Women in Sports - Molly West, ESPN

The Cornell ILR Sports Business Society is pleased to present our "Women in Sports" series. In recent years, powerful women (led by many Cornell Alumnae) have advanced the role of women in the sports world. We will be featuring the stories of individuals from across the industry, in various stages of their careers, who have made an impact in sports.

Molly West is the focus of this week's edition of Women in Sports. West is a 1997 graduate of Cornell's College of Human Ecology, where she earned her Bachelor's degree in Human Services Studies. She currently serves as VP, Global Business Operation at ESPN, and has previously spoke to the club in person. Molly was kind enough to speak again  to the Cornell ILR SBS Blog about her career and much more.

Why did you go to Cornell?

I think there are multiple reasons why I went to Cornell. I grew up in northeast Pennsylvania. Field hockey is big there. I had every desire and expectation that I would play some point in college. I hurt my knee junior year of high school and in sports your senior year is critical, so I ended up wanting to go to a school where if for some reason my knee didn’t hold up I could still attend there. Obviously going to an Ivy League school isn’t easy, but I had this focus from very early on. I was actually born in Ithaca while my dad was getting his MBA there. When I first came to Cornell my sister was being recruited for field hockey, and I remember thinking that the campus was beautiful. There were freshman on the field and I got such a sense of community. At that time I didn’t know if I was serious about Cornell or not. I ended up applying early decision because I knew it felt like home.

What did you study at Cornell? Did you know you wanted to work in sports while at Cornell?

I was in Human Ecology. I remember seeing the schools and I remember getting the packet. On the cover there was a collage of photos and it said, “Do you want to help people?” That was what I wanted to do. And I knew that was the school I wanted to apply to. HSS was the major I chose and it had a lot of cool courses and professors. One professor, Professor Barr, really spoke to my soul. I ended up focusing on social work. There is a through line into what I do today.

When I came out of school I applied to get my masters in social work. The feedback in that was that I needed more experience. I ended up at the Family Channel as a sales assistant. I worked on the TV media side. Within a couple years the digital industry was exploding and I realized there was an opportunity to help the organization. I asked if there was a way to help manage the new people. I learned through that time, that efficiently managing people is to effectively coach them. As a coach you have to take feedback and change things based on what you hear. I probably get most gratification in helping people. 

A big part of my job is managing this large staff I have, mentoring and coaching them. That has its roots in sports, and I probably have a stronger personality anyways, but I think sports brought that part out in me. You have to be a leader on the field to make an impact. Sports was the place where I felt I could most be myself. You don’t have time to make a lot of other choices. You’re on a team with men or women who are doing the exact same thing. You have to accept each other in high stress situations. The through line is coaching and mentoring others, which I have implemented into my profession. Another thing is really about operations. Finding a way to improve things. I was a goalie. Standing in the back I always felt that my job was to help out my teammates, which I feel I can do in operations.

Could you describe your current role?

I work in media operations at a Sports Company. The Function of my job is to oversee global TV advertising operations. In media today you have an advertiser. Lets say Nike. Nike wants to advertise their products. They work with an advertising agency and the agency goes out and purchases time on behalf of the advertiser. It could be an advertisement in Sports Illustrated or NFL Tonight. Whatever Nike is trying to push, the agency is looking for ad space to find that demographic. We are responsible for creating content. The sales people sell the piece and once the deal has been closed I oversee the completion. We make sure the commercials are booked and when they are run. My job is to oversee globally to make sure the inventory that the advertiser buys is run the way the requested it to be run.

What are your thoughts on the role of gender in the sports industry?

Growing up for me I realized if I wanted to be a great athlete the standards around me was that I wanted the guys to think I was great. Whatever it was I played with guys for as long as I could do it. Back then I felt I needed to be like the guys. Over the years, I realized that we don’t have to be like our male counterparts. We have to be looked at as us women. I think the opportunity is to really own how great it is to be a woman. What that means and how it benefits you. Every person is different. Both men and women have managed me. I don’t think its gender specific about whether a man is a great manager or a woman is. There is a balance at every role in every level.

Part of what happens with women is that there is no wrong or right in our lives. Sometimes the things we do are to please other people. As a woman, some point in your life you may want to get married or have kids. That environment is definitely better today than it was for our moms when they were out working. Some people say there is no point of going for that big job because they are going to be a mom. Are there as many women at the top as men? No. But there are a million reasons for that. 

Maybe I’m a little bit more optimistic. There are challenges and it’s not easy, but the world I live in now I’m very grateful for. At ESPN the company does an excellent job at caring for their employees. I’m lucky to be here. My sports upbringing as a whole really helps in a sports environment because it helps me get along with people in the office. I feel like there is a teamwork here that feels very similar to being apart of a team sport. I think the fact is that when we are sitting in the spot to make things happen, a big part of being successful is managing that inter critic and being confident.

How has the industry changed since when you started?

The biggest change is in the digital and mobile industry. When I was in college I remember seeing someone walking down the street with a huge cell phone and I thought it looked ridiculous. Now none of us can live without our cell phones. I think there is more opportunity because of the digital growth.

Do you have any advice for students, particularly young women, who would like to work in sports?

Think big picture. What does it mean for you to work in sports? What is that exactly? How do you want to contribute? The most important reason I say think big picture is because you need to think about what you are trying to reach. Don’t think small. Keep asking why because it may be that what you really want to do is baseball and that you want to revolutionize it. Get to your own personal mission statement and then come up with what kind of environment you want to work in. Lets say it’s working in media. What’s the best way to work in media and whom are you trying to reach? Part of the reason I say think big picture is because you will have to make some sort of sacrifice. What is your purpose and what do you want to do? Think about what sports mean for you and push it as big as you can. Don’t be afraid to make some sacrifices.

What's your favorite part about working in sports?

The culture of my company is similar to a team nature. I feel like we are kind of an established startup. We have a lot of energy and everyone is pushing. The people here are phenomenal, smart, hardworking and passionate. You don’t have to be die-hard sports fan, but the passion is critical. You need to have that passion and this company has passion at large for sports.

What do you most miss about your time at Cornell?

Cornell felt like home to me so whenever I go up there I feel like I’m returning to some part of myself. It’s a more simplified time when you’re there. It’s a beautiful place and it’s magical because it set this beautiful environment. The constant learning is unique and I think Cornell has a great way of bringing everything together. The season after I graduated I really missed my team. I like to come back once a year and help in some way. It’s always nice to get a little reminder.

We sincerely appreciate alumnae like Molly who take the time to share their experiences with us. "Women in Sports" is only possible through the efforts of industry leaders and students alike. We wish to thank all of the alumni who make the Sports Business Society such a valuable organization for so many Cornellians and others interested sports.