Many of us were sitting at home or at a party watching Super Bowl LVIII on our TVs, eating appetizers, some of us hoping to catch a glimpse of Taylor Swift, cheering on one of the two teams. For Dylan Dotson, it was a little more up close and personal in a an on field experience pen by the San Francisco 49ers sidelines, ensuring the entire event ran smoothly.
Dylan is the event manager of Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Before that, he was just a kid walking the halls of Ayersville High School in 2008, dreaming of working in sports after graduation. That dream came to fruition after Dylan graduated from Bowling Green State University with a major in Sports Management and interned for the Detroit Tigers Park operations. He’s had a few other impressive jobs in the sports world and experiences since that internship, but his biggest “feather in his cap” was Super Bowl LVIII at the Las Vegas stadium.
The morning of the big game, Dylan arrived at Allegiant Stadium around nine and began managing and preparing for the teams and any celebrities to arrive. He said the best thing to do while handling an event that size is to “keep a calm, cool, collective approach.” Dylan takes great pride in being a leader by knowing the weight of his position. He explained that to be the best leader, one must be willing to do any of the jobs you’re asking of your employee. Throughout the game, he monitored to ensure things were running smoothly and troubleshot any minor problems that might have occurred. According to Dylan, the worst situation they experienced was some scanners shutting down, but they quickly resolved the issue. Overall, the game went off without a hitch.
A large part of Dylan’s job is guest experience. He explained that while being in the on field experience pen near the 49ers sidelines was neat, talking with the other people in the area was even better. Dylan enjoyed speaking with many of the players’ parents, and one of his favorite parts of the day was seeing the awe on their faces when they arrived on the field.
Many times, we wonder what or who can come from small towns. Dylan expressed his love for the Defiance area throughout the interview and what a difference it made in his life. Of course, there is something beautiful in growing where you’re planted. Still, there is also something beautiful about the community supporting someone to grow wings and fly, which is something Defiance, Ohio, should be proud of – not just with Dylan but with many of the incredible people who have come from Defiance County.
The confetti has rained, the victors have yelled “Viva Las Vegas,” the trophy ceremony ended hours ago, the stands are empty, lights are turning off, and Ayersville local Dylan Dotson gets to leave Allegiant Stadium that Sunday night, knowing he helped make Super Bowl XLVIII possible.
