Super Bowl Sunday & My Love For Football

Friday, February 05, 2010

by Mike DelRose Jr.

It is my favorite "Holiday" of the year and I believe that the following Monday should be free of work and school. Of course I'm talking about the Super Bowl and the pride and joy of the National Football League.

The big game, for me, is a dream come true because it's a culmination of everything I love to do celebrated on one day; Football, Marketing, and of course the copious and sometimes unnecessary amounts of food.

Football for me started at a very early age when Mike Sr. took me to my first Patriots game on October 11, 1992 where the New England Patriots lost to the San Francisco 49ers by a score of 24-12. I was five. From that point on I elected to be part of a great New England tradition of yelling at the television every Sunday unless the Patriots won.

My love for football was not restricted to the field however, in early high school I developed an understanding for the business and studied the success the NFL compared to Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, & National Hockey League. While these sports are great in their own right, I don't believe anything surpasses the NFL and it's product lines. I'd even go as far to say even NASCAR isn't as successful (their balance sheet makes a great argument though).

When I declared myself a Marketing Major in college, I also took on Sports Management as a minor, deep down wanting to pursue a career in the National Football league or one of it's proud franchises. One thing I learned very quickly in sports and economics in general is that when the demand for young professionals wanting to work in sports is low, and too many people fighting for the same job, it takes a lot of persistence and hard work to get into the industry.

After interning with the Newport Gulls of the New England Collegiate Baseball League in Newport, Rhode Island (great family entertainment), I knew I had a shot at applying for positions at the professional level.

As a recent college graduate I applied for an internship with the New England Patriots this past Summer and got a position in the Marketing Department as an assistant to the Vice President of Sales and the Vice President of Marketing. The organization is filled with great people all of which are extremely hard working and professional (which is evident by their product) and I learned so much about the business and had the opportunity to meet literally thousands of fellow fans. As my working career continues, I hope one day to be back with them.

If there's one upside to not working in the industry, it's being able to watch the games instead of working them (it's a necessary sacrifice). An annual tradition for us includes a big pot of Mike Sr.'s Dallas style Chili, wings, and pulled pork made in the crock pot.

If there's one issue with the Super Bowl, and it's not really an issue, is that because you can't afford to miss the commercials (I'm a marketer, I need to see each and every one). Even so, the commercials are sometimes just as entertaining as the game itself. The only time I allow myself to get off the couch is during the halftime show, because who needs additional entertainment.

So whether you're a fan of the sport, the food, the commercials, spending time with family and friends, etc. Enjoy the the day this coming Sunday. I think the NFL knows what its doing in that this day has something for everyone.