Monessen native White looms large in NBA
Mia White stands just 5-2, but she is a large figure in the NBA these days.
The Geibel Catholic and Carnegie Mellon University graduate recently took over as the manager of the Miami Heat’s Customer Relationship Management.
While White, a 27-year-old Monessen native, was a 1,000-point scorer at Gebiel, three-time all-section player and member of the CMU women’s basketball team – her days on the court are well behind her. Yet she is competing with the big boys, for sure.
“The position is still relatively new in professional sports,” White explained. “Banks and insurance companies have used this for years, tracking customers and their behaviors. Because it is so new, and because I have experience in it, and some organizations haven’t gotten around to it, it has made me marketable.”
White came to the Heat via the New York Bulls, a Major League Soccer team, where she was CRM and Analytics Manager.
Prior to that 2 1/2-year stint, White worked for the Pirates as Analytics Coordinator. It was there she found that her degree in economics and love for athletics could serve her well in searching for a job with a professional sports organization.
“I was hoping to one day work for a sports team,” White said. “This position has allowed me to combine my love for numbers and love for sports. I do both on a daily basis and that is pretty amazing. I never knew a job like this could exist. It’s a perfect fit.”
White learned the mechanics of CRM with the Pirates. She listened and was mentored by Tyrone Brooks — who was director of player personnel for the Pirates and is now senior director of the Diversity Pipeline Program for Major League Baseball.
That experience led the Red Bulls to hire her to initiate a CRM analytics department.
White said the basis of the position is to “keep track of fans and why they come to games and when they are coming to games.”
Said White: “We keep track of season ticket holders and identified potential season-ticket holders. We look at those people who maybe come to one or two games and others who come a little more often and find out why they are coming.
“Not many people really think about what is going on behind the scenes. Organizations need to be able to keep up because things nowadays happen so fast. We did it with the Pirates.
“That experience was invaluable because it was a pretty good size department,” she added. “I learned the process. The Red Bulls were looking to start the program. So I have seen both ends now – a fully functioning department and then seeing and being part of one from the conception of it in New York. The Heat is in the middle and they are looking to me to help bring it out.”
White, who also played soccer and softball before graduating from Geibel in 2008, is adjusting to a new position, a new league and new way of life.
It’s an interesting process.
“It’s funny, when most people think about Miami, they are thinking it’s crazy and a lot of partying,” White chuckled. “When you live here, it’s a little more laid back and a beach town. People walk around in bathing suits. For me, that’s a vacation. Here, it’s any day you want.”
White is literally feeling the heat.
“The humidity is no joke,” she said. “It’s hot. I am sure in December, I’ll be pretty happy.”
Now that White has worked in three professional sports leagues, she is impressed with the importance and focus the NBA places on connecting with fans, understanding their interests and needs, and what continues to keep the fans interested and how to attract new customers.
“I think the NBA is the smartest league from a business standpoint,” White said. “I know I am learning a lot already. The NBA does not take this lightly. I have heard Adam Silver, NBA commissioner, talk about this.
“It’s a real business operated like any other huge corporation. He really wants to grow it globally. I can do a lot of learning in this league.”
White took a little different route to the sports world. Instead of gaining an opportunity in a more traditional way with a sports management degree, she earned her degree in economics from CMU in 2011. She believes that degree, a love of numbers, statistics and sports made her more attractive, prepared, and marketable.
“For me, that has worked,” White said. “I didn’t want to get a degree in sports management. Even though I thought I wanted to work in sports, I didn’t want to commit myself just to that. For me, it was actually better to do what I did. I have learned that organizations who are looking for a marketing director are going to hire someone with a marketing degree and background, who also have a passion for sports.
“My economics degree worked in my favor. I had done a lot of statistical work, had a lot of math classes. It was all super helpful and it all came in handy. I didn’t realize it at the time, but that education in math and numbers helped me as much as my love of sports.”
White is the youngest of four children. Her mother and father, Gloria and Woody White, reside in Monessen.
She credits her father for pushing her in the right direction, letting her make decisions and always providing support.
“Personally and career-wise, my dad has been really helpful to me,” White said. “He pushed me to think about things that I didn’t think were possible. He’s been so supportive and helps in any way he can. Even now, I can call him anytime with a random question and he’ll answer the best he can.”
She also credits Brooks for taking her on and teaching her in the Pirates’ organization. The friendship has continued.
“He told me he will always help me any way he can,” White said. “He gave me a chance. To this day, we catch up with one another.”
White and Brooks had a chance to get together recently as Brooks was in Miami, representing Major League Baseball at the All-Star Game.
“I have been so lucky,” White said. “I appreciate the opportunities I have been given.”
She also still entertains thoughts about her one-time goal of being a general manager for a baseball team. However, her professional experience also had her thinking of other opportunities.
“I have really always thought about being in baseball operations,” she explained. “Yes, being a GM in baseball is something. I have thought about. But it is so time consuming, an all consuming position.
“I would love to someday be in a position of director of analytics or strategy. Maybe I won’t work for a team and will just be a consultant to teams that need help or who want to do something different.”
John Sacco writes a bi-weekly column on local sports history for the Observer-Reporter.