One-on-One with Rick Welts
 The Suns' new president Rick Welts is bringing his 30 years of experience to the Valley of the Sun. |
Posted: Sept. 30, 2002
The Rick Welts' signing didn't garner the same media hoopla as that of this summer's Rashard Lewis free agent sweepstakes, but Suns President and General Manager Bryan Colangelo recently boasted that Welts might be the biggest free agent acquisition in the NBA this summer.
He wasn't joking.
A 30-year industry veteran and highly respected marketing executive, Welts was recruited by Colangelo this offseason to become the Suns' president and chief operating officer. The newly created executive position was part of a front office restructuring, separating the business and basketball functions of the franchise.
Welts originally joined the NBA family in 1969 as a ball boy for the Seattle SuperSonics. He worked for the Sonics for 10 years in a number of different positions, including director of public relations during Seattle's run to the 1979 NBA Championship.
He was lured to New York in 1982 by NBA Commissioner David Stern, then the league's executive vice president for business and legal affairs, and was named director of national promotions for NBA Properties.
While serving in the league office in New York for 17 years, he was credited with the creation of the All-Star Weekend concept in 1984, now a highlight of the NBA season and a standard in both the NHL and MLB. Welts was also responsible for the "Dream Team" marketing program for the 1992 Olympic team and was named "Marketer of the Year" by Brandweek magazine in 1998 for helping launch the WNBA.
Now Welts is bringing his fresh ideas to the Valley of the Sun, as the organization has rededicated itself to making "every effort" for the fans.
The Suns' new president chated with fans about his vision for the Suns and about the business side of sports on Monday, Sept. 30.
tim (phoenix): I heard you were a ballboy with the Sonics. How did that help you get to where you are at now?
Rick Welts: Actually, I worked for the Sonics for 10 years, from 1969-1979, and I was a ballboy for a few of those years. Actually, it did help me because i had the opportunity to see first-hand the interaction between players and coaches. Later I was the public relations director so I got to see the relationship between the players and the media and the coaches and the media and that let me see the relationship of an organization from the bottom on up. Plus, I was the coolest kid at my high school.
Tom (Phoenix): What is the most fun part of your job?
Rick Welts: I would say the most fun part is now being back in a situation where you can live and die with the fortunes of one team. When you work for the league, which I did for 17 years, you're pretty much assured half the teams will win and half the teams will lose and if the referees had a good night, you had a good evening. I'm thrilled to be back in a situation where I can help shape one particular team and help it grow and see fans react to that.
Pete (Sedona): How do you think the NBA is doing now days in terms of marketing itself?
Rick Welts: I think it's definitely a transition period for the NBA. One different way this year is through television. After a long and successful association with NBC, this year the NBA moves to ABC and ESPN, in addition to its longstanding relationship with TNT. More games will be available than ever before and more teams will be able to establish national prominence. I think that's going to be a great asset as the NBA moves forward.
Keahon (Los Angeles): What convinced you of joining the Suns' organization?
Rick Welts: I've been an admirer of Jerry Colangelo's for some 35 years now. When I was with Seattle and when I was with the league in New York, I think the Suns were really the gold standard in terms of how teams should be run and what good and effective ownership really is. So when I got a call from the Colangelos last spring, it was an opportunity that I knew I should take very seriously.
Connie (New York): What changes have you made at the Suns since you arrived?
Rick Welts: The good news for me was that nothing was broken here. By establishing my position, Bryan Colangelo can now devote full-time to building our team on the court and it allows me to focus on the business aspects and the challenges teams have in remaining successful. We are about to undertake a $50 million renovation/expansion of America West Arena which is extraordinary because AWA is only 10 years old, but to remain competitive, the type of investment that the Suns have historically made.
Jimmy (Scottsdale): Do you have any fan appreciation nights planned for this season? I really enjoyed last year's.
Rick Welts: Our approach this year is that every night should be fan appreciation night. Our entire organization has adopted the theme "every effort" for this coming season. We want everything that we do to translate the fans as acknowledgement that everyone in the Suns organization is making every effort every night to make sure that their experience is as good as it could possibly be.
Al (Mesa): Who were your favorite players when you were growing up?
Rick Welts: My favorite players overall were Bill Russell, Freddy Brown, Slick Watts and Jack Sikma.
James (Phoenix): Will the Suns have any games on Telemundo this season?
Rick Welts: Yes. The league has announced a 15-game schedule with Telemundo for nationally televised games and our April 5 game vs. Minnesota here in Phoenix will originate from AWA on Telemundo.
JB (Scottsdale): Do you have any big plans for the season opener this year?
Rick Welts: We actually play nine home games in November, a substantial part of our schedule. We'll be announcing shortly our opening night plans as well as our fun and aggressive plans for all our games.
Patrick (Peoria): How do you think the internet will affect the sports industry in the future?
Rick Welts: I think it already has had a substantial influence and as technology is developed, it will have a growing role as to how fans follow their favorite teams and sports. The biggest question marks is how quickly the video streaming technology becomes available in a quality to allow people, at some point, to watch games through their personal computer.
Billy (Scottsdale): What would you say to someone like me who wants to work in pro sports when I grow up?
Rick Welts: I think the career possibilities in sports today are very different when I first became associated with the NBA. At that point, it was very difficult to imagine having a career in the sports industry. Today, that has changed quite dramatically. More and more schools are offering graduate degrees in sports management and as teams become more complex business organizations, real careers can develop in a variety of different business areas. But the most important part is just getting your foot in the door and getting involved with a team or league to show your talents, initative and potential contributions to that organization.
Dan (Phx): Hello Mr. Welts. A few years back the Suns had an open house and fans were able to tour the arena and get Suns autographs. It was really fun. Are there any plans for something like that this year?
Rick Welts: I'm going to suggest that you go to everyeffort.net and make that suggestion directly. We have spent the last six weeks collecting ideas from fans about what would make their season experience the most enjoyable and we'd be interested in hearing your suggestions.
lex (New York): Do you still talk often to David Stern?
Rick Welts: I worked for David Stern for 17 years, from 1982 to 1999, and still believe that he is the single most talented executive ever to be involved in sports. Our personal and professional experience is still in effect today and I get the opportunity to speak to him frequently. My only problem is that he usually forgets that I don't work for him anymore. He seems to be calling to make, shall we say, constructive criticism, and also to frequently say hello.
Bobby Wick (Seattle): What are some of your best memories working for the Sonics?
Rick Welts: Actually, it wasn't the year we won the championship (1979). My best memory was the year before. We had a team that started with the worst record in the NBA, 5-17, our coach Bob Hopkins was replaced by Lenny Wilkens at that point and we went on a ride that I'll probably never get to experience at any other team in my career. We went to the Finals that season in 1978, losing to the then-Washington Bullets in a 7-game NBA Finals. But as that team began to gel and believe, it was really something and it was really my favorite season.
Rick Welts: I'm thrilled to be in Phoenix, a part of a great organization. We're looking forward to what we believe will be a season of pleasant surprises and exceeding expectations.
