NY Liberty - Senior Vice President, Sports and Facility Event Sales


		Ticket Stub
		Luxury Box

High above the playing court or playing field where the sporting event occur are what have become known as luxury boxes or skyboxes. They are almost like small apartments where corporate business executives and their clients can watch a game, make business deals and enjoy the comforts of a living room or den while at the arena or ballpark. The Senior Vice President in charge of Sports and Facility Events Sales is the person who sells these suites to companies or groups along with season ticket plans and subscriptions.

Joel G. Fisher handles this demanding position at Madison Square Garden, negotiating contracts for new corporate clients and maintaining relationships with existing clients. Fisher explains that the MSG sales staff stresses customer satisfaction and the results are a "sold out" status. During games he is on hand to visit with clients and make sure that the suites are all properly maintained and run smoothly. Not unlike the manager of a luxury hotel, he needs to be sure that these clients, paying a lot of money for their suites, are comfortable and that their needs are met.

Fisher began his career by starting a wholesale jewelry business while he earned his M.B.A. from New York University. He then took a job in cable television advertising and was hired in 1984 by Madison Square Garden as the Director of Ad Sales. After leaving MSG briefly, he returned in 1991 as VP of Business and Consumer Sales. In 1997 he was promoted to his current executive position.

Fisher stresses his love, interest and knowledge of sports as being the keys to his success at moving up the corporate ladder. He feels it's important to believe in yourself, pursue your dreams and "realize that the sports industry is a business that requires a lot of hard work."

Corporate sales requires honing your interpersonal and communication shills so that you can meet the demands of clients. You need to present yourself well and be knowledgeable about the company (or in this case the teams and events) that you are selling.