Madison Capitols Director of Media Relations & Corporate Sales Executive September 2022-Present A week prior to the start of the 2022-23 season, I was named the new "Voice of the Capitols." My voice can be heard on FloHockey on game nights, but my role entails so much more with the team. As the team's Director of Media Relations and as a Corporate Sales Executive, timing is a key element of my role splitting time between media and sales. Since I've been with the team, I've helped grow our revenue as well as media platforms.
On the Media Relations side, I served as the play-by-play voice of the team calling games online and via FloHockey. Also worked with the local media, wrote and distributed all press releases and game notes, and managed the team's digital platforms including MadCapsHockey.com and all social media accounts. Our web and social numbers, 20% over all four major platforms, grew significantly thanks to innovative ideas and execution. Introduced "What's On Tap," in 2023, providing fans with an in-arena Pregame Show to preview the upcoming matchups. As part of my role entails script writing and video board managing, I have been able to coordinate in-game entertainment for what is on pace to be the best attended season in Capitols history.
In my first two seasons working on the sales side of things, I have honed in my skills to boost my sales from year one to year two. With the season just about complete and running the media as my primary role in season, I have $70,000 in the door for the organization and knocking the doors down of every goal that has been set for me on the sales side.
Corpus Christi IceRays Director of Broadcasting and Media Relations June 2021-April 2022 Upon graduating college, the Corpus Christi IceRays offered me my first full-time gig. In my role with the Rays, I served as the play-by-play man for every game on HockeyTV as well as internet radio on game nights. With the state of the art American Bank Center on the Corpus Christi Bay, I was put in charge of in-arena entertainment as well as our marketing department. This included generating content through the local media in many different ways; press releases, weekly radio hits, etc. Along with the great staff in Corpus, we were able to bring in the second highest attendance in the NAHL during my lone season with the team.
In my time with the IceRays, I controlled the team's social media accounts boosting each of the major platforms. With my knowledge of socials, in large part thanks to my Digital Campus Ambassador role with Barstool Sports, the Rays had a 751.6% growth on Facebook, 444.3% growth on Instagram, and a 328% growth on Twitter. Each platform had it's own identity, but a generic overall concept that I came up with when I first joined the team created the large numbers.
With the IceRays, I also had a minor sales role making sure that broadcasts have ads, which included sponsors for intermission segments and selling other types of advertisements.
88.1 FM KVSC Sports Director August 2017-May 2021 During my time at KVSC, I worked from being a volunteer all the way into running the sports department for the final two years at the station. Running the sports department entailed assigning and following the completion of over 250 sporting events a year at the division one, division two, and high school levels in the St. Cloud area. While also managing the department, I was awarded the opportunity by the upper managing team at the station of broadcasting St. Cloud State men's hockey during my last year at the station and women's hockey for the final three years at the station. With the two teams, I was able to broadcast countless games including the entirety of the SCSU men's team run to the national championship game in 2021. Following the hockey season, I was the voice of the SCSU Huskies baseball team.
Freelance Work (NHL, ESPN+, Corpus Christi Hooks, WCMP) Play-By-Play Broadcast Work August 2019-Present Following my sophomore year of college, I wanted to earn more experience and pursue my career at full-bore. During the summer of 2019, I made my way to the radio station in my hometown in hopes of finding a role broadcasting sports. The station manager, who was familiar with my work, assigned me the role of play-by-play for Pine City HS football, which I held for the next two seasons. Besides just working with the football team, I was able to broadcast high school hockey, baseball, and softball. These games gave me the confidence needed in the field, which I appreciate to this day. WCMP is also where I currently freelance for the remainder of the baseball season after hockey season to help them at the station while also getting to do what I love.
Once I took the role with the IceRays in the summer of 2021, I started looking for work in the Corpus Christi area to continue to find new ways to improve my craft. Right away, I was unsuccessful at finding gigs that didn't interfere with the hockey schedule. In February, I got a call saying that ESPN+ and the Islander Digital Network were in search of a rotational broadcaster for the spring of 2022. I broadcasted some of both division one baseball and softball for the two networks in Corpus Christi before returning to Minnesota at the conclusion of the season.
Almost as soon as I returned to Minnesota, I received a text from Michael Coffin, broadcaster of the Corpus Christi Hooks, asking if I could fill in some dates. The Hooks are the Houston Astros' AA affiliate and play at Whataburger Field in the Harbor District of Corpus Christi. I accepted the role and filled in for Coffin during the Hooks series against the Naturals during mid-July.
Toward the end of the IceRays 2021-22 season, I was approached by the NHL to help shoot video for Navy Federal Credit Union's Stick Tap for Service award. The Corpus Christi community had a billet mom nominated for the award, which the NHL wanted footage of Mrs. Norman and Matt Harvey, the player she billeted. Blake Purcell and myself shot video for the NHL, which was aired on TNT and on the NHL's social media pages. Mrs. Norman ended up winning the award and was able to donate upwards of $30,000 to a charity of her choosing.
OTHER PREVIOUS WORK
Barstool Sports (2018-2021): Digital Campus Ambassador St. Cloud Norsemen (2020-2021): Public Address Announcer St. Cloud Rox (2021): In-Stadium Music Director Youth Hockey Hub (2019-2020): Podcaster/Podcast Producer