I’ve just returned from Telemundo’s outstanding World Cup Hospitality Program in Moscow, Russia, for which I served as primary point person for all guests and staff in attendance. We had 130 guests, including CEOs, digital playmakers, international clients and NBCUniversal executives. Since March, I have worked to invite them, manage the RSVP list, facilitate visa applications, book travel and answer any and all questions that arise through the process.
Simultaneously, I took on oversight of all Comcast/NBCUniversal/Telemundo’s ticket purchases for the 64 matches of the FIFA World Cup, ultimately totaling $1.5 million and more than 1,500 tickets. I managed the sorting and distributing of these tickets, in addition to processing spectator credentials (FAN IDs) for more than 600 individuals.
My other duties included critiquing and copyediting all collateral, packaging and mailing our pre-departure packet and constantly staying informed as the point person for both my team and all our guests. I also managed a team of four during airport check-in at JFK and ensured our chartered plane experience was world class.
It was unbelievably rewarding to see for myself when the whole experience came together!
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- Preparing to leave JFK from Terminal One. We collaborated with Terminal One to gain special access to check-in desks and a pre-departure lounge.
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- Accompanying guests in Red Square. Our Russian guide took my photo while our guests had some free time in Red Square.
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- Standing on the Telemundo Copa Mundial set as the team begins strike. I visited the International Broadcast Center (IBC) to meet in person all the teams I had been working with over email and phone. Aldo, pictured here, managed FIFA accreditation, while I oversaw FIFA spectator credentials (FAN IDs). We made a great team!
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- Getting excited to attend the World Cup Final! We saw our guests into the stadium, then had a moment to enjoy the atmosphere outside Luzhniki Stadium.
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- Remembering what I had worked on: tickets and FAN IDs. These two documents were my life for a few months! Every spectator who attended using a Telemundo ticket had to go through me.
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- Leaving Russia on our private chartered plane. The plane seats 96, all business class seats. I was the Corporate Events representative on board in case of emergency.
Lesley Stevenson 