We put out this press release today that I thought our audience might be interested in seeing:

Sports executive speaker series to kick-off with live interview of Trail Blazers’ Larry Miller

Quarterly series by Sports Business Radio and UO Warsaw Sports Marketing Center begins Feb. 18

PORTLAND, Ore. (January 25, 2010) – Sports Business Radio and the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon are teaming to launch a quarterly Sports Executive Speaker Series. The series will launch Feb. 18 with Larry Miller, Portland Trail Blazers president. 

The series will feature a key decision maker from the world of sports being interviewed by Sports Business Radio host Brian Berger and Warsaw Sports Marketing Center managing director Paul Swangard before a live audience.
 
The breakfast event with Miller will be from 7 to 9 a.m. at the UO in Portland, 70 NW Couch St. The ticket price for the event is $35 per person or $245 for a table of seven. To purchase a ticket or a table for this event, visit http://www.uoalumni.com/events/2242455.
 
Miller, a Philadelphia native, was named president of the Portland Trail Blazers in 2007. Prior to his role with the Portland NBA franchise, Miller joined Nike as vice president, USA Apparel in 1997, having previously served as president of Jantzen since 1992. Miller was promoted to president of Brand Jordan in 1999. During his tenure in that role Miller led Jordan through a period of strong growth as it expanded product offerings, including women’s apparel, added to its portfolio of Team Jordan athletes and celebrated the 20th anniversary of Air Jordan. Brand Jordan grew revenues 40 percent in fiscal 2006 and Miller was named vice president and general manager, Basketball on Oct. 4 of that year.
 
“I’m really pleased to be launching our Sports Executive Speaker Series with the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center,” said Berger.  “Between our two properties, we have access to some of the most powerful, insightful executives in sports. This series will allow participants the opportunity to hear from these key decision makers as well as network with other attendees. I look forward to having Larry Miller join us for our first event.”
 
The conversation-style format will allow attendees to take an active role in the event. Along with taking questions from the audience, Berger and Swangard will solicit questions from Sports Business Radio listeners and Warsaw Center students helping to make the session more like a class than a conference.
 
“Students at the Warsaw Center enjoy unrivaled access to the thought leaders of the sports industry,” said Swangard. “The chance to share these key executives with a broader audience is a great showcase for our program and part of our larger mission to extend our educational offerings to the Portland market. We’re excited to make this happen and to be teaming up with Sports Business Radio.”

About Sports Business Radio

Launched in 2004, Sports Business Radio (TM) focuses on the issues and people directly impacting the world of sports business. Guests on the show offering an insider's perspective include pro sports league executives, agents, college athletics administrators, sports apparel company reps, ad agency executives, media executives and athletes. Portland is a natural point of origin for Sports Business Radio with companies such as Nike, adidas and Wieden & Kennedy all based in the Pacific Northwest. For more information about Sports Business Radio or to listen to audio of past shows and interviews, visit www.sportsbusinessradio.com. Follow Sports Business Radio on Twitter @SBRadio.
 
About the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon

Founded in 1993, the James H. Warsaw Sports Marketing Center was the first program of its kind housed within a U.S. college of business. Uniting faculty members across multiple disciplines, the Warsaw Center provides a platform for both research and education focusing on the sports industry.

As a faculty and staff, the Warsaw Center has emerged as a leading industry research center and think-tank for sports business issues. Faculty members have published research on topics ranging from stadium finance to consumer behavior and sponsorship. As a respected and growing research center, the Warsaw Center is now frequently tapped by leading media organizations to offer perspective and insight on the industry's top stories. Faculty and staff have been featured on ABC's "Nightline," ESPN's "Outside the Lines," CNBC's "Money Talk," Forbes, Business Week, Sports Illustrated, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and USA Today. Sports Illustrated ranked the Warsaw Center the nation's top program in October of 2002 and The Wall Street Journal grouped the center in the top five programs in 2006.

In addition to the academic programs, the center also actively pursues and engages in industry research and consulting. For more information about the Warsaw Center, visit www.warsawcenter.com, call 541-346-3297 or email wsmrec@lcbmail.uoregon.edu.