The future of sports is here! Or, at least it is on its way. On March 16, the McGill Sports Management Club presented “The Future of Sports,” an event featuring three speakers with unique jobs within the world of sports: Allan Boynton, founder of Pro Sports Concierge, Paul Sen, CEO of MTL ESports, and Craig Buntin, CEO of Sportlogiq, a sport analytics company. Each respective speaker shed light on the future of this industry and how jobs are are adapting accordingly. Though each speaker presented something unique, one I found particularly interesting was Mr. Allan Boynton.
Though working with athletes seems like a dream job, the lavish lifestyle does not come without challenges.
Mr. Boynton started a company designed to provide luxury services for athletes. Mr. Boynton’s company, Pro Sports Concierge, covers everything from reservations to Rolexes. Mr. Boynton gave advice to students regarding careers in sports, as well as recounting the story of how he got involved in the sports management industry. While sharing a drink at a bar in Los Angeles with a few NHL players, including his childhood friend, one of the athletes complained that he could never get a reservation at French Laundry, an exclusive restaurant. Mr. Boynton claimed he could help secure a reservation and was offered one thousand dollars to do so. Being a natural salesman, Mr. Boynton phoned the restaurant and offered the hostess five hundred dollars for a reservation, which she immediately accepted. Since that very reservation, Mr. Boynton and his one hundred employees have been fulfilling the lavish desires of one hundred professional athletes across North America.
Though working with athletes seems like a dream job, the lavish lifestyle does not come without challenges. Mr. Boynton talked about the importance of funding, and how it was the biggest obstacle he faced in starting his company. Securing flights and paying for expensive dinners came at a large price, but in Boynton’s mind, the ends justify the means. The luxurious expenses were small in comparison to the potential income gained from recruiting clients and building the Pro Sports brand.
His advice was simple — there are many jobs in the world of sports that are not directly linked to working with a team.
In addition to giving insight into the sports management industry, Mr. Boynton also offered personal advice and words of encouragement to the crowd of fifty gathered in the Armstrong Building. His advice was simple — there are many jobs in the world of sports that are not directly linked to working with a team. The speaker challenged students to be creative with their surroundings in order to find a role within this contemporary field. Additionally, Mr. Boynton stressed work ethic, encouraging McGill students to start every day at six in the morning to get in a full day’s work.
Through events like this, the future of the McGill Sports Management Club looks bright. Daniel Best, VP Membership, sees the potential for growth in the club. “This club has been around for a few years, but we are trying to reinvent and grow it through events like this,” he remarked. Regardless of the past, if Mr. Boynton’s logic holds true, all the club needs to be successful is hard work and an opportunity.
