Alexander “Alex” Alston
(BSSPM ’03 & MSSPM ’11)
Executive Director, Office of Sports & Entertainment, City of Jacksonville
The City of Jacksonville’s Executive Director for the Office of Sports & Entertainment, Alexander “Alex” Alston (BSSPM ’03 & MSSPM ’11), attributes his journey to success to several experiences, starting with humble roots in his college practicum. During his final semester at the UF College of Health & Human Performance, Alston, accepted a position to complete his practicum, a mandatory requirement for graduation at the time, with the Gainesville Sports Commission, or GSC, a not-for-profit organization that supports the Gainesville community through creating and managing sporting events. Shortly after graduation, Alston, who was interning with the PGA Tour then, received a phone call from the GSC about an opening as the associate executive director. In looking back on the past 20 years, this opportunity would catapult Alston into several leadership roles within the venue management and sport landscape.
Alston, a former athlete who transferred from the U.S. Military Academy where he played on the Army West Point Black Knights football team as a defensive back, spent nearly seven years with the sports commission, entrenching himself in several aspects of sport event management. Alston explains that while many young professionals who are set on entering the sport business focus on landing jobs with high-profile, professional sport teams, many of these entry-level roles require heavy grunt work with less exposure to building a person’s skill set.
“Going the route of a sports commission, you get a good base experience, working with stakeholders, putting on events and positioning yourself to be more at an executive level at a younger age,” Alston said.
From there, Alston’s career has included working in leadership roles for the Tulsa Sport Commission in Oklahoma and expanded to working with venue management company ASM Global in Jacksonville and financial tech company FIS, which was looking to expand into the sport and entertainment industry. In 2023, Alston accepted a role as the City of Jackonsville’s Chief of Sports and Entertainment, now serving as the executive director, where he has had the opportunity to oversee venue management contracts, manage sport team lease agreements and run all large-scale special events taking place within the city.
When hiring for his team, Alston emphasizes how much he values a candidate’s work experience, including internships and practicums, reflecting the path he once followed.
“My biggest advice [for students in sport and/or entertainment management] is to do as much interning and volunteering as you can in as many areas of sport entertainment as possible,” Alston said. “When I’m interviewing a candidate, I’m looking at what they have done, whether they can have a conversation with stakeholders like vendors and whether they can solve a problem on their feet. Get as involved as you can, as early as you can.”
In addition to diversifying one’s skill set, Alston also shares the importance of relationship-building, a trait he learned early on while a student at the college.
“I tell students you never know when paths will cross,” Alston said. “Take every opportunity and treat it like a job; one day, this person could be your boss.”