As a young Denver Broncos fan, Scott Lantis never dreamed that one day his phone would list his favorite team on speed dial.
This past summer, Lantis ’13 began his job as the promotions and special events coordinator for the Denver Broncos.
During the game, Lantis sits on the sideline with the team donning two headsets: one to communicate with his interns, the other to contact the network broadcasting the game that day. Lantis handles every element of the stadium experience from the coin toss to the half time show to the blown up tunnel.
“Anything you can think of that goes on during a game day is part of my responsibility,” he said. “Anytime you watch a Broncos game and it goes to commercial, that’s when I’m working.”
Growing up in Michigan, a scanty supply of Broncos merchandise forced young Lantis and his father to cut pictures from the newspaper and Sports Illustrated to paste onto posterboard for Lantis’ room.
“After Scott got the job, we found a picture of him next to a Bronco locker when he was four,” Lantis’ sister, Heather, said. “It’s neat to see his dreams come full circle.”
“I have fond memories in my living room with my father watching the Broncos on Sundays,” he said. “I am so humbled and thankful to do what I love for a great organization. That’s the short of it.”
After graduating from Hillsdale, Lantis flew out to Colorado for a different job opportunity before he stumbled across an opening for a sponsorship internship for Colorado’s NFL team. Of more than 1,000 applicants, Lantis was one of the five that received the internship.
Securing the internship was influenced by a Hillsdale alumnus Tom Heckert ’91, who currently works as the director of pro personnel for the Broncos.
Lantis landed a first interview and after going through the screening process landed the internship.
“That was a pretty big deal,” Lantis said. “I’ve been a crazy Denver Broncos fan. It’s a Lantis obsession.”
Lantis’s dream job paid $8 an hour and lodged his foot in the door of the multi-million dollar franchise. Two months later, Lantis applied for the opening of promotions and special events coordinator. By the end of August, Lantis was a full time staff member.
Lantis played two varsity sports in college: baseball and football. He graduated with a marketing degree that included courses in business ethics and leadership under the instruction of Professor of Business Law Robert Blackstock.
“You could just see how something like this would happen to him,” Blackstock said.
For 8-10 weeks out of the year, game days keep Lantis at work all 12 hours of the day. His days start 6-7 hours before kickoff as he organizes the schedule for 15 interns, Lantis’ promotion staff.
“It’s nice to have a group of talented college kids that you can rely on,” Lantis said.
Lantis does not deny that perks come heavy handed in his line of work.
“I got to meet Erin Andrews,” he said. “She’s definitely one of my celebrity crushes. I also have a lot of player interaction since I go to the training facility about once a week. Demaryius Thomas, one of my favorite players, recognized me by name the other day.”
When Lantis isn’t orchestrating the details of game day, he manages numerous promotional projects such as marketing player appearances. Because of his access to Broncos’ contact information, the company forces Lantis to keep a pass code on his phone. When he can’t contact players by phone, he visits them at practice.
“Usually it’s an easy sell when you can offer someone $1000 to sign autographs,” he said.
One player remains distanced from Lantis’ line of work: Peyton Manning, the Broncos’ quarterback.
“There’s top players, and then there’s Peyton,” Lantis said. “I don’t think they’d trust a 24-year-old new hire with Peyton Manning.”
Although his work includes several late nights and early mornings, he admits to delusional bliss.
“I’m still in that honeymoon stage,” he said. “I’m so excited to come to the stadium and work for the Denver Broncos.”