writing samples
my written portfolio includes sports articles, papers, and advertising copy
profile on first tennessee park
final research project for facility operations class -- summer 2019
First Tennessee Park is a baseball stadium located in downtown Nashville and is home to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. The stadium hosts 70 regular-season games between April and September in addition to community events such as the City of Hope Celebrity Softball Game and has shared hosting responsibilities with nearby Nissan Stadium for Nashville Soccer Club home games. Sitting on the land of the former Sulphur Dell park, which hosted minor league baseball teams from 1870 to 1963, First Tennessee was built in 2015 to replace Herschel Greer Stadium, which had fallen below Triple-A standards for minor league ballparks.
The park is owned by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County while the operations and management of the facility fall to the Nashville Sounds baseball club in addition to $700,000/year in rent for the length of the 30-year lease. The total cost of the park was $65 million, “including $37 million to construct ballpark; $23 million payment to State for land; $5 million for capitalized interest during construction” (Fact Sheet). Most of the funds for the building of the park “[were] private, including more than $50 million by the Nashville Sounds […] and $37 million by Embrey [Partners]” (Fact Sheet). First Tennessee was designed by Populous, Hastings Architecture Associates (nashville.gov) while the “[t]he joint venture of Barton Malow, Bell and Associates, and Harmony, served as Construction Manager” (bartonmalow.com). In terms of updates and maintenance of the park, “Sounds will be responsible for ballpark maintenance, while Metro will be responsible for major capital expenditures” (Fact Sheet). Examples of capital expenditures for the park are the large guitar shaped scoreboard, an updated version of a similar board from the former Greer Stadium. The layout of the venue is focused on the “fan experience,” according to Vice President of Operations, Doug Scopel, with a 360˚ concourse that allows fans to walk around the facility or purchase concessions without missing the action on the field. This format ties in with the mission statement of the main tenant: “We are a team dedicated to bringing top-notch guest service to our customers both internal and external. We strive to put the Sounds at the forefront of sports in Nashville by providing fun, family-friendly entertainment” (milb.com/nashville).
The General Manager and Chief Operating Officer, Adam Nuse, has been with the organization since 2016 after previously holding the same position with the Bowling Green Hot Rods, another minor league team. His past experience also includes sales roles from intern to Vice President of Sales with the Double-A Corpus Christi Hooks and the Triple-A Round Rock Express and Oklahoma City RedHawks. While Nuse is responsible for the “day-to-day operations related to the ballclub,” (milb.com/nashville) he is overseen by MFP Entertainment Services, the ownership group of the team. The other members of executive management that work under Nuse are the Vice President of Operations, Doug Scopel; Vice President of Sales, Bryan Mayhood; and Vice President of Fan Relations, Amy Schoch, whose responsibilities include booking events at First Tennessee (milb.com/nashville).
While the main tenants provide a set number of events every year, other events held at the park include Vanderbilt and Belmont baseball games, the annual Nashville Brew Fest, and various occasions during the offseason such as birthday parties and corporate events (Scopel). A goal for the venue includes hosting more concerts, says Scopel, with a 2017 performance by Nashville-based band Kings of Leon having been the only concert held at the park. This year, First Tennessee will also host GLOW, an event that “[will feature] one of the country’s tallest Christmas trees, more than 4 million lights adorning larger-than-life sculptures, over-the-top ice skating and snow tubing experiences, [and] Santa’s workshop” (GLOW website), which will allow the park to generate revenue in the offseason.
Marketing efforts for the team and the park are primarily focused on social media, but the team has also invested in print billboards around the city and has a relationship with the major television channels in the area (Scopel) to inform viewers of upcoming games and promotions. First Tennessee also features advertising signage and seating sponsorships in the park and via the video board that brings in revenue for the team. These agreements are created by “sales people on both sides” (Scopel) while other provisions, such as the naming rights of the park, are handled in private discussions by the ownership group and approved by the 12-member Metropolitan Sports Authority. Like all venues, the park relies on ancillary revenue in addition to advertising to generate funds and does so in the form of ticket sales and concession sales.
The preferred method of ticket distribution is hard copies, catering to “old school fans” (Scopel). Fans are able to purchase season tickets at full, half, or partial-season plans at various seating sections in the stadium. Tickets for premium seating are available and include “field suites” directly behind home plate, club seats that provide access to a lounge area, and separate decks for larger groups. Each of these areas features amenities such as exclusive private bathrooms, concessions, catered food, and exclusive bars. Concessions for the majority of the stadium are contracted through Centerplate, a food service and hospitality company that is partnered with venues around the country. All concessions fall under the responsibility of Dave Keitel who acts as General Manager of Food and Beverage for the organization. The only area not under the Centerplate purview is the Band Box, a “a 4,000-square-foot outdoor bar and restaurant located in the right field of [the] Park” (thebandboxnashville.com) that is managed by Strategic Hospitality. This area was created to draw in the “young professional” (Scopel) and all branding and menu decisions are made by Strategic Hospitality to achieve this goal. Its features include several television screens, a mini-golf course, ping pong tables, corn hole, shuffleboard, and oversized Jenga in addition to specialized culinary selections that are not sold at other concession stands at the park. This unique section of the park contributes to the overall fan experience and offers an experience that is standalone from the baseball games themselves.
First Tennessee Park was born out of necessity for a satisfactory ballpark and has since become a large part of Nashville culture. The placement of the park connects bustling downtown Nashville with a growing Germantown and provides a “safe, family-friendly, economic-friendly” (Scopel) for people from Nashville and nearby cities to enjoy due to the multi-effort of Nashville/Davidson County and the Sounds’ ownership. While the current event calendar for First Tennessee is mainly comprised of baseball games with a smattering of community events, Doug Scopel hopes to position the park as an “event center” rather than just a ballpark. In a city of countless music venues, colleges, and other sport venues such as Bridgestone Arena and Nissan Stadium, First Tennessee Park strives to offer its own version of a sporting environment while focusing on the fan experience and entertaining its guests. The success of the park and culture of the city has led to a piqued interest in creating a Major League team; as it stands, however, First Tennessee Park is perfectly content to continue delivering baseball and an entertaining fan experience to the Nashville community.
Works Cited Page
“First Tennessee Park.” https://www.bartonmalow.com/projects/First-Tennessee-Park. Accessed 8 August 2019.
“First Tennessee Park Overview.” https://www.nashville.gov/Sports-Authority/First-Tennessee-Park/Overview.aspx. Accessed 7 August 2019.
“Front Office Staff.” https://www.milb.com/nashville/ballpark/frontoffice. Accessed 29 July 2019.
GLOW website. https://press.tnvacation.com/press-releases/glow-nashvilles-brightest-christmas-experience-light-first-tennessee-park. Accessed 9 August 2019.
Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. “Fact Sheet, Sulphur Dell Ballpark Proposal.” 11 Nov. 2013. www.nashville.gov/Portals/0/SiteContent/SportsAuthority/docs/ballpark/131111_fact%20sheet_ballpark.pdf. Accessed 7 August 2019.
“Nashville Sounds Ballpark Guide.” https://www.milb.com/nashville/ballpark/ballparkguide. Accessed 31 July 2019.
Scopel, Doug. Personal interview. 30 July 2019.
advertising copy sample
final project for media advertising -- fall 2019
tv commercial written for final project. this commercial is part of a series for a fictitious advertising campaign for the OontZ Angle 3 speaker. other assignments included in link below include copy written for radio and tv.
jarnkrok vs. neal: why poile made the right call
published on predneck nation, oct. 2017
The other night while watching the Predators take on the Blackhawks, I saw several posts pass through my Twitter feed that criticized Calle Jarnkrok’s lack of offensive production and how he should not have been protected over James Neal.
Admittedly, I have been a fan of Jarnkrok’s since his rookie season; however, I still believe the Predators choosing him over Neal to protect in the expansion remains a wise choice for the organization. There is much more to be considered though and to say that James Neal should currently be on the roster over Jarnkrok based on goal production ten games into the season is absurd.
Now that Poile’s choice is being challenged again, a review of the logic behind it has been deemed necessary. The biggest thing to remember is that it ultimately came down to a business decision. Salaries are a real concern to general managers and if one has the ability to create cap space while knowing that he has depth to fill the lost position, it becomes an easier pill to swallow. Looking only at the financial benefits of vacating Neal’s $5 million per year contract, the Predators had more room to lock in Filip Forsberg, Viktor Arvidsson, and Ryan Johansen for several years while Jarnkrok’s only takes up $2 million per year until the 2021-22 season.
In short, Jarnkrok’s a bargain, especially if his numbers continue to increase every season. It is very reasonable to say that Jarnkrok’s numbers leave much to be desired; he has yet to score more than twenty goals in a season and is not considered an offensive star. This is apparent even more this season as the Predators are currently suffering in a scoring drought and fans and coaches alike are expecting more from all offensive lines. An even more irksome fact, to some, is that James Neal has collected seven goals so far while Jarnkrok’s first goal of the season came Friday night against the Blackhawks.
Goals are key in determining a player’s worth, especially the league nowadays where players like Patrick Kane, Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, and Alexander Ovechkin are putting up forty plus goals a season; however, it is simply irresponsible to base a player’s worth solely on that statistic. But that has become the cornerstone of recent arguments that losing Neal was a irreparable choice and that Jarnkrok should have gone instead.
No one can argue that Neal and the Las Vegas Golden Knights are off to a hot start. It’s important to note: hot starts are in no way indicative of future performance (just ask the Canadiens). Even more reckless than basing a player’s worth off of goals is to do so ten games into the season. After reviewing statistics from last season, James Neal did not score his first goal until October 29 (just eight games into the 2016-17 season). He turned in solid numbers in November scoring nine goals and December and January were lukewarm at best with only three goals in each month.
Based off of those numbers, February was disappointing in comparison with only one goal. March saw improvement with five goals. Those statistics are simply not convincing or consistent enough to say that Neal’s offensive game was or would be a difference maker this season. If you line-up Neal’s performance last year with Jarnkrok’s so far this season, there is hardly sufficient ground to say that Neal is outpacing Jarnkrok. The James Neal that so many people are coveting is not “classic James Neal.” This is a player who most likely feels like he has something to prove playing for a team that has a lot to prove and it is only a matter of time before he goes several games without a goal.
In the spirit of not basing Neal’s worth off of just goals, let’s look at other important aspects of Neal’s game overall. Perhaps not as important, but worth noting, Neal had a reputation for embellishing penalties. Last season, he was in the penalty box for a total of 35:00 out of a total 1,239 minutes on ice. The emotional component of his game was important in a leadership position, but costly during games. His position at right wing is also an important factor in that Nashville has plenty of depth (including Jarnkrok who has played at wing when necessary despite being listed a center).
Nashville can afford to lose a player in that position, but not so much at center. Mike Fisher and Ryan Johansen are widely considered to be two of the best centers in Nashville’s recent history and if Mike Fisher were still here, Nashville would not feel as pressured to create depth at that position. However, Mike Fisher is no longer on the roster and Ryan Johansen’s injury during the playoffs showed how vulnerable the Predators are at center. Combined with Nick Bonino’s current extended absence at center due to injury, Nashville should be thankful that they have options at center and not depending on young players like Gaudreau who are still finding their footing in the NHL.
In the end, the fact is that Jarnkrok was not kept for his goal scoring abilities. Jarnkrok was kept because he is a young(er) player with a bargain of a contract, plays a smart game defensively and offensively, and provides the team with depth at a position where Nashville needs it. The harsh reality is that Neal will stop scoring goals and the Golden Knights will lose--it is inevitable and the way of sports. Jarnkrok should feel a bit of added pressure to score more goals this season, but so should every other player on that roster in order to make this team successful this year and in the future. It is not fair to put all of Nashville’s offensive failings on one player and certainly not wise to do so when the season is approximately an eighth of the season in. The long term benefits of exposing Neal outweigh the short term disappointment that Jarnkrok does not have fifteen goals already when there is almost an entire season to go.
Those who believe that Neal’s current and invariably short term success means Jarnkrok should be wearing a Vegas sweater instead simply lack sufficient data to make a solid determination on the return of Poile’s choice. Jarnkrok also needs more than ten games to prove himself before being considered “underperforming.” If Jarnkrok is “underperforming,” so is just about every player on the team outside of Filip Forsberg and they cannot all be sent to Vegas. When Poile made the decision to keep Jarnkrok over Neal, he was not looking at goal scoring ability so it would not follow logically to make that the crux of the argument. Even more careless is to form that argument prematurely without reasonable proof and any that do so are willfully using the logical fallacy of begging the question.
What Poile saw was an aging, inconsistent goal scorer with a bad rep whose contract would be up soon. If, in April with an entire season of data, James Neal has out performed Calle Jarnkrok, naysayers have a solid case, but ten games into the season is not enough time for a valid opinion. Based on the knowledge available right now, Poile’s decision was the right call and has yet to be reasonably disproven.