Endorsements
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“Hats off to Don and the team. Their commitment, professionalism, and unwavering devotion to excellence showed through in shining colors this year in Orlando. The adjustments made to the Sunrise Celebration following a last-minute change with a keynote speaker was an incredible act of fortitude. Excellent work by all. Thank you!”
Rhett Evans
Chief Executive Officer
Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
“With Don leading as Show Director, Costante Group took premier events at our annual conference to an unprecedented level. I knew the events would be better, but Costante Group’s creativity, experience and dedication to perfection exceeded all my expectations. From the beginning planning stages to onsite execution Don choreographed the logistics flawlessly. I could not be more excited about Don and Costante Group being part of my team”
Jana Brown, CMP
Director, Conference Events
Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
“Don and the rest of the Costante Group are consummate professionals who take great pride in their work and deliver upper echelon national scale events that leave lasting impressions on people. The production quality and experiential component of what the Costante Group provides is second to none. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better group for delivering a high-quality event and experience!”
Nate Seamon
President
Precision Sports Group | Navy All-American Bowl
“Don Costante helped Derby County transform and revolutionize it’s event presentation. He helped us to develop a stronger pre-event, halftime and post-event production, equipping us with the skills and tools to achieve a slick show. He delivered some fantastic training to our event day staff to enable them to deliver pitchside events seamlessly. Don was able to adapt his style to suit English football without compromising the fundamentals of event presentation. I would recommend Don to any sports club to improve their event presentation, he’s a pleasure to work with and his knowledge and experience are invaluable.”
Faye Nixon
Former Marketing Manager
Derby County Football Club
“Don is extremely knowledgeable and experienced in the field of event presentation. His preparation and attention to detail are second-to-none. He projects confidence through his actions and leads his staff to execute well-designed projects that go above and beyond every time.”
Dayton Moore
Senior Advisor, Baseball Operations
Texas Rangers
“After having relied on Don for his programming and entertainment knowledge at NBA All-Star Jam Session for 12 consecutive years, Don’s expertise was requested on multiple international events, the highlight of which was the 2010 Asia Challenge in Manila, Philippines, featuring over a week of grassroots, community and sponsor events anchored by a special NBA Legend exhibition game. Don’s efforts were instrumental in the development and execution of programming the entire week and were met with praise and appreciation by sponsors and our regional office in Asia. He’s proven his abilities on NBA business on both domestic and international platforms.”
Karen Barberan
Associate Vice President, NBA Global Events
National Basketball Association
“I have known Don for the past few years while working with the San Antonio Spurs and I have had the pleasure to work with him during numerous NBA All-Star Activities and Events. Don is extremely talented, organized and a proven leader in professional sports. He has a strong background in Game Presentation, Video Production, Promotions and Events while leading his team to the top in NBA Event Presentations.”Josh Richardson
Executive Producer, Live Programming & Broadcasting
New Orleans Pelicans
“Costante Group delivered! I hired Don and his team of professionals to direct and produce the 2011 NFL Players Association Game in San Antonio, Texas. Their knowledge and practical experience in all facets of event presentation was invaluable as they exceeded my expectations and delivered a professional atmosphere that not only enhanced the gameday experience of everyone in attendance but established our brand in the city of San Antonio.”
Kenny Hansmire
Former Chairman
NFL Players Association Game
“Thanks very much for taking the time to present to our Conference USA Marketing Directors. Your presentation was right on and full of great information and tips. I loved the use of video within your PowerPoint document as a way to actually show examples of what you were talking about – overall it was a great multimedia presentation. I have received lots of feedback from our Marketing Directors, as well, and they came away with some new and creative ideas to make their events even better.”
Kelly Carney
Senior Associate Commissioner
Conference USA
“Don understands the big picture including how game presentation impacts recruiting. With his years of experience, industry contacts and an unerring sense of timing, Don takes the guesswork out of creating an unforgettable experience. He provided us with a customized formula to create an exciting gameday atmosphere by taking advantage of our resources. If you’re looking for a competitive edge, I highly recommend hiring Don.”
Rick Barnes
Head Coach – Men’s Basketball
University of Tennessee
“Don’s tremendous insight into enhancing the gameday atmosphere proved to be a huge asset to our members. Through his convention presentation, the NACMA membership was able to look at the game experience in a whole different way and will help to create success stories on campuses throughout the country.”
Dennis Kalina
Senior Deputy Director of Athletics/COO
Binghamton University
“It was a pleasure working with Don Costante and his group at the Jordan Brand Classic in NYC. Pregame timing with this event used to be the major issue in regards to me and my staff putting together a clean telecast from start to finish. However, when Don and his group came on board, it was the least of my worries… as it should be. Don’s knowledge and professionalism is second to none.”
Steve Melton
Producer
ESPN
“Don’s insights into his experience leading teams to create engaging events was an unbelievable addition to our facilities and event management course. He took our students through a presentation on the importance and role of events sector in the context of the broader sport industry while also discussing tips and providing mentorship for our students. Don’s knowledge and ability to connect people is incredible, but his willingness to come to our campus in Minneapolis to donate his time in meeting with our student’s is a testament to how he views building meaningful relationships.”
Clinton J. Warren, Ph.D.
Sport Management | School of Kinesiology
University of Minnesota
“Don and the team at the Costante Group have a wealth of experience in sport and event management. We are extremely excited to partner with them to honor this year’s inductees into the College Baseball Hall of Fame and recognition of the College Baseball Foundation’s annual award winners with the 2024 Night of Champions.”
Craig Ramsey
Chairman
College Baseball Foundation
“From the minute we engaged with Don and the Costante Group team our event was on path towards success. The level of detail and care they showed in the planning and execution of the Night of Champions and VIP reception provided the team with the confidence to focus on other areas as the Costante Group was on it! The production value that Don and his team built into the event was recognized by everyone who attended. When the Night of Champions ended the ballroom remained crowded with our guests, They didn’t want to leave because they enjoyed the evening so much! This is the sign of a great event and we appreciate what it means for the future of the Night of Champions.”
Warren R. Wilkinson
President & CEO
Visit Overland Park
“I am happy to endorse Don Costante and the Costante Group. Not only have I known Don for nearly 20 years through his time in the NBA and most recently with the Kansas City Royals, however, I hired him to conduct an independent analysis of the 2017 Daytona 500 event experience on behalf of NASCAR. His approach to the project was very thorough from pre-event preparation to on-site analysis to the final write-up. He delved into areas of the race event experience that were not identified even during the pre-event prep and provided his subjective analysis in a professional and concise manner with real solutions for improvement.”
Jeff Wohlschlaeger
Former Senior Vice President, Chief Sales Officer
NASCAR
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Don Costante for the past four years on the San Antonio Sports All-Star High School Football game. As the Vice President of San Antonio Sports I looked to engage a partner who would be able to run administrative operations, the run of show, integration of sponsorship brand benefits within the scope of a seamless football operation. As a professional in this industry having worked with the NFL, the NBA, MLS and multiple Olympic governing bodies, I was doubtful I could find any one organization that had all skill sets and experience to help execute this premier event for San Antonio. Not only did Don and his team delivered and executed flawlessly but it was a pleasure to work with such a professional. It was a godsend!”
David Voth
Former Vice President of Marketing
San Antonio Sports
“Don understands the fan experience as well as anyone in the business. He pays attention to the details, which is critical in event production. Don Costante knows how to get the job done right.”
Brian O’Gara
Vice President, Events and Game Presentation
Major League Baseball
“Recognizing the ever-increasing importance of the in-game entertainment experience in our industry, we turned to the Costante Group for a comprehensive audit and evaluation. We were impressed with the Costante Group’s experience, thoroughness, and vision for how best to entertain and engage the fan – and would not hesitate to recommend the Costante Group to its next prospective client.”
Teddy Werner
Former Senior Vice President – Marketing and Fan Experience
Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club
“Don’s attention to detail, uncompromising standards of excellence and ability to develop creative promotions with new inventory for our sales managers to sell, was very much appreciated by our management team, sponsors and fans.”
Lawrence Payne
Former Senior Vice President, Broadcasting
Spurs Sports & Entertainment
“Don’s planned numerous events that have added to the fan experience. And the entertainment value he’s provided has contributed to our high season ticket renewal rate. Don is hardworking, creative, pays meticulous attention to detail and remains calm under pressure. He is a natural leader and has a very likeable demeanor and personality.”
Joe Clark
Former Vice President, Youth Sports & Community Engagement
Spurs Sports & Entertainment
“Throughout his time in professional sports and events, Don’s shows have been seen as the standard in event presentation. His leadership and production skills are held in such a high regard that, since 2003, the NBA has chosen to utilize the Costante Group to direct and produce NBA Jam Session at All-Star Weekend. I had the privilege of working under Don at the 2011 Jam Session in Los Angeles. I was very impressed with his leadership, as well as his ability to manage such a wide variety of different events over the course of 5 days. Because of this wealth of experience and obvious attention to detail, I would definitely recommend the Costante group for any event or production needs.”
Chadwick Folkestad
Former SVP, Content & Entertainment Experience
Arizona Coyotes
“I had the utmost pleasure of working under Don’s direction for 7 years both with the San Antonio Spurs and with the NBA All-Star games 2006-2011. His attention to detail, creativity and motivation to go above and beyond in creating and executing game and event presentation is by far the best in the business. He is well respected throughout the NBA and often looked to for advice and direction. His passion for this industry keeps him, as well as his staff motivated to strive for excellence. Don is by far the definition of a team player and an outstanding manager whose primary goal is to make those around him better than him. If quality and professionalism is what you are looking for, Don Costante is your man.”
Jackie Maldonado
Senior Producer
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
“Don’s expertise simply is outstanding in the area of team-building individuals to provide top-quality event production and presentation. He understands how to motivate and connect the cogs in the event machine to smoothly create the ultimate fan and consumer-friendly environment. He does this with humor, professionalism and creative wit. Whether you are a spectator, client, sponsor or athletics team member, Don aims to please and delivers results.”
Christine Plonsky
Director Women’s Athletics | Sr. Associate AD
The University of Texas at Austin
“Don Costante has been a wonderful resource for both my graduate and undergraduate Sport Facilities and Event Management Classes. His longtime experience in the NBA and MLB provides my students with unparalleled insights and tips regarding the complex orchestration of a major sports event.”
Bernie Kish, Ph.D
Sports Management Professor Emeritus
University of Kansas
“We really wanted to reimagine our Late Night in the Phog event and Costante Group’s expertise in providing a best in class fan experience for their events really spoke to us. We are thrilled with our partnership.”
Jason Booker
Deputy Athletics Director – External Affairs & Revenue Generation
Kansas Athletics
“The Costante Group is absolutely great to work with. They brought organization, creativity and an incredible level of professionalism to our Late Night in the Phog Basketball event. Don and his staff really have the program and fan experience at the forefront of everything they do and were a huge asset in the execution of our event. I highly recommend them for any event or activity you may be implementing.”Drew Gaschler
Associate Athletics Director Marketing and Fan Experience
Kansas Athletics
“We have had the pleasure of working with Don and his team on the annual Jordan Brand Classic event here at Madison Square Garden. Don’s leadership, professionalism and work ethic have helped elevate the game day presentation to a new level. Throughout all of my dealings with Don, he has proved himself to be very detail oriented and a true team player. He always maintained a positive attitude as well as a level of reliability that is second to none.”
Sal Federico
Vice President, Sports Properties
The Madison Square Garden Company
“The Costante Group has helped elevate the Connecticut Sun game day experience for fans of all ages. Their experience supporting theme nights and sponsor activations, directing of our game day staff, and engaging fans has been critical to our success. We are thankful for their professionalism, creativity, and attention to detail, creating special memories for Sun fans at home at Mohegan Sun Arena.”
Jennifer Rizzotti
President
Connecticut Sun