Discover how Kate and her close-knit team navigate the ever-changing landscape of major sporting events.
As a Sports Sales Executive at Nine, Kate Solomonson is part of a small, close-knit team handling advertising sales across Nine’s sports broadcast calendar. Nine’s extensive ecosystem—which includes live TV, streaming, radio, digital, and publishing—means Kate’s team is responsible for delivering unique and compelling sales strategies, especially for major sporting events like the Olympics and Paralympics.
With the rights to broadcast the 2024 Olympics announced only 18 months before the Games, developing and executing the sales strategy required a swift turnaround. The leadership team worked diligently to craft a unique offering, which Kate’s team then brought to market. Delivering this required agility and a deep understanding of client needs. The hard work paid off, resulting in a successful outcome for Kate and the team.
The move to automated trading
Not only did Kate successfully deliver a unique sales strategy, but the use of Galaxy, an automated trading platform for television advertising, during the Olympics and Paralympics, has significantly transformed the way the team operates.
Using 9Predict audience forecasting, Galaxy automatically managed client audience guarantees while honouring the agreed placement grid throughout the Olympics. This marked its implementation in a live sporting environment, giving clients confidence in 100% audience delivery and ensuring their presence in all the biggest Olympic moments.
When dealing with the unpredictable nature of live sports & breaking news, delivering advertising solutions for our clients is hugely complex. This technology has significantly reduced the manual workload of the sales team, allowing them to take client service to another level and turn their attention to the next sporting event.
“Just because we’re in the middle of a major sporting event doesn’t mean the rest of sports stops. During the Olympics we had the Paralympics and the NRL finals followed by the Australian Open. The Nine ecosystem is jam-packed with sports and as a sports fanatic – I love it” shares Kate.
A team with a strong culture
With a calendar of sporting events as jam packed as Nine’s, you need a strong team around you. Kate speaks highly of the supportive culture within the sports sales team. Despite the challenges that come with preparing for such major events, the team works together seamlessly, supporting each other through these busy periods. She describes moments of “team therapy” where the group sits down to discuss challenges and brainstorm solutions together.
Kate brings a valuable perspective to sports sales; she emphasises the welcoming and inclusive environment at Nine, and mentions that before she joined the team she had expected more of a “boys’ club” atmosphere that can be present in the business of sport. Kate knows that her opinions and contributions are valued, and she appreciates the respect and knowledge shared by her colleagues and the management team.
Unique learning opportunities
Working on major sporting events offers career-defining opportunities that are hard to find elsewhere. “When I arrived at Nine, I didn’t realise how big the business was, and how many moving parts there were. You learn something new every day.”
Working on events like the Olympics, the sheer volume of inventory and substantial spends involved are particularly eye-opening. Handling accounts worth five to ten million dollars requires meticulous attention to detail to ensure the best outcomes for clients.
The Nine sales team has a strong culture of learning and collaboration. The knowledge and expertise of leaders provides invaluable insights, fostering a continuous learning environment where every day brings new lessons.
“I think that the role of a Sales Exec can seem straightforward to some but there’s so many moving parts. When you add in the complexities of working in sports, which is always changing and evolving, it makes the role even more unique.”
With the next major sporting event always just around the corner, the excitement continues. Despite the fast pace, Kate’s passion for sports and the supportive team around her make her role at Nine a fulfilling and action-packed step in her career.
