Event Organizer Spotlight: Mike Wattigny, FRESHJUNKIE Racing
What is your title, and how long have you held the position with FRESHJUNKIE Racing?
I am the Marketing, Creative, and Communications Director. I merged my event company with FJR in 2019, then officially took over Mktg and Creative in 2020.
Where is FRESHJUNKIE Racing based, and how many team members does the company employ?
FRESHJUNKIE Racing is headquartered in Baton Rouge, LA, but we have remote workers across Louisiana and Missouri. We currently have a team of 10 full and part-time employees, with a roster of weekend event staff.
What is the number of events FRESHJUNKIE is producing on an annual basis, and on what sports are you focusing?
We produce 18 events annually. 13 of the events are owned and produced by FJR, while 5 of the events are production contracts.
What have been your biggest challenges thus far in 2022?
The supply chain and shipping have been the most significant challenges. We’ve adapted well by being further ahead than ever; however, designing and ordering so far in advance of an event is hard. As we emerge from the pandemic, participants have waited longer to register, making final order numbers tough to predict.
FRESHJUNKIE Racing events are hosted on a large scale and take place in unique venues. Some allow for opportunities that would never exist otherwise (running on the football field at LSU). What goes into making these venue ideas come to fruition?
A tremendous amount of planning has led to some exceptional venues we can work with. Our work with LSU was years in the making as we navigated through various departments in a university that size. The critical factor has been the relationships we’ve been able to build. Finding a champion who has the final approval or someone willing to advocate for us with that person was integral to getting access.
Your owned events have a history of creating a significant economic impact for the destinations where they occur. What methodology are you using to showcase these numbers?
Data is an area we are continuing to develop. I joined the Sports Events and Tourism Association in the middle of the pandemic (summer of 2020). Without events to produce, I found myself with lots of time on my hands and researched continuing education opportunities. I came across the Sports Tourism Strategist curriculum (previously CSEE) and thought it would give me the insight to be a better tourism partner. That opened a floodgate of opportunities to learn what data sports commissions and convention and visitors bureaus are seeking. As we work with more of these organizations, we are asking better questions of our participants and providing data for our partners that are relevant to their goals.
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