Each day with the Durham Bulls I will be shadowing a different department manager, and today I shadowed in the ticket sales department. Today was a game day, so there were lots of different things happening throughout the day that were specific to game days.
The day started with a full tour of the Durham Bulls Athletic Park: visiting each department, seeing the suites, going on the field, and going inside the scoreboard. I was able to see all of the behind the scenes areas of the ballpark. After the full tour, we began the day by transporting and organizing giveaway items, and then moved onto more day-to-day tasks of replying to emails, answering phones, and preparing for the game. We set up everything for the club level suites: prepared wristbands, opened all of the suites, and added stat packs and programs. I helped with an event before the game for season ticket holders with the Vice President of the Durham Bulls, and then also helped with the pregame festivities on the field including the delivery of the game ball and rosin bag. During the game, we talked to various season ticket holders and helped wherever necessary.
Overall, the day opened my eyes to all of the behind the scenes work that must be done in order for sporting events to occur. I met so many wonderful people that really love what they do, which I find very attractive for a potential career path. Ticket sales handles much more than just actually selling the tickets, but also manages the fan experience before, during, and after the games.
