Kevin Tippy Martinez, '88, is the Senior Vice President of Marketing Communications for the Seattle Mariners. It's no surprise that this New Jersey native, with passions for baseball and broadcasting, found himself transferring in to Syracuse.
Once he got to SU, Martinez was actively involved with both Z89 and WAER, where he honed his skills in sports broadcasting and DJing. Not many students worked for both stations at that time, but this chief announcer made it work. He simply couldn't walk away from the sports opportunities at WAER or the incredible camaraderie at Z89. In fact, you'll love the story he tells about Carl Weinstein walking in to his shift to flip the format and imaging.
After graduation, Kevin went to the ABC Television Network in New York City, working in affiliate relations and marketing, and gradually made his way into ABC Sports. Then, Emmis Communications' Jeff Smuylan bought the Seattle Mariners. Despite being very happy near home and at ABC, the chance to work in Major League Baseball was too good to pass up.
The new marketing team took many radio ideas (including those learned at WJPZ) to do what was then some pretty innovative entertainment at Mariners' games. Custom walk-up music for hitters? It started here. And outside a brief stint with the Boston Celtics, Kevin's been with the M's for over 30 years.
Throughout the podcast, Martinez reflects on the relationships and friendships he formed during his time at WJPZ and in his professional life. These connections have been enduring and impactful. And we'd be remiss not to ask his opinions on the evolution of baseball, the importance of adapting to changing fan preferences, and the strategies employed by the Mariners to engage with their audience.
The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.
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