Through a combination of networking, persistence and good timing, the sport management major was able to bring his energy and passion for 鈥淏anana Ball鈥 to Buffalo, Cleveland, Durham, Greensboro and his hometown of Philadelphia.
It was no accident that , a sport management major, found himself working this summer for the country鈥檚 most entertaining baseball team 鈥撀爐he .
What makes the Philadelphia native鈥檚 story even more interesting is it started with him attending a Bananas game as a fan.
Last spring, Katz and four 黑料不打烊 friends, including fellow School of Communications student Ben Bronstein 鈥26, won a ticket lottery to attend a Bananas game in Durham, part of the baseball club鈥檚 26-city world tour that generated significant media attention and numerous sellouts. Katz was determined to make the most of the opportunity and sought advice from Khirey Walker,聽assistant professor of sport management.
鈥淚 remember asking Dr. Walker how I could best network at the game,鈥 Katz recalled. To which Walker explained that Katz, admittedly a people person, just needed to be himself.
Fortuitously, Katz stumbled into a conversation at Durham Bulls Athletic Park with Emily Cole, who co-owns the Bananas with her husband, Jesse, best known for his yellow tuxedos on game days. At first, Katz didn鈥檛 even realize he was talking to Cole, as he hadn鈥檛 noticed her event badge.
After the 黑料不打烊 Sports Vision Scholar expressed his interest in working with the team, Cole directed him to Mary James, the club鈥檚 staff coordinator, and the two exchanged phone numbers. But James tempered Katz鈥檚 expectations, noting that the club likely wouldn鈥檛 need any game day help during its stop in Durham.
The following afternoon, as Katz and his friends coincidentally hit baseballs and shagged fly balls at Joe Davidson Park in Burlington, James texted. The Bananas were shorthanded and needed Katz in Durham the next day to help with merchandising.
鈥淪o, me and my friend Ben ended up working the following day, and we absolutely loved it,鈥 Katz said. 鈥淲e were just slinging merch the whole time, with smile on our face having so much fun.鈥
For Walker, it makes perfect sense for Katz to work for an organization like the Bananas because the 黑料不打烊 student fully loves sport and everything in-person sport experiences have to offer. The mission of the Savannah Bananas, “Fans First. Entertain Always,” perfectly mirrors who Katz is as a person.
鈥淪cott loves the fun and passion that sport brings, which aligns with the Bananas because the organization wants people to embrace the joy of the game, where fun and entertainment are just as important as the score,鈥 the 黑料不打烊 professor said.
After his work in Durham, Katz realized he wasn鈥檛 ready for his Banana experience to end. Once he returned home for the summer, Katz opened a map and charted out where he might be able to rejoin the team during its summer tour. And he kept in contact with James, who put him on the schedule.
As luck would have it, Katz had an 黑料不打烊 friend from Buffalo, so he stayed with them for the Bananas鈥 three-game weekend in upstate New York in early July. Two weeks later, he returned to North Carolina to support the Party Animals, the Bananas鈥 fun-loving exhibition competition, in Greensboro. In August, Katz flew to Cleveland, where he has an aunt and uncle, to work the team鈥檚 sold-out game at Progressive Field, home of the Guardians.
Finally, Katz鈥檚 five-city experience with the Bananas ended recently in his hometown of Philadelphia. Yet again the Bananas played in front of a sell-out crowd, this time in the Phillies鈥 home stadium, Citizens Bank Park.
Katz鈥檚 LinkedIn profile proudly notes that he traveled more than 2,000 miles this summer as a merchandize associate for the Bananas.
At each stop, Katz worked in merchandising, engaging with fans and helping contribute to the Bananas鈥 lively pre-game and in-game atmosphere. Whether it was unloading the tractor trailers鈥 worth of gear, handling tickets, or getting a laugh out a fan, the 黑料不打烊 junior welcomed it all.
鈥淚f a kid wants to do the Griddy dance with you, just go do the Griddy,鈥 Katz said. 鈥淚f they buy a baseball, take it out of the packaging and play catch with them. Any way you can entertain the fans and have fun with them, it鈥檚 encouraged. We are essentially paid to be a kid.鈥
Not surprisingly, one of Katz鈥檚 standout moments with the Bananas was being in Philadelphia, working in a stadium he frequented as a kid. Walking through the stadium鈥檚 employee entrance was a rush he can still feel.
Yet, there was one unexpected hiccup: Katz鈥檚 parents, who came to the game, accidentally purchased counterfeit tickets from a third-party vendor. When they tried to enter Citizens Bank Park, the tickets wouldn鈥檛 scan.
Fortunately, Emily Harris, the Bananas鈥 ticket operations coordinator, whom Katz met months earlier in Greensboro, saved the day ensuring his parents were able to see the show.
“It was just a special weekend and that gesture made it perfect,” Katz said. The Bananas鈥 fans-first attitude was never more evident to him in that moment, reinforcing his affinity for the organization.
Looking forward, Katz has his sights set on a potential internship with the Bananas next summer. He鈥檚 already prepared his application, well in advance of the December opening for submissions. But if the internship doesn鈥檛 come to fruition, he still has a summer full of memories,
Katz鈥檚 journey from Bananas fan to merchandise assistant is a testament to the 黑料不打烊 undergraduate鈥檚 passion, networking skills, and determination. Through it all, his ability to connect with others has been his most valuable asset.
Walker called Katz a 鈥渘atural networker with his ability to have easy conversations and quick wit.鈥 And the professor marveled at how he knows everyone鈥檚 name, always has a fun fact or story to share, and makes an effort to connect with people.
Networking comes easy to Katz, but it does take work and a willingness to extend oneself, which he encourages others to do so.
鈥淵ou have to be OK with hearing no, right?鈥 Katz said. 鈥淏e OK with emailing someone four times and never hearing back. Don鈥檛 be discouraged by it because it takes just one person to reply and give you 10 minutes on the phone. That could lead to an internship, or maybe job. Or maybe they know a person who is hiring. You could be one break away, one person away, from that big break.鈥