About a year ago when the Maine Red Claws found out they were going to make Portland their home as the NBA Development League affiliate of the Boston Celtics and Charlotte Bobcats, the city began to buzz with excitement and anticipation. The enthusiasm extended beyond the city public and into the area’s colleges and universities, including students like Matt McLaughlin.
McLaughlin, a communication major at USM and an avid sports fan, decided that he wanted to, like many other people in Southern Maine, be a part of the latest component of the Portland professional sports scene. He has always wanted to pursue a career in sports, and jumped all over the opportunity to apply as an intern for the Red Claws Public and Community Relations Department. McLaughlin approached the USM communication department’s internship director, Russ Kivatisky, last September and was put in touch with the Red Claws. He found his way to their Congress St. offices and completed an interview.
After waiting about three months to hear if he had landed the job, the senior from Stow, Mass. found out in mid-December that he would indeed be able to contribute to “Crustacean Nation.” Although McLaughlin’s is an unpaid intern, he is being awarded credit hours, skills and experiences that are much more valuable than money in the long run.
“The communication program at USM has a great relationship with the Red Claws,” Mclaughlin said. “Russ has helped me out a lot in the process of becoming an intern.”
The combination of Kivatisky’s affiliation with Red Claws director of public and community relations, Jana Spaulding, and other contacts made by McLaughlin have allowed him to get involved in the increasingly popular business of professional sports that so many young sports fans dream to be a part of.
“We’ve been involved with USM from the beginning. We partnered with them over this past summer and have had several USM students intern and volunteer with us,” Spaulding said. “It has been mutually beneficial for both of us, and our relationship with the communication/media studies and sports management programs at USM is only getting better.”
As a public and community relations intern, McLaughlin is involved in creating publicity for the team and its players, as well as a variety of things that reflect the community. His job description entails coordinating player appearances, getting the community involved in the NBA’s “Read to Achieve” program, making sure players are where they’re supposed to be, and assisting with player interviews when media arrives at the Claws’ home, the Portland Expo. Another responsibility involves typing game write-ups and compiling statistics, and he’s helping organize a Living Healthy program where he and the Red Claws mascot “Crusher” visit local schools and praise healthy lifestyles.
This isn’t McLaughlin’s first go ’round the internship block either. McLaughlin interned at the Portland based FM sports radio program, 96.3 the Big Jab from November 2007 to this past December. He worked under the wing of the producer and host of the p.m. Jab, Chris Sedenka, who is now the Red Claws radio play-by-play announcer. The experience and connection that McLaughlin has gotten from Sedenka and the Jab has really prepared him professionally for his exposure to the world of professional sports.
Also, what can be better than learning from people who have had loads of experiences in the field? Spaulding has worked in the sports business for six years, including jobs with the New Jersey Devils and the East Coast Hockey League. The Red Claws president and general manager, Jon Jennings, worked with such great basketball figures as Bob Knight and Red Auerbach. These are some of the reasons why McLaughlin feels as if the high quality people who work in the Red Claws organization are preparing him extremely well for a career ahead.
“It’s really helpful when you have people that are looking out for you,” McLaughlin said. “I know Russ was looking out for internships for me and just having connections through USM, and through people that are with the Red Claws that can help you find something that you want to do is really important.”
Money is not a concern for McLaughlin as he likes going to work every day for the Red Claws, and he’s learning valuable lessons about the things the business has to offer.
“So far it’s been awesome,” McLaughlin said. “I’ve only been there for a couple weeks but everyone I know over at the Red Claws is really helpful and nice. It’s a place I enjoy going to because I know I’m going to learn something while I’m there.”
“My experience at the Red Claws is very beneficial to me because I know this is something I want to pursue in the future.”