News

In the 7th issue of the FMA Quarterly, we interviewed Lauren Decker (FMA’03). Here, you can find the full interview.

The American from California, Lauren Decker, graduated from the FIFA Master in 2003, and since then she has trailed a successful career in sports. Currently she works as Account Director for one of the most important sports marketing agencies in the globe: Octagon. 

Lauren always knew she wanted to work in sport and took an undergrad degree in Park & Recreation because that was the closest programme at her university at the time. “I knew really early on that I was going to need a Masters to go on and develop in sports”, she recalls. However, she started working in the field right after college. 

Her first job out of university was on the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup in the US. “For me it was a dream.  While my position was very administrative, I was happy to get my foot in the door and to work on a women’s sporting event in my hometown”.  After that, she moved to Chicago to work with the US Soccer Federation for a couple of years. There she found out about the FIFA Master. She remembers: “I think there was a poster up on a bulletin board promoting the 1st year of the program.  I applied a couple of years later, but never thought I’d actually get in!”  

Since graduating from the FIFA Master, life has been an adventure. Lauren tried many sides of sports marketing – events, agency, branding, league. While she’s really fond of action sports, it was in traditional sports where she found more success. “At Octagon, I love that I get to be involved in the creative process of negotiating and bringing sponsorships to life”, she explains. 

As most of us, Lauren had a great time during the FIFA Master. “All of my memories from that time are good ones.  It was a great year and I am fortunate to have been there and been a part of it.  While I know we were there to learn, the first memories that come to mind are nights out, group dinners, and weekend trips”.  

When asked to give the current students some advice, she says: “Enjoy the year you’re in the Master.  You’ll never have another one like it and your classmates will become some of your closest friends and colleagues.  Remember to network, network, network.  This is a very small industry but a very fun one.  Build relationships with your classmates, alumni, guest speakers, and professors”. 

FMA Quarterly: How important has the FIFA Master been for your career?
Lauren Decker: The FIFA Master has been a great way to connect and network within this industry! The alumni network has been great for my career and is how I got my initial job at Octagon on the MasterCard account.  Thanks, Andres Gonzalez! 

FMAQ: You recently moved from New York to Brussels – why did you decide to change and how have the first few months been?
LD: Some may think that move is crazy, but it was time for a change.  A benefit of working for a global agency is the ability to move between offices.  I’d always wanted to work in Europe, so given the opportunity I took it.  This move has been seamless.  I’m with the same company and working along the same client. Instead of working on MasterCard’s global business, I now consult across their European sponsorships.  While there are new properties to manage (UEFA Champions League and Roland Garros), the general principles remain the same. I already knew my colleagues and interview clients here, so the only new things are the country and the language!  So far so good! But I REALLY need to work on my language skills. 

FMAQ: How connected are you to other alumni?
LD: I try to stay connected with my classmates and other alumni.  It was much easier in the years’ right after graduation, but I think my class has done a really good job of staying in touch!  Thanks to numerous weddings, we’ve been able to see each other every couple of years in fun locations!  There are also a few alumni at Octagon that I get to work with regularly, so that’s really fun!  

FMAQ You graduated over 10 years ago. What do you think are the main differences in the industry for someone that graduated then in comparison to the students who’ll graduate in a few months’ time?
LD: Thanks for reminding me how long ago I graduated!  It sure doesn’t feel like 10 years ago!  A lot has changed in marketing and sponsorship in the last decade.  The way people consume and engage with sports has totally evolved.  When I graduated in 2003 smart phones where not so “smart”, Facebook only existed for a select few Universities in the US, twitter was 3 years away from being founded and HD TV was not available for mass consumption.  All of these advances have changed the way teams, leagues and brands share information and connect with their fan and consumers.  I seldom put together a sponsorship activation that doesn’t involve a least one of those elements so we can share experiences digitally and tell stories authentically. 

FMAQ: When you need to hire someone, what are, in general, the main qualities you look for?
LD: When I’m looking for a candidate I want someone with a good understanding of our industry, strong work ethic, a desire to learn and grow, creativity, confidence and a team player with an entrepreneurial spirit.

Short profile:
   Lauren Decker, American, single
   Account Director at Octagon
Favourite sport’s personality: Favourite sport’s personality: I’m a big Magic Johnson fan. He’s been a great ambassador for the city of Los Angeles and the development of local sports teams.
Favourite sport: I enjoy watching soccer.  When it comes to participating, I love outrigging and running
Favourite team: I’m a LA girl, so I LOVE my LA sports teams…Lakers, Dodgers & Galaxy