Connor Pierce '27 doesn't mind being called names online, and he laughs off the death threats. "There's never been an actual threat." In his social media space, building your personal brand can be messy. But Connor is playing the long game.
Before Pierce earned a for-credit internship with Big Board Sports, a local sports talk radio show airing weekdays from 10:00 a.m. -- to 1:00 p.m. on 104.5 The Team, the Capital Region's ESPN radio affiliate, Connor answered their phones. He was doing the job of an intern for no pay and no credit, and he was one person in a long line of people desperate for the opportunity.
"I was putting callers on hold and editing sound clips. It was an easy job, and anyone could do it. I recognized I needed to bring something more to the table."
So he did. Connor chooses his words carefully when talking about a "dinosaur-ish" attitude toward social media in legacy radio. But, the stats don't lie, and engagement can lead to money. When he made the case to the show's co-hosts, Connor scored a promotion.
This fall, he's the social media director for Big Board Sports. Instead of answering calls, he's creating content and pushing the brand in front of more eyeballs online. The sports communications major is also a frequent on-air contributor during the show.
"We've already added more than 200 Instagram followers since I took over the account. We've had a couple posts really gain traction, including one that got more than 200,000 views."
Connor has even converted host Rodger Wyland into a believer. Rodger is learning all he can from Connor because he knows his social media director won't be his social media director forever. He has bigger plans.
The Washingtonville, New York native has his own show on WVCR and he's building a global following online. Connor's first passion is soccer, and his soccer-only Instagram page is gaining international followers. Sometimes his takes are controversial (which is true for any sports talk personality), and that can lead to some hateful comments. In fact, a contrarian post about the French national team earned a "Connor Pierce should die" response. Connor's grateful for the attention.
"CBS is not going to pull a soccer fan off the streets and give him a job. That's not how it works if you want to catch on with the Champions League, or if you want to get a job with FOX for the World Cup. There are times I'm holed up in the Siena radio station editing until midnight when my friends are out having fun. But I'm not afraid of the work. This is what it takes to chase your dreams."
And Connor credits Siena for giving him the pathways and encouragement to chase.
"People in my hometown have told me I'm crazy for chasing this. Siena and my professors have been so supportive of my dreams. I really appreciate that. My whole life, people have told me to shut up. It's never worked before. Why listen to them now?"