Women’s History Month Interview Series: Stefanie Gordon, Sports Illustrated Social Media Producer

Social media producer, Stefanie Gordon is no stranger to the sports world. The New York University graduate has made a career of managing and producing sports media channels and content. Her experience involves working with prestigious companies such as Sports Illustrated, WPIX-TV, and Major League Baseball. Having an elaborate resume and a history with managing social media in sports, Gordon shares a little taste of her own life.

Stefanie Gordon

Kimberly Novak (KN): Were you interested sports your entire life?

Stefanie Gordon (SG): Yes. Some of my earliest memories are watching Yankees games with my dad and going to my brother’s hockey games. Although to be honest, I was more interested in playing bubble boy hockey and the hot chocolate at his games.

KN: If you could choose only one sport to watch for the rest of your life, which sport would that be?

SG: Hmmm. That one is tough since hockey and baseball are my two favorite sports. I can never choose which one is my “favorite”.  But, I guess the answer would be hockey. I love pace and watching plays develop. The casual sports fan doesn’t notice the little nuances of the game, but it’s what makes the game great.

KN: Have you ever played any sports growing up?

SG: Yes.  Although not all that well (haha). I dabbled in figure skating, gymnastics, softball and volleyball.

KN:Do you play any sports, or have an interest getting involved in a sport right now?

SG: Not currently, although last summer my department played in a wiffle ball league. It’s a fun way to let off a little steam.

KN: Is there any comment you have on national women’s sports?

SG: It gives little girls who play sports something to look up and forward to. I wish women’s sports received more attention than they do.

Stefanie, with New York Giants QB, Eli Manning.

KN: Are there any issues that frustrate you about media in general covering sports?

SG: There’s no point in airing frustrations. There will always be frustrations in life, especially working in sports media, but you have to do you best to ignore them or overcome them to succeed.

KN: Who is your favorite athlete?

SG: Although she’s retired, Cammi Granato. She was and still is so important to women’s ice hockey.

KN: If you could possess one superpower, what would it be?

SG: Flying. I have friends and family all over the country that I don’t get to see nearly enough because flights are so expensive!

KN: What other activities do you enjoy doing?

SG: I love photography and exploring new places and especially NYC. Something I love about living in New York City is that you can turn a corner and be in a whole new neighborhood, with different experiences or hop on a train and be in a different state within minutes.

KN: You are a powerhouse in sports marketing and social media management, how do you find enough time to do other activities that interest you?

SG: The great thing about social media is you don’t have to be tied to a desk to do it. Smartphones make it possible to broadcast on the go.  Not to mention, I am part of an amazing team here at Sports Illustrated that makes doing other projects or needing time away possible.

KN: What is a great stress reliever for you, and how do you re-energize yourself on a daily basis?

SG: Believe it or not, watching sports… for fun.  Also, SLEEP!

KN: What is your favorite sports movie?

SG: I don’t have one. Bull Durham; Slapshot; Mystery, Alaska; Remember the Titans and Field of Dreams are my Top 5.

KN: March is Women’s History Month, what legacy do you hope to leave, not only in your career, but as a woman?

SG: Others paved the way for me to allow me to what I do. I hope that I can continue to help prove that women can cover and work in sports sports just as well, and sometimes even better, than men. It’s not an easy industry to work in and proving yourself day after day is how you become successful. Also, to never give up on your dreams, they can actually come true. It might just take a little longer than expected.

KN: If you could have dinner with three people, dead or alive, who would they be and why?

SG: This is a tough one.  Cammi Granato- I had the pleasure of meeting her once while I was an intern with the Florida Panthers, but would love to have the opportunity to sit down and find out what it was like for her to dominate and become someone so many female athlete’s look up to.

Bob Costas- He’s always been someone I looked up to in the sports world. When I was younger it was my ambition to go into sports broadcasting. Working with Mr. Costas was a dream of mine, and I would happily replace it with a few hours of chatter over dinner, I would.

My Grandpa, Morris Gordon- He passed away almost 14 years ago. I miss talking baseball with him.