By KRIS VENEZIA

STAFF WRITER

Brian McIntyre, senior communications advisor to NBA Commissioner and former senior vice president of Basketball Communications, offered tips to Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business students on how to make it in the sports industry.

“Don’t give up; it’s so much more sophisticated today than it was when I started,” McIntrye said. “There wasn’t marketing departments or other things of that nature. Watch, observe, learn and listen; if you’re interested in sports, hone in on what you want to get in on like PR or the operations side or sports journalism.”

McIntyre is the first person to come to Fordham in the Gabelli Sports Business Specialization series. The event was put together by Mark Conrad, director of the Sports Business Specialization at the Gabelli School of Business.

Brian McIntyre has been a presenter at other schools, including New York University and Fairfield University. He went to a Jesuit school, Loyola University of Chicago, and said he enjoys giving back to the Jesuit community.

“I spoke at a conference[the Jesuits] had [last] June,” he said. “I like giving back, it’s a nice thing to do.”

Now, as senior advisor to the National Basketball Association Commissioner, McIntyre works closely with the controversial leader of the NBA, David Stern. There have been 4 lockouts during Stern’s tenure as commissioner.

Martin McCormack, FCRH’15, said he loves watching professional basketball, but has gotten frustrated with Commissioner Stern.

“I do not like David Stern very much because he vetoed the Chris Paul trade to the Lakers, and as a Lakers fan, I was not a fan of that,” McCormack said. “Besides that, I have a fairly neutral view of him. I just don’t like it when he gets too involved with his power.”

Commissioner Stern does get credit from some people for helping to brand the NBA internationally. He also started seven new teams and oversaw the creation of the Women’s National Basketball Association.

Brian McIntyre said Stern is a brilliant man who has done a lot for this league, and his leadership has allowed the NBA to maintain its reputation as one of the biggest organizations in the world.

Joe Lynch, FCRH ‘15, said he likes the way the sport gives back to the community and shows the players as “regular Joes.”

“[The NBA] does a lot of good stuff, like the NBA Cares thing. I like that, and it shows that [the NBA] isn’t just a bunch of jocks just shooting a ball around,” Lynch said. “Athletes can sometimes seem so far-fetched and out of reality, in the NBA, I feel like the players are everyday people blessed with some athletic ability.”

Martin McCormack said he agrees that the NBA does not overinflate player egos.

“The NBA does elevate their stars, but is still more modest than leagues like the NFL that makes guys like Ray Lewis and Aaron Rodgers seem like crazy superstars,” he said. “If you’re good in the NBA, you’re a superstar, but you’re not like a god.”

As former senior vice president of Basketball Communications, Brian McIntyre was able to give stories of how the NBA worked to brand itself to fans in the United States and overseas.

Matthew Sinise, GSB ‘14, said he learned a lot from listening to McIntyre speak.

“[McIntyre] was a really insightful speaker because he was able to give insight into his career in the NBA and give advice on taking advantage of a Jesuit education,” Sinise said.

McIntyre said the most memorable experience of his career was spending time with the 1992 Olympic Basketball team, nicknamed the “Dream Team.”

“It was the highlight of my career,” he said. “It was travelling with rockstars. The demand, everywhere we went, we got to France and everyone [in the airport] dropped their things to take pictures. We could have walked into the country because nobody was manning customs.”

The former Loyola University of Chicago graduate said students can get into the sports industry, but they have to be motivated.

“A lot of people say, ‘Well gee, I could never do that, they’d never hire me, I’m a college student they wouldn’t hire me.’ Did you ask? Did you try? The first step is getting out of bed and trying. Unless you ask you don’t get it; don’t wait, just go for it.”