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WTT Washington Kastles

The OSC Interview: Washington Kastles Master of Ceremonies Leighton Condell

by Fran Stuchbury
July 31, 2015 - World TeamTennis (WTT)
Washington Kastles


Fran Stuchbury with Washington Kastles In-Game-Host/Master of Ceremonies Leighton Condell
Fran Stuchbury with Washington Kastles In-Game-Host/Master of Ceremonies Leighton Condell
(Washington Kastles, Credit: Fran Stuchbury)

OurSports Central contributor Fran Stuchbury spoke to Washington Kastles in-game-host/master of ceremonies Leighton Condell after Washington's 25-9 playoff victory over the Philadelphia Freedoms in Washington, DC Thursday night. Condell has been with the Kastles since the team's inaugural season in 2008 and does his job ten feet in the air, walking on stilts. Condell runs a company Called Ace-High Marketing, Inc. based in Atlanta. In addition to his duties with the Kastles, he has worked with most of the Atlanta sports teams including the Atlanta Hawks, Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Thrashers, Atlanta Beat, Atlanta Silverbacks and Georgia Force. He also went on tour with Jimmy Buffett and worked with the Harlem Globetrotters.

Fran Stuchbury: How did you get involved with working for the Washington Kastles?

Leighton Condell: Actually the people that run the game operations for the Kastles are main people from the NHL Washington Capitals. At the time my buddy was running the Capitals and he called. I am from Atlanta and don't even live in Washington, DC. They have flown me up here since the inaugural season in 2008.

FS: How old were you when you learned to walk on stilts and how long have you been able to do that?

LC: At the age of 32 in the year 2000 and have been doing that for 15 years.

FS: Do you enjoy interacting with Kastles fans and getting them pumped up during the matches?

LC: I touch lives for a living and I bring smiles to people's faces. A lot of times people only think you can get a smile from laughter but you can get a smile from touching someone's heart. I talk to as many fans in the stadium as possible and just touch their lives one person at a time.

FS: Tell about your company, Ace-High Marketing in Atlanta, Georgia. What is that all about?

LC: It's a promotional staffing agency that specializes in experiential marketing. We provide staff for events. So this year alone I have done the Final Four and worked at the Super Bowl. I have done the Grammy's; I do college football tours, the Miranda Lambert concert and the NBA All-Star Weekend. We provide staff for events nationally for different brands. I just got booked to do a Bowl Game, the 2nd annual Popeyes Bahamas Bowl on Christmas Eve. So I will be at Atlantis (Resort) with my staff at the Bahamas.

FS: So what sports teams have you worked with?

LC: At some time or another I still work with pretty much every team in Atlanta. I have worked for the Braves, Falcons, Thrashers, the Beat, which was a WPS women's soccer team; a men's soccer team, the NASL Atlanta Silverbacks; and Georgia Tech. I work with every sports team in Atlanta in some way shape or form.

FS: You toured with Jimmy Buffet; how was that experience?

LC: Next to the Kastles, that was my favorite event ever. Those guys are so awesome. Jimmy Buffet is a class act, and he really is. To this day if you work for Jimmy Buffet and you kept on good terms, you can come back to the concert at any time.

FS: How did you like working with the Harlem Globetrotters? How was that experience?

LC: You know what, that was probably the hardest experience, but the most fun I ever had. You're in a different city every day; sometimes you're doing two or three shows at a time. I have a lot of love for the Harlem Globetrotters because they really are ambassadors for the United States as well as basketball. Those guys are awesome. I still talk to a lot of them to this day.

FS: How do you like working with Kastles owner Mark Ein?

LC: You know to have an owner so into you and respect you so much... he will say, "I love you Leighton, I love you." I know he means it. Nothing but positive things to say about Mark Ein. It's delightful to work for the Kastles and work for him. I even told them if Atlanta gets a WTT expansion team, I am still Kastles.




Images from this story

Fran Stuchbury with Washington Kastles In-Game-Host/Master of Ceremonies Leighton Condell
Fran Stuchbury with Washington Kastles In-Game-Host/Master of Ceremonies Leighton Condell
(Fran Stuchbury)		   

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