Kori Ellis
06-04-2005, 02:40 AM
Saturday, June 4, 2005
By David Adam
http://www.whig.com/289414085678443.php
When a national television audience tunes into Game 1 of the NBA Finals Thursday, they'll be watching to see how Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs matches up with either Shaquille O'Neal of the Miami Heat or Rasheed Wallace of the Detroit Pistons.
But Bruce Guthrie will be watching the mascot, the dance team and the video board at the SBC Center in San Antonio.
It's not because Guthrie is uninterested in the game, but as vice president of marketing for Spurs Sports and Entertainment, he must keep his eye on everything that happens when the ball isn't bouncing on the court.
"Every night is a live show in front of 18,797 people," he said. "You have to put it on every night, whether it's the Lakers or the Clippers."
Not a bad gig for someone who raised pigs while growing up outside of Mendon, which has a population of less than 900. He had rarely spent time in a city larger than his hometown or Macomb, where he attended Western Illinois University, when he made the 1,000-mile trek to San Antonio in 1982 with everything he owned in the back seat of a beat-up car.
"I was very fortunate and very lucky to be in the right place at the right time," said Guthrie, 46, a 1977 graduate of Unity High School.
The right time in San Antonio is now.
The Spurs are trying to win their third NBA title since 1999, and attendance figures are consistently among the league's top 10. The team led the NBA in attendance in 2000-01 and 2001-02 when it played in the spacious Alamodome.
Guthrie's main role with the franchise is the marketing and advertising of anything to do with the Spurs, the Silver Stars of the WNBA, the
Rampage of the American Hockey League, and any entertainment attractions in the SBC Center, including concerts, family shows and other sporting events.
Hours before a basketball game is beamed into millions of homes around the world, Guthrie will be supervising the needs of thousands of reporters and writers. He also oversees traffic, parking, security, ushers, on-court promotions, music presentation and other game operation elements.
"It's hard for me to sit still at a game," he said. "I walk around a lot. We put a lot of work into putting on a game."
That work has been recognized.
The Spurs have been named one of the top two franchises in professional sports in ESPN The Magazine's Ultimate Standings, placing second in 2005 after taking the top spot in 2004. The team was judged by fans in eight categories, including fan relations, bang for the buck and stadium experience.
While the basketball world focuses on San Antonio's chance at a third NBA crown, Guthrie will spend much of the next two weeks focusing on developing and growing the team's season ticket base for next year.
"It's such a big business, and you have to be very aggressive. You have to fight for the entertainment dollar," he said. "It's very hectic now with the playoffs. Everything moves up several notches in intensity, and we have to take advantage of this time."
The year before Guthrie landed in San Antonio, he spent one semester doing his student teaching and helping as an assistant junior varsity basketball coach at Quincy High School. "I was there the year they had Bruce Douglas and Michael Payne (on the team)," he said.
After graduating from WIU, he stumbled into an internship position with the Spurs working with general manager Bob Bass. He eventually landed a full-time job as an account executive and was involved in many aspects of the team.
"I swept the floor, I moved boxes, I sold season tickets, I ran our merchandise program," Guthrie said. "We even had our own cable channel, and I produced different shows from local tennis to local baseball. I was able to get my hands in on a lot of things.
"Once I got on board here, I told people I would work my butt off, and I guess they noticed."
After more than 20 years in the business, the idea of rubbing elbows with some of the most recognizable people in the world no longer awes Guthrie. But he does admit he needs to pinch himself on occasion.
"I still remember the first time (NBA Hall of Famer) George Gervin walked in the door," Guthrie said. "He's the greatest guy. He's just as nice now as he was then, and when I got to see him play, I was just astounded.
"I'll never forget the first time Magic (Johnson) came here. Another one was Larry Bird. I answered the phone one day for Bob Bass, and the man on the other line said, 'This is Jerry West (an NBA Hall of Famer and former Lakers general manager).'
"I've never been a big star gazer, but I do meet a lot of people — not only basketball, but other celebrities."
Guthrie lives in Garden Ridge, Texas, with his wife, Carla, and 17-year-old son, Zachary —but he hasn't forgotten his roots. His mother, Alberta, lives in Mendon; his father, Gene, lives in Ursa; and his sisters, Sue Holbrook and Sandy Lawrence, live in Quincy. His in-laws also live in Fowler, and he has a brother-in-law in Mendon.
He says he still reads The Herald-Whig online every day to keep up with what is happening back home, and he tries to get back to Adams County once or twice a year. He even took in a Unity High School basketball game during a recent visit.
Guthrie says his upbringing helped prepare him for his life in the NBA.
"My parents worked really hard for six kids. I grew up where hard work was important," he said. "If you get somewhere, you have to work to get what you want. I've always loved sports, and I'm fortunate to have been able to do it here.
"And there's never a dull moment."
By David Adam
http://www.whig.com/289414085678443.php
When a national television audience tunes into Game 1 of the NBA Finals Thursday, they'll be watching to see how Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs matches up with either Shaquille O'Neal of the Miami Heat or Rasheed Wallace of the Detroit Pistons.
But Bruce Guthrie will be watching the mascot, the dance team and the video board at the SBC Center in San Antonio.
It's not because Guthrie is uninterested in the game, but as vice president of marketing for Spurs Sports and Entertainment, he must keep his eye on everything that happens when the ball isn't bouncing on the court.
"Every night is a live show in front of 18,797 people," he said. "You have to put it on every night, whether it's the Lakers or the Clippers."
Not a bad gig for someone who raised pigs while growing up outside of Mendon, which has a population of less than 900. He had rarely spent time in a city larger than his hometown or Macomb, where he attended Western Illinois University, when he made the 1,000-mile trek to San Antonio in 1982 with everything he owned in the back seat of a beat-up car.
"I was very fortunate and very lucky to be in the right place at the right time," said Guthrie, 46, a 1977 graduate of Unity High School.
The right time in San Antonio is now.
The Spurs are trying to win their third NBA title since 1999, and attendance figures are consistently among the league's top 10. The team led the NBA in attendance in 2000-01 and 2001-02 when it played in the spacious Alamodome.
Guthrie's main role with the franchise is the marketing and advertising of anything to do with the Spurs, the Silver Stars of the WNBA, the
Rampage of the American Hockey League, and any entertainment attractions in the SBC Center, including concerts, family shows and other sporting events.
Hours before a basketball game is beamed into millions of homes around the world, Guthrie will be supervising the needs of thousands of reporters and writers. He also oversees traffic, parking, security, ushers, on-court promotions, music presentation and other game operation elements.
"It's hard for me to sit still at a game," he said. "I walk around a lot. We put a lot of work into putting on a game."
That work has been recognized.
The Spurs have been named one of the top two franchises in professional sports in ESPN The Magazine's Ultimate Standings, placing second in 2005 after taking the top spot in 2004. The team was judged by fans in eight categories, including fan relations, bang for the buck and stadium experience.
While the basketball world focuses on San Antonio's chance at a third NBA crown, Guthrie will spend much of the next two weeks focusing on developing and growing the team's season ticket base for next year.
"It's such a big business, and you have to be very aggressive. You have to fight for the entertainment dollar," he said. "It's very hectic now with the playoffs. Everything moves up several notches in intensity, and we have to take advantage of this time."
The year before Guthrie landed in San Antonio, he spent one semester doing his student teaching and helping as an assistant junior varsity basketball coach at Quincy High School. "I was there the year they had Bruce Douglas and Michael Payne (on the team)," he said.
After graduating from WIU, he stumbled into an internship position with the Spurs working with general manager Bob Bass. He eventually landed a full-time job as an account executive and was involved in many aspects of the team.
"I swept the floor, I moved boxes, I sold season tickets, I ran our merchandise program," Guthrie said. "We even had our own cable channel, and I produced different shows from local tennis to local baseball. I was able to get my hands in on a lot of things.
"Once I got on board here, I told people I would work my butt off, and I guess they noticed."
After more than 20 years in the business, the idea of rubbing elbows with some of the most recognizable people in the world no longer awes Guthrie. But he does admit he needs to pinch himself on occasion.
"I still remember the first time (NBA Hall of Famer) George Gervin walked in the door," Guthrie said. "He's the greatest guy. He's just as nice now as he was then, and when I got to see him play, I was just astounded.
"I'll never forget the first time Magic (Johnson) came here. Another one was Larry Bird. I answered the phone one day for Bob Bass, and the man on the other line said, 'This is Jerry West (an NBA Hall of Famer and former Lakers general manager).'
"I've never been a big star gazer, but I do meet a lot of people — not only basketball, but other celebrities."
Guthrie lives in Garden Ridge, Texas, with his wife, Carla, and 17-year-old son, Zachary —but he hasn't forgotten his roots. His mother, Alberta, lives in Mendon; his father, Gene, lives in Ursa; and his sisters, Sue Holbrook and Sandy Lawrence, live in Quincy. His in-laws also live in Fowler, and he has a brother-in-law in Mendon.
He says he still reads The Herald-Whig online every day to keep up with what is happening back home, and he tries to get back to Adams County once or twice a year. He even took in a Unity High School basketball game during a recent visit.
Guthrie says his upbringing helped prepare him for his life in the NBA.
"My parents worked really hard for six kids. I grew up where hard work was important," he said. "If you get somewhere, you have to work to get what you want. I've always loved sports, and I'm fortunate to have been able to do it here.
"And there's never a dull moment."