With Ripkin Account in Tow, Maroon Seeks Solo Success

By Mark R. Smith, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF



John Maroon's career in professional sports has spanned 18 years. It began when the graduate of St. John's University in Queens, N.Y., launched his career with Major League Baseball as a public relations assistant with the American League in 1987.

In 1990, Maroon moved to Cleveland and served as the director of media relations for the Cleveland Indians for five seasons.

It was in 1995 that he moved to Baltimore to become public relations director for the Orioles and met Cal Ripken, Jr., with whom he worked closely as the Hall of Famer marched toward the consecutive games played record that culminated with Ripken's participation in his 2,131st consecutive game on Sept. 6, 1995.

During Maroon's stint with the Orioles, he was also involved in trips to the American League Division Series and American League Championship Series in 1996 and 1997, as well as the team's historic visit to Cuba.

After heading south on Route 95 in 1999 to work as a vice president of communications with the Washington Redskins, in August 2000 Maroon joined The Tufton Group, the company that handled Cal Ripken, Jr.'s business affairs - which later evolved into Ripken Baseball.

From its Aberdeen headquarters, he oversaw all communications and branding for the company and its subsidiaries, including the Aberdeen IronBirds minor league club, the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, Ripken Management & Design and Ripken Camps & Clinics. He also served as the spokesperson for Ripken Baseball and Cal Ripken, Jr., and booked and directed all of Ripken's speaking engagements and public appearances.

Then, with the endorsement of Cal Jr., Maroon left Ripken Baseball in March 2006 to start Maroon Public Relations in Marriottsville. In addition to running the company, Maroon sits on the boards of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and the Babe Ruth Museum.



Why did you make the move from full-time employment at Ripken Baseball to start your own public relations company in a rural area of western Howard County?

I guess I had a mid-life crisis. When I turned 40 I had worked at Cal's company for more than five years and thought that, if I was ever going to start my own business, I'd better do it now. My dad was an entrepreneur who owned various businesses, and my brother and sister each own their own businesses in New Jersey, so I guess it's in my blood. Cal said it would be a great idea and that he would be my first client. That really gave me the guts to move forward.

My wife and I have lived in Ellicott City for seven years and opening the office about five minutes from the house seemed to make great sense. We love it here and I can't imagine us leaving.



How did you get involved with Ripken and his business enterprises?

My first year was the year he broke Lou Gehrig's record [for consecutive games played], so we worked very closely together and just hit it off. After spending a year with the Redskins, Cal and I talked about my working for his company, and it was a great move for me to return to Baltimore.



How did Cal's old company, The Tufton Group, evolve into Ripken Baseball?

When Cal was playing, the company operated as Tufton to stay somewhat anonymous. Ripken Baseball used to be the name used solely by their youth camps business. But once he retired, we decided that using the name to grow the business made sense, and it has worked well. Nearly everything they do is based on baseball.



How much of your time is devoted to the Ripken account?

Cal really didn't hire my company as much as he hired me, so I handle all things Cal. It isn't our largest account, but it was our first and is, in many ways, greater than the revenue it generates. It's one of our most valuable, for sure.



What were some of your personal highlights as Ripken built his business holdings?

I enjoyed my relationship with Cal when I was the Orioles PR director from 1995 to 1999, but when I started working for him just prior to his retirement and we started to build his business, it took it to another level.

Some of the fun things that I was a part of were the acquisition of the team [the former Utica Blue Sox] that became the IronBirds, groundbreaking of the Aberdeen complex and just seeing the business evolve and grow as fast as it did. When I started there, we had about seven full-time employees. Now, they have more than 100.



Cal has been incredibly generous in giving his time to fans who want his autograph, but how has that attitude translated to his life in the nonprofit world?

Cal always talks about how baseball gave him a platform that would allow him to help others, and he has done that in many ways. Initially, that meant things like signing autographs, lending his name to different causes and making appearances.

The only downside of that approach is that if you stand for everything, you stand for nothing. So, now he is much more focused philanthropically with the Cal Ripken, Sr., Foundation and what part of the organization is doing for disadvantaged youth nationwide.



Given Cal's image of quiet dignity, how carefully do you consider what he endorses? Do you turn away many of the companies that approach him? Who is he representing now?

I actually do not sign endorsement deals for Cal. A company in New York called Designer Management Agency handles that for him. That said, he is very selective on who he works with and who he represents, which has been the case for a very long time. It started with his deal with the Mid-Atlantic Milk Marketing Association back in the '80s. Some of the companies he currently endorses include Bank of America, XM Radio, Comcast, Rinnai Water Heaters, Nike, Esskay, Holiday Inn and Energizer.

He and I work closely on messaging for these companies and how his appearances and remarks will be scrutinized. He is very thoughtful about that, and I wish that more athletes were like him in that way.



How much does the Ripken name help you acquire other accounts?

That's immeasurable. My relationship with Cal has given my company a great deal of creditability. The thought is, "Hey, if Ripken uses them, they must know what they're doing." I'm grateful for all he has done for me both professionally and personally. But one challenge that I face is making it clear to new or prospective clients that we are not a package deal. You don't get access to Cal if Maroon PR is your PR firm.



Given that many an adult has met Cal and been too awestruck to say anything cogent, what's the funniest story (that you can share, anyway) concerning business contacts trying to meet (or get something from) him?

Wow. First off, all of that is true. Cal has quite an effect on men and women, and there have been many instances where people have become tongue-tied.

Also, this isn't funny, but there have been many times when people have come to tears when meeting him. It's because they recall a time when they were at one of his memorable games with a loved one who passed, or they recall a time when he spent time with a sick child whom they knew. Things like that happen quite a bit and they are often powerful.



What words would you use to describe your relationship with him? Would he still speak to you if you ever called in sick? (That's a joke.)

Our relationship is very strong, both personally and professionally. I believe that I know him better than most people, and we are very honest and candid with each other. He values my opinion and that means a great deal to me because he is one of the smartest and most thoughtful people I have known.

I don't think he would mind if I called in sick [laughing]. But I'll also tell you that when we're on the road for business - say a book tour - he sets a grueling schedule and fully expects us to keep up. It's not always easy to do.



What's on the horizon for Maroon PR? Do you prefer to stay with sports-related accounts?

We're continuing to grow and add clients. Our two-year anniversary is in April and we hope go from $600,000 in gross revenues in 2007 to $1 million this year; we'll be adding a couple more employees to our team soon. Today, we are primarily an agency that concentrates on sports and entertainment companies, which encompasses anything from sports to athletes to games and events. So as we have grown, we have been able to become more focused.