SPMT 489 with Trev Alberts: A&M's AD, SID legend Alan Cannon speak to students

In another lecture with SPMT 489, Texas A&M Director of Athletics Trev Alberts and Dr. Gregg Bennett were joined by Texas A&M Executive Associate AD Alan Cannon, who has been with the athletic department since 1981 and was named to the CoSIDA Hall of Fame in 2014.

Topics from Trev Alberts & Alan Cannon interview

• 00:00 - Introduction & Alberts’ status update
• 02:00 - Alberts’ relationship with General Welsh & the people at Texas A&M
• 05:25 - Alberts on Mike Elko’s fit in Aggieland
• 06:30 - Alberts on what he enjoys about Texas A&M and his job
• 08:44 - Alberts on the challenges he faces at Texas A&M
• 13:44 - Alberts on Texas A&M being in a financial position to succeed in the future
• 15:40 - Alberts on how he plans to impact the athletic department & “competitive success”
• 19:54 - Alberts on running a “good” business leaving a positive impact on the field
• 26:37 - Alberts on A&M’s unique opportunities to respond to changes in college athletics
• 28:45 - Alberts on experiencing and appreciating the 12th Man
• 31:46 - Alberts’ thoughts on TexAgs and the partnership between A&M Athletics and TexAgs
• 36:25 - Alberts on increased engagement on Texas A&M’s social media platforms
• 38:50 - Alberts on A&M’s football success and its impact on his day-to-day
• 41:15 - Alberts on what he has learned about Mike Elko
• 45:00 - Introducing Alan Cannon
• 46:00 - The importance of sports to Cannon as a young man
• 48:48 - On how Cannon got started in sports information
• 54:00 - Cannon on becoming a full-time SID at Texas A&M
• 57:10 - Cannon on spending 43-plus years with Texas A&M Athletics
• 1:02:00 - Cannon on which behaviors are important to longevity
• 1:04:57 - Cannon on his most memorable stories from his time at A&M
• 1:10:25 - Cannon on his experience while Johnny Manziel was playing
• 1:15:55 - Cannon on Bucky Richardson as a Texas A&M icon
• 1:17:48 - Cannon on Hayden Schott
• 1:18:45 - Cannon on the transformation of media during his career
• 1:20:50 - Cannon on NIL
• 1:22:30 - Cannon on why sports are so powerful in the United States
• 1:24:15 - Cannon on handling crisis in sports information
• 1:27:38 - Cannon on his thoughts on TexAgs
• 1:30:40 - Cannon’s recollection of traveling back from a basketball game in 1989
• 1:33:20 - Cannon on trust and relationships being applicable across all fields of work
• 1:35:05 - Cannon on how you address a “Sliced Bread” situation
• 1:37:20 - Cannon on handling change throughout his career

About SPMT 489

The Special Topics course “The Power of Sports” will explore the multifaceted impact of sports on society, culture, and business. Through a combination of guest speakers, class discussions and professional development events, students will gain insights into the various aspects of the sports industry.