On March 30th the One-Zero Conference will bring the global sports business and sports media to Dublin in a way that has never happened before.
We are excited to be part of what will be a special occasion across three days of activity in Dublin and Limerick but the centerpiece is a day of conversation, discussion, and high-level network building at the Aviva Stadium.
In today’s Sport for Business AM Bulletin, we have given a chance to two Sport for Business members to join us on the day.
Rob Hartnett from Sport for Business will be MC for the day and will also host a conversation with Arjun Chowdri, the Chief Innovation and Administration Officer of the PGA of America.
In advance of his coming to Dublin, we caught up with him on a call stateside…
SFB:Give us a 10-cent tour of what you do in the world of golf?
Arjun Chowdri:The PGA of America at our core is a not for profit trade association of 28,000 local golf professionals. Every morning, myself and my teammates focus on what we can do to grow the game, elevate the PGA Member, and advance the industry. My role in this wonderful mission is strategy across the association and non-traditional growth, including ventures/investments, international, research, merchandising and new forms of partnerships.
SFB:What is the biggest item on your radar for 2023?
Arjun Chowdri:As an association broadly we are all focused on PGA Member recruitment and retention. Like many industries, the workforce is an area of opportunity for the golf industry and we want to ensure we are optimizing the environment for PGA Professionals to have fulfilling careers. More specific to myself, I am very focused on fully optimizing our partnership with Elysian Park for EP Golf Ventures, partnering with Legends to roll out a golf facility e-commerce platform and ensuring that we maximize PGA Frisco.
SFB:What do you imagine it might be for 2024?
Arjun Chowdri:That’s the beautiful part of my role where I can look at the strategic plan, search the white space, and work to bring forth an opportunity of impact. My hope is that the innovation fund will not only be successful on its own, but also lead to the cultivation of new ideas that can we can execute on in different ways
SFB:How do you split your time across your different responsibilities at the PGA?
Arjun Chowdri:Having such a hand in the strategic plan, I use that as a framework in prioritizing my own time. Having the fortune to work at an organizing with such a noble mission, there are so many ways to help. However, we continue to challenge ourselves to make sure that we are focusing our limited resources and time against those efforts that have the greatest impact across the plan.
SFB:What is the best definition of innovation that you work to?
Arjun Chowdri:Positive change. Innovation can be drastic and disruptive, but it can also be incremental and transformative. A great example of this with us is PGA Junior League. Creating an inclusive team format for kids has led to one of the most transformative programs in our association with over 70,000 kids participating.
SFB:What’s you favourite sporting moment from within golf?
Arjun Chowdri:One of the most wonderful aspects of golf is that it can be a catalyst for giving. At the onset of covid, I had the pleasure of the developing the Golf Emergency Relief Fund where we provided over $7.5MM USD to those working in the golf industry, including PGA Members, who were struggling to make ends meet due to the impact covid had on their employment or health. I was watching the Covid-19 Relief Match at Seminole that featured Ireland’s own, Rory McIlroy when my then 7 year old came up and asked what I was watching. When I told him the purpose behind it, he stopped and watched the whole match (a first for him). I speak of this instance because these next generations are driven by purpose infinitely more than those before it, and golf has this incredible opportunity to connect through its proven ability to give back.
SFB:How do you split your time across your different responsibilities at the PGA?
Arjun Chowdri:Having such a hand in the strategic plan, I use that as a framework in prioritizing my own time. Having the fortune to work at an organizing with such a noble mission, there are so many ways to help. However, we continue to challenge ourselves to make sure that we are focusing our limited resources and time against those efforts that have the greatest impact across the plan.
SFB:And from outside of your own sport?
Arjun Chowdri:The favorite live sporting event I have ever been to is the Little League World Series. It is this beautiful moment that occurs once a year where children from all over the world descend on fields in the middle of Pennsylvania and is broadcast to the world. At the PGA of America, we envision similar moments in the future where kids participating in PGA Junior League from all over the world come together at PGA Frisco.
SFB:What are you looking forward to most about coming to Dublin?
Arjun Chowdri:Learning from others. Ireland has a great history and ecosystem of sport and it will be wonderful to learn from those successes and challenges other attendees and presenters have experienced.
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