Vice President, Ticket Sales and Service, LA Clippers
In celebration of Black History Month, the LA Clippers are honoring the historical achievements of African Americans and telling the stories of Black staff members whose achievements and passions have shaped the organization’s culture. Clipper Nation, meet Krystle Hogan.
Hogan is originally from Warner Robins, GA and grew up playing sports. Through competing in softball, basketball and cheer, she learned many core values, including how to overcome challenges, work hard and play as a team. Sports remained part of her life, but post-college her career led her down a different path and she worked work for a tobacco company and in the pharmaceutical industry. Hogan quickly learned that although she enjoyed selling, she wasn’t loving her work. Ready for a change, she decided to combine her two passions – sports and sales – and landed an inside sales position with the San Diego Padres. She found both success and happiness there, while growing steadily in the sports sales and service industry. Hogan came to the Clippers two and a half years ago, and now leads the ticket sales and service team. She is also a member of the Clippers’ Black Community Alliance, and helps lead the organization’s diversity and inclusion committee, LACED UP.
What's a career accomplishment you are most proud of?
Hogan: “For me, the best accomplishments in my career are seeing people under me grow. You have a lot of control over yourself, your work ethic, and all of those intangibles, but when it comes to being able to develop someone under you and seeing their careers go, that’s been the best feeling I’ve had.”
“I took a chance on myself…It sounded crazy to do that, but by betting on myself, here I am now.”
What's a career obstacle you had to overcome?
Hogan: “I changed careers twice. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. It took me a little while because I wasn’t familiar with how to get into sports out of college…I decided to take a chance. I left a full-time job with full-time pay and full-time benefits to go work in inside sales with full-time hours and part-time pay and no benefits, and no guarantee for a job. It was scary. I moved across the country to do it. I didn’t know how it was going to turn out, but I took a chance on myself…It sounded crazy to do that, but by betting on myself, here I am now.”
What inspires you about the work you do for the Clippers?
Hogan: “When Steve took over the team and Gillian came in, it was no surprise that culture-wise, they were coming in to make a change. That’s also something that we wanted to do on the ticket sales and service side…and that really got me excited about the role. It’s something that we were able to accomplish and do. We’re not done, there’s still a lot more work to be done, but we’ve come a very long way. The thing that gets me excited about the Clippers now is that we’re continuing to build something…I’m super excited for the impact that I will be able to have as we grow.”
“As a female and as a minority, we deal a lot with imposter syndrome and thinking that we’re not enough…It’s important to fight that.”
What advice do you have for the next generation of talent pursuing a career in sports?
Hogan: “I would let them know that they are enough and that they are worthy. As a female and as a minority, we deal a lot with imposter syndrome and thinking that we’re not enough and we got lucky, or that we’re not worthy. It’s important to fight that and really understand that you are enough, you are worthy of being in the situation that you’re in, and you should continue to believe in that and not let that fear or that mindset debilitate you and prevent you from moving forward and continuing to grow.”
Why is Black History Month important to you?
Hogan: “Black History Month to me is more important to the non-Black community. Growing up as a Black person, we were always talking about Black pioneers, civil rights pioneers. We have those conversations year-round. I do think Black history is important, but I think it’s more so important for the non-Black community to really become more educated on who our civil rights leaders were. Also, not just the Martin Luther Kings or the Malcolm Xs, but the James Baldwins of the world. I think it is important to offer them that education and that insight into our culture.”
What important figure in Black history inspires you?
Hogan: “I’m in love with Kamala Harris right now. For 232 years there have been male Vice Presidents and to be the first female, African-American, Asian-American woman to become Vice President, the most powerful woman in this country right now, it’s mind-blowing. I’m so inspired by her. Watching the inauguration when she was giving her speech, and seeing her take it in, that was amazing for me.”