Posted on WorkInSports.com: 11/16/2004
By: Jessie Lewis - Sports Business Journal
Name: Todd Siegel
Age: 47
New title: Senior vice president, ad sales, Speed Channel
Previous job: Executive vice president, Screenvision
First job: Shoveled snow and had a paper route
Education: Bachelor of arts (1978), government, Lehigh University
Resides: Manhattan
Grew up: Oceanside, N.Y.
Executive most admired: Bill Gates
Brand most admired: Coca-Cola
Favorite vacation spot: Western Europe
Last book read: “The Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown
Last movie seen: “Shrek 2”
Favorite movie: “Days of Thunder”
Favorite music: Classic rock
Typical hours worked in a week: 60
Todd Siegel recently joined the Speed Channel after leaving his post with Screenvision.
Siegel is now responsible for pricing and planning for the network, interacting with advertisers, producers and sanctioning bodies as well as handling sales and sales management duties.
Siegel is no stranger to media sales, with more than 20 years’ experience in the field.
At Screenvision, Siegel supervised the sale of cinema advertising to national advertisers and developed and used measurement and research tools to reflect the cinema advertising medium.
He also has worked as vice president of MTV advertising sales and at Discovery Communications, where he was vice president of national advertising sales.
Q: What is the biggest challenge in your new position?
A: Building awareness of an emerging network and making it a mainstream vehicle for national advertisers.
Q: What is the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?
A: Leaving the comfort of mainstream cable television [Discovery Communications] ad sales after 20 years to take on the challenge of selling new in-theater media for Screenvision.
Q: What is your biggest professional accomplishment?
A: Having successfully developed emerging media brands, whether it was Turner Broadcasting in the early 1980s or an emerging company like the Discovery brands, or new media like Screenvision, having developed those emerging properties into viable media vehicles for the nation’s top hundred advertisers.
Q: What is your biggest professional disappointment?
A: Having made progress on developing emerging brands when working with Discovery, but moving forward without seeing the end result.
Q: What is your career advice?
A: Work harder than the next guy, be an expert in your product and maintain good relationships through networking. Also, be a resource for your clients and customers.
Q: What one story are you continuing to watch in the sports business?
A: The development of NASCAR from its Southern roots to a broad-appeal sport.
Q: What one element would you like to change about the sports industry?
A: I’d like to concentrate the sports programming and maximize its appeal to both viewers, fans and advertisers.
This Career spotlight is courtesy of the Sports Business Journal. CLICK HERE to visit their official website.
|
