🏆 Career Insights: Crafting Sports Partnerships

From Queens to the NBA and Beyond

Born and raised in Queens, Cheryl always planned to stay in the city she calls “the center of the universe.” Attending Fordham University and competing as a swimmer was “the best decision I could have made,” she reflects. By junior year, a nudge from her mom led Cheryl to an internship at Bates USA (now part of WPP), marking her start in advertising. Her entry into sports began with Sports Illustrated for Women, where she worked on a new magazine focused on women in sports. Although the magazine was ahead of its time and ultimately folded, it gave Cheryl an early view of the potential impact of women’s sports – a vision realized today in leagues like the WNBA. Cheryl later joined Sports Illustrated, where she led an Olympic hospitality program and developed a mobile tour celebrating unique sports events across the U.S., solidifying her desire to create memorable fan experiences. “This was the moment I knew I wanted to create experiences that fans would remember,” she recalls.

Moving on to the NBA, Cheryl oversaw “NBA All-Star Jam Session,” the expansive fan fest at All-Star Weekend, where she launched campaigns like the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown, an amateur dunk contest that quickly gained popularity. Cheryl later held a role at GroupM, WPP’s media investment group and the world’s leading media investment company. In this role, she launched some of SAP’s first sports league sponsorships. Her journey eventually led her to Motive to work with Mountain Dew and the NBA, and finally to Wasserman, where she has spent nearly nine years overseeing the Diageo account, where she and her team oversee sports partnerships across brands like Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Ketel One, Smirnoff, Cîroc and more – a role she calls “the best job in sports.”

Being Present & Overcoming Obstacles

Cheryl’s advice to her younger self is to savor every moment and fully experience life’s journey. “You only live once. You only get this day once,” she reflects, urging professionals not to rush through their careers but instead to appreciate each step. Too often, she hears junior staff saying they “can’t wait for this to be over,” when, in her view, these moments should be celebrated. “Let’s enjoy that, let’s experience that, and appreciate everything it took to get there.”

Facing challenges with an athlete’s mindset, Cheryl tackles obstacles by breaking them down into manageable parts. “I ask myself, ‘What are the barriers here? What are the challenges? What’s the thing we need to solve?’” she says. This step-by-step approach helps her find clarity and methodically work through challenges without feeling overwhelmed.

Building Winning Teams with Drive & Creativity

Reflecting on her career across iconic brands like Sports Illustrated, the NBA, and Wasserman, Cheryl identifies common traits in top performers: a relentless drive and creative problem-solving skills. “They’re driven. They’re creative problem solvers,” she notes, emphasizing that thinking outside the box and tackling challenges is crucial. “Being a creative problem solver…will get you very far in this life.”

When hiring, Cheryl looks for people with a winning mindset, akin to an athlete’s mentality. “I want someone who’s motivated, someone who wants to win...you have to want to be the best to show up every day,” she explains. For Cheryl, it’s about producing work that’s meaningful and stands out. “It’s not about the awards,” she notes, “but we’re doing great work, and we want to make sure that we stand out.”

Lessons from Mentors, Continuous Learning, & Breaking into Sports

Cheryl shares deep appreciation for mentors like Jeff Price and Sean Tresvant, who encouraged her to take risks and offered support throughout her career. “They gave me every opportunity to jump…we’ll be here to catch you if anything happens,” she recalls. These mentors also taught her to stay true to herself, asking, “Are you doing this because it’s the right move or because they’ve expressed interest in you?” This question has stayed with her as a guide.

Lifelong learning is essential to Cheryl’s approach. She advises professionals to “surround yourself with people who know things different than your day-to-day,” emphasizing teamwork and collective growth. For Cheryl, this mindset comes from her experience on teams, which reinforced the importance of lifting one another up. “Rising tides lift all ships, so, let's do this together” she says, noting that collaboration and shared knowledge can elevate everyone’s performance. For those looking to break into sports, Cheryl encourages a proactive approach. “Learn about where you want to work, what you want to do, and talk to the people doing those things now.” The sports industry changes quickly, and Cheryl believes knowing each step along the journey is as important as the destination.

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