Leslie Takes Senior Marketing Position at Tennis Magazine
By Sean Blackburn

Ever since Rob Leslie, '99, was a little boy, he knew he wanted to do something with sports. "Sports has always been a passion of mine," he said. "I've wanted to do something with sports since I was 10."

Today, Leslie is the senior marketing manager for Tennis Magazine in New York City, a city that he has really embraced. "This is such a diverse cultural city; I feel blessed to learn from it and be a part of it," Leslie said.

The dream of working in sports became a reality for Leslie his junior year in high school when he became an intern with Sports Director Rod Simons at KSTW TV-11 in Renton, Wash. The job allowed Leslie to log games and help set up highlights for the newscast every weekend during school and all through summer.

"The opportunity actually to be a part of the sports business was all it took, and once I saw the highlights that I selected and edited on-air, I was hooked," Leslie said. "I knew that sports industry was my calling, and I couldn't imagine doing anything else."

Leslie got a job in New York doing promotions for Sports Illustrated after graduating from Whitworth. The job was one Leslie had dreamed of for years. The downside was that he was doing the same job as 45 other people – he wanted more autonomy.

He landed a new job at Tennis Magazine three years later. "I always want to think three years ahead," Leslie said. "I feel very blessed and fortunate with where I am, but I don't want to be content. I always want to strive for more."

At Tennis Magazine, Leslie is involved in creating proposals, managing events, overseeing communication, and much more. The best part about the new job is that Leslie works with only one other person, allowing him to be more hands-on with every part of the process.

The switch from Sports Illustrated to Tennis Magazine created the opportunity for changes. He went from a huge weekly publication to a magazine that targets a narrower group.

"I doubled the department when they hired me here," Leslie said with a laugh. "It was great to learn from Sports Illustrated, but you really find out what you're made of with this type of job. Now it's just me and one other guy."

A similarity Leslie found in both jobs is being passionate about sports. "Having a passion for sports has always been instrumental because you can't fake that. You have to love sports."

At Sports Illustrated, Leslie labeled his co-workers "sports junkies" in an environment that Leslie says he thrived in. "Some people may look at it as distracting, but that was part of the thrill for me," Leslie said. "Debating who should be on the cover, for me, that's what made Sports Illustrated such an amazing place, and that's one of the things I miss most."

Leslie found his new job at Tennis Magazine to be a new environment. The sports content was now primarily focused on tennis and Leslie had to make a social adjustment.

"At Sports Illustrated I could stop by someone else's desk and talk football. I can't have that same conversation with the people at Tennis Magazine. The people there are just passionate about tennis. It's a very different environment."

Leslie enjoys tennis, but he has always sided with the "sports junkies" – following several different sports as opposed to just one.

Leslie could have found himself burned out with a full-time job in sports and a life in New York, but the thought never crossed his mind.

"There may be times of bad weather like the month of February, after football is over and the only thing on Sports Center is NBA and NHL highlights," Leslie said, "but my spirits soar in March as the Mariners open up spring training and 64 college teams unleash the greatest three weekends of the year."

Leslie may be a fan of all sports, but this sports junkie played football all through high school and in his beginning years at Whitworth. Leslie didn't play all four years because his passion changed from playing football to focusing on his publishing career: He became sports editor, then editor-in-chief, of The Whitworthian.

The change in attitude early in his college life led Leslie down a path of satisfaction. Leslie's move from Sports Illustrated to Tennis Magazine has only added to his passion for sports.

"I think of my passion for sports much like JFK's eternal flame – it will never burn out," Leslie said.