UNF grad lands dream job with Detroit's biggest sports franchises

Kevin Wilson enrolled at the University of North Florida in 2019 as a religious studies major, but it didn’t take him long to realize that a big part of his life was experienced through sports, participating in all types of youth leagues growing up to meet new friends and get some exercise.  

Wilson soon transitioned into UNF’s sports management, but it was during the pandemic, making it hard to get “real-world experience” when most sports teams were in a state of limbo. He credits Dr. Kristi Sweeney, who was leading UNF’s Sport Management program, and Career Services’ Patti Palmer for helping him succeed while the practicum and internships were seemingly in flux.   

Wilson said he was inspired by “how much the faculty poured into their students to set them up for success.”   

He applied for a highly coveted position with the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. There were over 1,000 applicants for 11 positions, but he didn’t let that deter him. He applied for a youth and education internship, emphasizing during an interview the importance of sport in the community and how prior to re-enrolling in college, he worked with nonprofits and youth in a church setting, which gave him unparalleled experience.   

Throughout the internship with the Hall of Fame, he learned a lot about the industry and himself. He knew he wanted to stay in sports, but his mentors kept suggesting he might be great in a sales position. As the internship was wrapping up, Wilson started interviewing with other organizations, but one conversation was unique.   

While Wilson worked in Canton, he lived in a dorm at the nearby Malone University, which also happened to be the exact same dorm where Haydon Dotson, the inside sales manager for the Detroit Red Wings and Tigers, had spent his college years. The more they talked, the more it sounded like Dotson valued Wilson as a person and a professional.   

After earning his bachelor’s in Sport Management from UNF in 2021, Wilson convinced his wife to move to the Motor City, and he started a job doing inside sales for both the Red Wings and Tigers. He became a leader on the staff and was quickly promoted to executive.   

“I may not be the best seller,” he said, “but no one is going to outwork me.” He moved into B2B sales and became a top seller, leading the team in deposits. He then became a premium seller and was among the Tigers’ leaders in suite leases.  

While he enjoyed sales, something was missing. Reminiscing on his days as a youth pastor, he still loved imparting his wisdom on future generations, and soon after, got and opportunity. The LEAD Program, an initiative from the Detroit Tigers’ senior leadership team which provides people in entry-level positions with training, experience and guidance to support their careers in the sports industry, needed a mentor. Wilson stepped in to lead these young professionals, helping them through their journey in career advancement. After displaying his leadership skills, he was promoted to lead a team of 12 salespeople as the Detroit Tigers and Red Wings’ inside sales manager.  

His team is consistently hitting their metrics, but his favorite part of the job is the recruiting aspect, finding and equipping future sales rockstars. “It’s incredibly rewarding, seeing their growth,” he said. The trust he’s gotten from his team is a huge part of why he’s stayed with the organization.  

Since he and his team work the overlapping Major League Baseball and National Hockey League seasons, there’s not really an offseason. However, when he’s off the clock, he spends some quality time in the backyard with the family and his goldendoodle Groot, introducing the locals to some Southern cooking with his new smoker. He feels like he’s where he needs to be at this point in his life, but since both his and his wife’s families reside in Florida, he isn’t ruling out a move one day.