Only a very small percentage of hockey players are fortunate enough to earn a spot in the greatest hockey league in the world, but there's more than one way to join the NHL. Lifelong Warren countian and Viola resident Jaren Watts is proof of that.
A 2019 graduate of Boyd High School, Watts then attended MTSU where he earned a Bachelor's in Business Administration with a minor in Economics and Finance. Despite planning a career as a financial advisor, his passion for sports led him to apply on a whim for an internship with the Nashville Predators hockey team. That led to him starting work with the team last August.
"I interned in the Predators' corporate sponsorship department, dealing with marketing and sales combined where I sold billboard signage and signage in the arena as well. I did whatever they needed and, through my work ethic, they were impressed enough to hire me as a full-time inside sales associate," Watts said.
Watts' job as a sales associate generally involves working the phones and building relationships remotely but Watts enjoys getting out and visiting potential customers face-to-face as well, including some stops here in Warren County.
"I want to make a difference in this area and bring the Preds to people who may not have been exposed to them before. I'm just grateful to be in this position. I grew up a Preds fan but I never thought I'd be working for my favorite team. I want people to know to not let being from a small town predict your future," Watts said.
Watts' love of hockey was sparked by another Warren countian. "Terry Kidd who owned Kidd Ford is a big hockey guy and played up in Michigan. He wasn't going to a game one time and gave his tickets to my family. Ever since then, I've been hooked. I think Nashville is a hockey town now. The Titans are there and they're great and I love football, but the Preds have really built something special, especially after the Stanley Cup Final run in 2017," Watts said.
Watts' job has brought him into close contact with many of the players, working specifically with Alexandre Carrier and Cody Glass, among others, during various events. "I've come across most of the players and every one of them are really team-culture guys and just overall great people," Watts said.
Watts can help customers with purchasing season tickets, single-game tickets, group outing options, premium offerings or Bridgestone Arena concerts and can be contacted during office hours at (615) 770-2381 or at jwatts@nashvillepredators.com.
