Over the course of an NBA basketball game, there’s a lot of time to fill when the action on the court is paused for things like timeouts, commercial breaks and end of quarters. The process of making sure there’s always something to keep fans entertained can be an arduous one at times, but thankfully, the Charlotte Hornets have two of the best in the business.
Both Director of Game Presentation Emily Ladd and Senior Coordinator of Game Presentation Jennifer Sartorio were recently chosen by the NBA to represent the Hornets organization at All-Star Weekend in Cleveland last month. Ladd has worked this event several times before as a Stage Manager, but never as a Producer for the All-Star Game, which is what she did this time around. As for Sartorio, this was her first-ever invite in any capacity.
“When you’re a stage manager, they book you at a venue,” explains Ladd. “So, you work every event in that venue. This year was the first year that I went and was on the producer side, which is more what I do now for the Hornets. Producing the All-Star Game was a different focus because you’re looking at one event versus all of the other events. It’s always been a goal of mine to get to All-Star Weekend and be a producer and director. It’s really great to be seen in that regard from your peers and the league.”
“It was amazing first and foremost,” says Sartorio. “It was super exciting my first year going. Getting to meet people who are just as crazy as we are in the game presentation world was really fun. I was at the secondary venue (Cleveland State University), so it was a little more laidback, but definitely really fun. For me, it’s meeting all the people. That was the best part.”
She adds, “Honestly, when Emily first asked if I was going to be interested, I said of course. Eventually, she called me up over Christmas and told me they had accepted me to come to All-Star. I was so excited. I kept it together and cool on the phone of course, but after that, I was jumping around like a crazy person. Getting to do something really, really cool that other people don’t, it was super exciting to be chosen for that.”
For reference, Game Presentation largely focuses on planning out all the in-game entertainment. This includes – but is certainly not limited to – everything from national anthem singers, mascot appearances, halftime performances, fan contests, dance routines and much, much more. Every game is scripted out beforehand and acts are often times booked weeks in advance.
An Indiana native who grew up idolizing Reggie Miller and Hoosier greats Damon Bailey and Calbert Cheaney, Ladd was first drawn to this fast-paced world as a middle schooler sitting in the upper level at Pacers games. She went on to play college basketball and earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising and Marketing at Indiana University South Bend, then received a Master’s Degree in Recreation and Sport Management from Indiana State. From there, she landed an internship with the then-Charlotte Bobcats and now 15 years later, has just been working her way up the ladder ever since.
As for Sartorio, her path was a little less direct. Originally, she enrolled at Santa Rosa Junior College in California to pursue Sports Medicine and run track before transferring to Wingate University. Athletic eligibility issues ultimately rerouted her back to Santa Rosa after just one semester and soon thereafter, she landed at the University of Central Missouri, where she ended up switching majors and graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Management.
“I knew as a kid that I loved all the experiences that I had with the 49ers or the San Francisco Giants, whether that was season ticket holder dinners or camps,” recalls Sartorio. “I always thought that was a great way to tie a team to your new fans. Through school, I had to do an internship. Fan experience kind of popped up in a few realms. I thought it sounded interesting, but wasn’t sure if I would truly like it. So, I decided to try and ended up with the Greensboro Swarm. Production of games, scripting, behind the scenes, I had no clue, no idea. Once it started to come together and I realized I was pretty good at it, I decided to keep rolling with it.”
After her initial internship with the Swarm ended in December of 2016, Sartorio rolled right into a Marketing and Event Presentation Assistant position with the team. She soon interned with USA Football in Indianapolis, then went back to Greensboro for the 2018-19 season before being brought on by the Hornets for the start of 2019-20 campaign.
Finding your niche in the competitive world of sports is a big undertaking in itself, let alone for women like Ladd and Sartorio who have thrived in this mostly male-dominated landscape. But for the most part, neither has dealt with or at least chosen to be hindered by any gender bias, although they both acknowledge it does exist.
Says Ladd, “I think it’s easy to say that if I hit an obstacle, it’s just because I’m a woman. I’ve chosen to look at any challenge as, ‘How can I just overcome it?’ Whether it’s because I’m a woman or not, I just want to fix it and figure out how to get past it. Those things have probably existed. I’ve chosen not to look at them that way because that can take away the significance of any challenge you have and discount it in some way.”
“I haven’t personally come across any challenges being female, but you do see it,” adds Sartorio. “I don’t really feel it. In the industry, we’re all buddies and friends. I can say thank you to all the women that have paved the way. Most of the males are welcoming and understand this may not just be their world anymore. There are plenty of women that are in those top positions that are doing phenomenal, so I don’t see it that way anymore to be honest.”
Both women have had important figures in their lives who have been influential throughout their professional careers. “I credit my older brother, Adam, a lot for how I approach things,” says Ladd. “He’s my best friend and always been the guiding light for me. When we were younger, I always wanted to be like him. I always asked to hang out with him and he would always say yes. It taught me how to be assertive. Sometimes being assertive and direct can be interpreted differently when you’re a woman, right or wrong. I just try to keep in mind that if I’m being perceived one way, how can I fix that without losing any assertiveness.”
“Being an athlete, I have my athletic role models like Serena Williams and Simone Biles because both of them have dealt with so much,” says Sartorio. “As far as this industry, I would say people I’ve met through the Hornets. I love Ashley ShahAhmadi and then Jacinda Jacobs, same thing. Working so closely with her and seeing what she’s done in her world that’s not even sports-based, I absolutely look up to her and what she does and how she touches people.”
While Ladd and Sartorio took varying paths into the realm of Game Presentation (and during different time periods as well, for that matter), each has picked up valuable insight along the way that’s been fundamental to ultimately ending up in Charlotte.
“It’s not necessarily your experience that gets you there – it’s your attitude and your work ethic,” says Ladd. “Your experience will get you in the door, but your attitude and your work ethic are going to be what takes you through it and keep you going. That’s really the thing that stands out. You’re here, so what are you going to do with it? How are you going to propel yourself forward and bring people with you as you keep moving?”
“Do everything you can get into whether you’re paid for it or if it’s free,” states Sartorio. “You never know what you can truly find. I hope people know that you need the work ethic, the hustle, but mostly, you need to make sure you’re happy. Keep that energy and excitement about your job. Don’t let anybody tell you otherwise. I’ve had people say I can’t do something because of whatever reason. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that. If you want to explore it, explore it. Go. Try it. Failure stinks, but you might find something you absolutely love.”
So, the next time you find yourself at a Charlotte Hornets game and wonder what goes into producing all the entertainment during breaks, just know there’s two incredibly talented women in Emily Ladd and Jennifer Sartorio working passionately behind the scenes to make it all happen.