Promotions key to 49er success

Serving as Cal State Long Beach's marketing director seems to be the perfect job for Jean Kramer. The former University of Maryland cheerleader is enthusiastic when it comes to discussing 49er athletics.

Kramer, 31, said her primary goal is to lift CSULB's athletic department to a recognition level comparable to USC and UCLA.

"We're already competitive with USC and UCLA in every sport," Kramer said. "We just want the media to say USC, UCLA and Long Beach State."

As director of marketing, Kramer handles marketing and production for all sports, but her main focus this year is on men's basketball. Kramer's main duty is to bring money in the door for signs and advertising and to set promotions for 49er athletics.

Upon graduating from the University of Maryland with a Radio/TV/Film degree in 1984, Kramer, whose career goal was to be a sportscaster, got her first job as a sales representative with the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals.

Kramer came to California six years ago and worked for several sports companies before coming to CSULB.

"It turned out that I was really good at sales," Kramer said "and it's really easy to sell something you really love and I really love sports. "I learned the business side from just doing it. Sports marketing is one of those things where you can't learn it in school, it's definitely a hands-on thing."

Kramer said that selling 49er athletics isn't difficult because of her feelings for the program.

"I really believe in this product," Kramer said. "I think Long Beach State is one of the biggest secrets in the world as far as the quality of our teams and the records our teams have. Truly we are second to none."

With regard to sales, Kramer said her job would be easier if students and the Long Beach community came out and supported the athletic program. "If I don't do anything but get our students into it, that would be huge,"Kramer said. "Because everybody feeds off that. College sports-the way you sell it to sponsors and to alumni is catching all the excitement."

"I was very disappointed," Kramer said regarding her arrival to CSULB. "I come from an ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) school where athletics is huge. And for me to see that we couldn't even fill up the small gym (The Gold Mine)-that was real hard."

Kramer is optimistic that The Pyramid will increase student attendance at athletic events, bringing CSULB to a level of prominence comparable with USC and UCLA.

"We're much easier to get to," Kramer said. "You've got to go to the heart of Los Angeles to watch SC and if you want to watch UCLA play football, you've got to drive all the way to Pasadena. We're easy on, easy off three freeways and have plenty of parking."

With the opening of The Pyramid coming, Kramer knows this is an important year.

"We've got to get people in the door," Kramer said. "And win or lose, we've got to make sure the people have a good time."