World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR), a preeminent motorsports facility in the country, is the only venue anywhere to host the NASCAR Cup Series, INDYCAR and the NHRA Drag Racing Series. In addition, WWTR, also hosts Formula Drift, Trans Am Series as well as many other special events that make it one of the most active racing facilities anywhere. The venue also has incredible growth potential for non-motorsports related event content including music festivals, corporate events and athletic competitions.
Located just five minutes from downtown St. Louis, covering more than 700 acres and in the midst of a $100M transformation, WWTR is the largest outdoor entertainment facility in the area. The venue includes a 1/4-mile drag strip, 1.25-mile superspeedway, 1.6-mile road course, a state-of-the-art karting facility and a 14-acre, and a multi-purpose dirt off-road course. Adjacent to the venue is an award-winning golf course, large campgrounds and a 15-acre track-owned lake.
An indication of the deep culture, community connection and leadership found at WWTR, the success has been recognized in recent years as the recipient of the Outstanding Facility of the Year Award from the Race Track Business Conference and the Spirit of St. Louis Award from St. Louis Attractions Association. The Illinois Event Excellence Award from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the Leadership Council of Southwest Illinois Champions Award in 2020. The owner, Curtis Francois, has also received numerous awards, including the Comcast Community Award, the Missouri Athletic Club’s Jack Buck Award and is a 2023 inductee in the St. Louis Sports Hall of Fame.
SUMMARY The SVP of National Sales will be responsible for all commercial partnership and hospitality sales initiatives for the enterprise, including departmental management of Corporate Sales and Event Sales. The position, which reports directly to the Executive Vice President/General Manager of WWT Raceway, will be a key member of the executive team and will be responsible for driving strategy and execution of virtually all areas of revenue and business generation.
Candidates for this position should have at least eight (8) years of proven sales experience, preferably in the sports and entertainment industry, with a commensurate growth trajectory in business development. Experience and contacts within the NASCAR, IndyCar, NHRA and other motorsports communities will be beneficial but not mandatory. WWT Raceway enjoys a high brand positioning among motorsports facilities worldwide, and candidates will be expected to articulate a vision for the future of this facility. Total compensation will be a combination of salary and commission, and will be competitive within the sports and entertainment industry.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Develop strategy for the Corporate Sales team and oversee the execution of that strategy, including:
Maximize revenue from WWT Raceway assets and initiatives.
Develop new assets and partnership opportunities.
Meet with key potential sponsors.
Establish realistic financial goals and objectives for the department.
Lead and motivate staff to generate sponsorship sales, premium suite and hospitality sales, facility rentals, and improve customer service with clients.
Cultivate lasting relationships with customers to grow and retain existing clients.
Work with clients to better understand their business needs and goals.
Ensure a consistent full partnership pipeline for all raceway events.
Advise and assist other business development executives in the creation of custom-tailored sponsorship concepts, proposals/recommendations, and presentations for current and prospective clients.
Work within a collaborative team environment with other leaders and teams.
Work and collaborate with sales operations team to follow and improve sales operations and enablement.
Maintain up-to-date sales activities through Raceway CRM.
Monitor and analyze high velocity sales usage metrics and provide feedback to appropriate parties.
KNOWLEDGE & SKILL REQUIRED To perform this job successfully, an individual must have previous and successful experience in the above-mentioned duties. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required:
Appreciation for sports and entertainment production generally and motorsports in particular.
Broad knowledge of sports and entertainment marketing in a competitive environment.
Understanding of media buying and media sales strategy locally and nationally.
Strong written and oral communication skills.
Ability to speak in public and deal with the local and national media.
Experience in developing strategy and budgets.
Ability to develop relationships and work well with others in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
Takes initiative with the ability to manage multiple projects with strong follow-through.
Detail oriented with strong organizational skills.
Ability to delegate responsibilities, where required.
Experience in B2B sponsorship strategy and programs is preferred.
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
Minimum eight (8) years sports business experience, with an emphasis on sponsorship and hospitality sales.
Bachelor’s degree required.
Ability to work nights, weekends, and some potential holidays
Comments