The Rising 25 Class of 2019, presented by AB InBev, represents some of the brightest young professionals in the sports industry. Over the next several weeks, we’re proud to introduce you to this year’s winners and highlight some of their achievements to date.
Today, meet Kimberly Ostiller: Global Partnerships Coordinator for the LA Stadium & Entertainment District. A 2016 graduate of the University of Southern California (USC) where she majored in public relations and Spanish, Ostiller chased her desire to work in sports early and took an internship with Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers while at USC. Ostiller feels that the exposure she received to the professional sports landscape while with the Dodgers prepared her for the next phase of her career.
“I met really talented people and I’ve maintained those relationships,” she says reflecting on her time with the Dodgers. “It’s great to still have that soundboard for professional advice.”
Ostiller worked in partnerships with the Dodgers for over two years while simultaneously working as a tour guide on USC’s campus. Ostiller then made the jump to her current role shortly before her graduation in 2016. This experience has also provided its fair share of chances to showcase Ostiller’s abilities. For each of the last two Super Bowls, Ostiller spearheaded multi-day showcases to show brands and executives what the future home of the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers will have in store. The new stadium is set to open prior to the 2020 NFL season in Inglewood, California.
This past season in particular, with the Rams taking part in the big game in Atlanta, Ostiller feels proud of what she was able to accomplish leading the LA Stadium & Entertainment District’s efforts to attract new potential partners.
“I set higher expectations for myself and I think that helped this year’s showcase to be more successful,” she says. “We had significantly more guests coming through and had more productive meetings with brands, which was important to me. This was a big undertaking. It took months to execute and I am grateful to our leadership for trusting me to plan this showcase from start to finish.”
For the next generation of sports business professionals, Ostiller offers a few pieces of advice. Her advice is to not give up, appreciate the value of networking, and respect others’ time. This will help move one’s career in the right direction while building essential relationships.
“Being politely persistent is helpful,” she says. “I think leaders in this business have enough time to share if you can get in front of them. Ask people to have coffee – everyone has time for a cup of coffee. Just get your name out there and keep your eyes peeled for opportunities; be mindful of teams that are in season. Informational interviews are a great way to learn and stay visible in this competitive field.”
Meet the full class of 2019 here.
