Meet Megan Reyes, Our Community Member of the Week

Name: Megan Reyes

Job: Community Marketing Manager

Company: @TheAthletic

LinkedIn: Megan Reyes

In 140 characters or less, tell us who you are and how you got to where you are today.

Small person with a big personality obsessed with sports and Marvel movies. I made it in sports by being fearless and betting on myself.

What’s one trend in media or marketing that you’re buying or selling?

I’m really into the power of storytelling. I admire brands who can successfully make a positive and lasting impression on consumers through storytelling. We are bombarded with so much content on a daily basis. Memorable brands are the ones who pull on the heartstrings through stories.

How do you define engagement?

Engagement to me is if a person feels a strong enough connection with the brand/content to interact. I like to look at something as simple as views. With so much content ready to consume, the ability to break through the noise and capture someone’s attention is a win.

What’s a lesson in audience (fan) engagement that every marketer should learn?

Fans are going to be fans of their team for their own reasons– no matter what. But what’s going to make them come back and spend money year after year? A strong and personal connection to the team. Invest the time and resources into making your fans/audience feel valued.

What’s the project or campaign that you’re proudest of? Why?

I am proud to have been a part of the service team at the Golden State Warriors that renewed 99.5% of season ticket holders for the 2016-17 season. Despite the team being phenomenal, getting almost every single season ticket holder to spend their disposable income and renew speaks to the power of forging personal connections.

The project I’m most proud of is a reading-based incentive program I created while at the University of Oregon in 2013. Read with the Ducks incentivized elementary students in the Eugene area to earn men’s basketball tickets based on their reading progress. The program brought out over 4,500 local youth per game and attracted sponsors like Nike. Most importantly, Read with the Ducks gave students/parents the opportunity to build memories. Two things I’m passionate about: children’s literacy and creating memories through sports

What are you working on right now? Any exciting future plans that you’re able to share?

My main responsibility at The Athletic is engagement and retention. There’s so much free sports content, so why us? I spearhead our community efforts to ensure subscribers feel engaged with our product and recognize the value in their subscription. An example of these efforts is our Live Q&As, which are the opportunity to interact 1:1 with beat writers. I’m proud of the unique value propositions The Athletic offers sports fans, and I encourage everyone to subscribe and stay tuned on what we’re working on!

What are you reading, listening to, and/or watching right now?

I love reading, especially fiction, but I also mix it up with nonfiction books relevant to sports and marketing. I’m currently reading Stories That Stick by Kindra Hall and just finished Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. I’ll binge most any Netflix Original, and I’m also a fan of All or Nothing on Prime Video.

As a connected fan, what’s the best piece of sports content that you have recently consumed?

I follow athletes who can provide a glimpse into their personal lives, engage with fans, maintain an authentic voice, and have fun on social media. Liz Cambage, Damian Lillard, and JuJu Smith-Schuster are just a few who I think do these things well.

What’s a piece of advice you received that you’re glad you ignored?

“Work always comes first.” Doing your job and doing it well is important, but maintain a work/life balance. The ultimate jackpot is a company who understands and promotes this, which is one of the many reasons I love working at The Athletic.

What’s one element of the sports industry that you’d like to see change?

More focus on diversity and inclusion. I’d love to see more women and minorities hired into the industry. Women, as a whole, are still under-represented on all facets throughout the industry. For any young women trying to get into the industry, I am here and willing to help.

I also want to see more investment in women’s sports and a stronger focus on building a connection with female fans. We, too, are passionate and knowledgeable about the game we love!

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