is behind some of the world's leading sporting events. How will you contribute to our track record of success?
10. Tell me about your experience in gaining corporate partnerships for live events.
11. If you had just one day to sell out a live experience, what are the three most important things you would do?
12. Do you have any influential relationships with any leagues, teams, or athletes?
13. What are your 3 favorite forms of entertainment?
14. Do you have experience with designing and implementing customer experience programs?
15. In your opinion, what makes a memorable live experience?
16. If you could only pick one area of focus to build on and connect with a target audience, what would it be, and why?
17. Tell me about your experience using hashtags to increase the visibility of your social media content.
18. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment believes that live experiences are an art form. Tell me about the best event you have been to recently. What made it so great?
19. If you only had social media platforms for event promotions, with zero budget for ad spend, what would you do?
20. Of all the potential live events: sports, music, arts, health & wellness and more; with which do you bring the most experience?
21. Do you understand that working in the professional sports industry is demanding, with very long hours?
22. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment produces many events every year, in a variety of our venues Are you willing and able to travel when necessary?
23. The sports industry often faces public relations issues, or bad press. How do you deal with negative comments or a PR crisis?
24. What personality traits should someone in sports marketing or sports media possess?
25. In which ways are social media and sports most compatible?
26. Tell me about your graduate degree and how it will apply in your career with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.
27. Has a brand ever built an emotional connection with you using sports marketing? If so, tell me how they accomplished this connection.
28. Storytelling has become an essential part of connecting with audiences of all kinds, and using it to market to potential customers is no exception. How can we use big data to employ this tactic in a way that resonates with their audience?
29. Our mission at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is to 'Bring the world to its feet.' What does this mean to you?
30. Do you have experience creating marketing materials for event promotions?

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Interview Questions

1. How can associating with a sports property help a brand to strengthen its position in the marketplace, locally and nationally?

2. What role do you usually take in team projects?

3. Do you feel performance should be rewarded over experience?

4. Can you talk to me about your GPA during undergraduate/graduate school?

5. Do you have experience working alongside, and negotiating with, rights holders and leagues?

6. Name some solutions for customer experience optimization.

7. What does it mean to borrow the equity of a sports team's fan base to build a lasting brand?

8. Tell me about your experience with fundraising efforts for charities, non-profit organizations, or grassroots sports in your community.

9. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is behind some of the world's leading sporting events. How will you contribute to our track record of success?

10. Tell me about your experience in gaining corporate partnerships for live events.

11. If you had just one day to sell out a live experience, what are the three most important things you would do?

12. Do you have any influential relationships with any leagues, teams, or athletes?

13. What are your 3 favorite forms of entertainment?

14. Do you have experience with designing and implementing customer experience programs?

15. In your opinion, what makes a memorable live experience?

16. If you could only pick one area of focus to build on and connect with a target audience, what would it be, and why?

17. Tell me about your experience using hashtags to increase the visibility of your social media content.

18. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment believes that live experiences are an art form. Tell me about the best event you have been to recently. What made it so great?

19. If you only had social media platforms for event promotions, with zero budget for ad spend, what would you do?

20. Of all the potential live events: sports, music, arts, health & wellness and more; with which do you bring the most experience?

21. Do you understand that working in the professional sports industry is demanding, with very long hours?

22. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment produces many events every year, in a variety of our venues Are you willing and able to travel when necessary?

23. The sports industry often faces public relations issues, or bad press. How do you deal with negative comments or a PR crisis?

24. What personality traits should someone in sports marketing or sports media possess?

25. In which ways are social media and sports most compatible?

26. Tell me about your graduate degree and how it will apply in your career with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment.

27. Has a brand ever built an emotional connection with you using sports marketing? If so, tell me how they accomplished this connection.

28. Storytelling has become an essential part of connecting with audiences of all kinds, and using it to market to potential customers is no exception. How can we use big data to employ this tactic in a way that resonates with their audience?

29. Our mission at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is to 'Bring the world to its feet.' What does this mean to you?

30. Do you have experience creating marketing materials for event promotions?