A career slam dunk: Lenny’s journey from ESPN intern to marketing associate manager
ESPN is headed back to NABJ this year! Visit us at booth 321 to meet employees like Lenny, an associate manager on ESPN’s brand marketing team in Los Angeles, California. Lenny’s love of sports began on the basketball court when he was just four years old. That childhood hobby has since inspired him to build a successful career in sports media. Let’s tip off our Q&A with Lenny!
What inspired you to pursue a career in sports media?
My passion for sports began when I started playing basketball at four years old. While working in a previous internship at a sports agency, l started to learn how the basketball ecosystem worked—how leagues, teams, apparel companies, media companies, and more coexist in a symbiotic relationship to move the game forward. The experience set my vision for the next steps in my career. I wanted to gain experience in as many of these different areas as possible, allowing me to have context that I could use in the next steps of my career. When the opportunity came to work at ESPN, I jumped at it to get media experience at one of the best sports brands in the world.
What was your internship experience like?
During my internship, I worked on some great campaigns. I worked on storytelling carousels that highlighted Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks winning the 2021 NBA Finals and Simone Biles at the Tokyo Olympics. I also worked on two 30 for 30 projects, Once Upon a Time in Queens on the 1986 New York Mets and a podcast called The King of Crenshaw exploring Nipsey Hussle’s impact on the NBA. Seeing my work on TV and on some of the biggest social channels was such a cool experience.
How did your internship experience set you up for success in your next role with ESPN?
My keys to success were having informational interviews with people across different levels that helped me build relationships and learn more about the structure and projects happening across ESPN and Disney overall. Those informational interviews and curiosity led into hands-on project experience, and most of the projects that I worked on during my internship were the same campaigns that I would be working on once I started full time.
Tell us about your current role. What does a day in the life look like for you?
One of the key parts of my job as an associate manager on the brand marketing team is helping to set the vision and lead the marketing campaign across several different teams internally and with external creative teams. A campaign starts with a document called a brief, which is part brainstorm, part outline of the key details of the campaign that includes the strategy, the audience we’re trying to reach, and the creative direction. Once the brief is approved and the campaign officially kicks off, I start working with all the teams involved on developing elements that are part of the plan and keep these teams updated in status meetings we have throughout the week. Campaigns are finished on time and are successful when we overcommunicate, share updates, and are on the same page.
What is a favorite project you’ve worked on during your career at ESPN?
I’ve been blessed to work on so many impactful campaigns so far, and my favorite has been working on our brand campaign called There’s No Place Like Sports. I’ve honed my passion and skill for athlete storytelling, highlighting how an athlete’s culture, upbringing, or life off the field or court influences them, as well as the journeys that led to the championships, the MVPs, the history-defining moments, and the barriers being broken. The campaign reminds me why I love sports so much. Beyond the competition, it can bring people together and inspire others.
ESPN will be attending several journalism conferences in the coming months, including NABJ. Why do you think it’s important for ESPN to attend journalism conferences like NABJ?
I’ll be attending NABJ for the first time later this month, and I think ESPN building these talent pipelines is paramount so that teams across the company are representative of the fans we serve. Also, I think as much as we’re there to guide students and other professionals breaking into the industry, we can learn so much from them.
What advice would you give to others looking to build a great career at ESPN?
While I’m still learning and growing every day, here are some things I’ve picked up along the way. Find your people: friends, mentors, and sponsors. Find your system, such as ways to stay organized day-to-day, stay inspired, and stay energized. Remember that your perspective, experience, interests, and culture outside of your job has so much value. What you read, what you listen to, what you watch, events you go to, your hobbies, and more can inspire your next great idea.
That’s the final buzzer on our interview with Lenny. Explore our job openings today to see how your skills can make an impact at the world’s leading sports media company!
