Kicking Off Super Bowl Week Events With Lindsay Schattenstein, CSEP, CMP
Thursday, January 31, 2019
Lindsay Schattenstein, CSEP, CMP is preparing for one of the most anticipated weeks of live U.S. events each year: the NFL Super Bowl. The Event and Meeting Manager with the NFL Players Association (NFLPA), Lindsay is an expert in planning exciting events for player VIPs. In our latest Straight from a CSEP segment, learn how Lindsay’s credentials helped her score some major career touchdowns.
As the Event and Meeting Manager with the NFLPA, what do your day-to-day roles and responsibilities look like?
Lindsay Schattenstein, CSEP, CMP (LS): January to May is our busiest time of year. We are a non-profit association and our membership (players) has free time in the off-season, when our largest events are. I could be on a site visit for venues; doing an RFP for a vendor; working on production schedules, menus, or diagrams; putting together a gifting suite; or keeping up on latest trends to see what we might be able to integrate in to events for our unique membership.
With Super Bowl LIII just around the corner, can you share some ways in which you and your team are preparing for your big events that week?
LS: The NFLPA hosts a number of different events throughout Super Bowl week, but the two I work on most are our VIP Party and OneTeam Collective’s Pitch Day. VIP Party is an invite-only event for around 1,000 guests to thank our partners and sponsors. The guests of honor enjoy a cocktail reception alongside 20–30 active players that we bring in specifically for this event and are usually of a fairly well-known caliber. Attendees can enjoy snapping photos and mingling with them in an exclusive setting. The OneTeam Collective Pitch Day provides a unique opportunity for a select group of early-stage, innovative companies interested in aligning with the NFLPA to present their businesses to an audience of professional athletes, sports industry executives and the OneTeam Collective's founding partners.
Photo courtesy of Kevin A. Koski / NFLPA
Have you worked with ILEA members or other CSEPs in this role?
LS: During my time at the NFLPA, I have certainly worked with a number of CSEPs and ILEA members. Whenever I see a fellow CSEP, I always like to think we have the same baseline knowledge and will be able to connect on that shared experience. Many of the vendors I’ve built a strong relationship with over my last decade in the business are ILEA members.
How specifically does your CSEP designation help you plan big events for the NFLPA?
LS: The process of studying and testing to get a CSEP is a good gauge of the skill set needed to plan some of our larger events. Working with so many vendors and partners, it’s always great to see a fellow CSEP as a contact, and in our industry this designation holds a good deal of weight.
What advice would you give to live events professionals planning larger events?
LS: Building a strong team and understanding your audience are two of the biggest keys to planning a large-scale event. We always love creative and new ideas, but when we bring on vendors as an extension of the team, we aren’t afraid to be choosy about which ideas will or won’t work for the membership. There are over 1,800 active players in the league, and although we service a wide variety of individuals, we have touch points with many of them and a strong handle on their preferences — be sure your vendors and partners respect that!
Photo courtesy of Kevin A. Koski / NFLPA
What are some live events trends you foresee coming to light in the next year?
LS: I continue to see that a less “traditional” or formal event is an increasing trend. Our largest events never use podiums, give awards or have plated meals. Players are coming to events to network, and our demographic trends heavily between 21–31-year-old males at the core. The three-hour seated dinner with five awards is a dying breed. An increased focus on sustainability, down to offering metal straws as a takeaway on buffets, is also gaining steam. Finally, with wearables on nearly every wrist of our membership, tapping in to technology outside of just on the phone will be gaining even greater steam in 2019.
Can you offer insider tips for what live event professionals should keep an eye on at events surrounding Super Bowl LIII?
LS: With the rise of museum exhibits touting Instagrammable experiences in 2018, photo ops outside of a standard step and repeat at events will be big during Super Bowl week. Nontraditional event venues are on the rise as well, including complete pop-up venues created just for the big week
How has having your CSEP helped advance your career?
LS: I got my CSEP at my first job out of college, and the following two opportunities I’ve found have specifically required an event certification. The continuing education requirements mean I am often out at industry events making new connections and exchanging ideas. It forces you to stay fresh.
Photo courtesy of Kevin A. Koski / NFLPA
Would you recommend that other events professionals seek a CSEP certification?
LS: I absolutely recommend getting a CSEP certification. Within the events world, it holds clout for planners and gives you a stamp to say you are at the top of your game within this industry.
Want to learn more about planning Super Bowl events? Click here to meet Kari Shisler, CSEP
Top banner photo courtesy of Kevin A. Koski / NFLPA
Lindsay Schattenstein, CSEP, CMP, came to the NFLPA after her time as Director of Event Production at The Webster Group, an event planning firm in Washington, D.C. Lindsay managed the planning and execution of large- and small-scale events for clients such as the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s Knoxville Convention, International Center for Journalists Annual Awards Dinner, the University of Texas’ MD Anderson Cancer Center and many more.
Lindsay earned her degree from the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University in 2009. Since then, she has earned her CSEP (Certified Special Events Professional) from ILEA, as well as her CMP (Certified Meeting Professional) from the Events Industry Council, along with a Professional Certificate in Event Management from The George Washington University.
Lindsay is a native Washingtonian, a die-hard Dolphins fan (though she enjoys pro teams from D.C. for all other sports!), tries to make it to as many of the Washingtonian magazine’s top 100 restaurants each year as possible, is an avid reader and loves animals — especially cats!
Tags: CSEP