Almost 15 years into his career in venue management, Duane Scott, II, is a leader in his field. As vice president of booking and event operations at Toyota Center, home to the NBA’s Rockets, he calls Houston home. Still, he proudly makes known that he is always a Gamecock: a native of Irmo and University of South Carolina alumnus, having earned his degree from the university’s highly-ranked sport and entertainment management program.

When he was growing up, Scott’s family frequently supported Gamecock athletics and took annual trips to see professional sporting events in Charlotte and Atlanta. Looking back, he sees those experiences, those core memories, as his origin story: the genesis of his desire to make his life's work providing experiences and moments like that for countless other people.

As a teen, he volunteered with church groups working at Williams-Brice Stadium and through various internships as a student, he saw several sides of the business.  As a USC student, he learned not only academic lessons, but also a big-picture philosophy which has shaped his career.

"They preach to us right there in the classrooms that this industry's relationship-based. You’ve got to be intentional yet authentic, you’ve got to be able to get outside of your comfort zone. Allow relationships to foster organically." Scott says. "People can sense when you are sincere and when you're naturally yourself, the consistent interactions you create. I think that's the most important thing initially as you're looking to progress throughout your career."

Scott wasted no time putting those lessons to work. His final internship as a student at Columbia’s Colonial Life Arena turned out to be the start of something big, even though he did not find a full-time role immediately upon graduating.

"I decided to just stick around and work part-time in the ticket office. I just made sure from a visibility standpoint that I was still engaged. A few months later, a full-time position opened up, I seized that opportunity and really never looked back. Though I was prepared to relocate, I was incredibly fortunate and lucky to be able to start my career right in my hometown," he says.

He stayed at CLA for five years, steadily climbing and serving in various departments including ticket operations, group and premium sales and events. He oversaw a wide variety of concerts, family shows, USC basketball games, while also handling gameday event staffing and guest services for Gamecock football and baseball.

Scott then made the move to Houston, accepting a booking role at Shell Energy Stadium (then BBVA Compass Stadium), home to Major League Soccer’s Houston Dynamo, NWSL’s Houston Dash and Texas Southern University football. Following a successful tenure, he transitioned  to the University of Houston athletics deptment as the director of event booking & live entertainment, opening Fertitta Center their new arena and continuing to oversee all programming and external events. He was quickly elevated to assistant general manager for booking and event operations. In February of 2024, he accepted his new position with Toyota Center and the Houston Rockets. All along the way, he made authentically maintaining relationships a priority.

He welcomed students led by Professor Tom Regan to Houston, taking them on a behind-the-scenes venue tour and offering advice. He accepted numerous invitations to be a virtual guest speaker in classes at USC, including those taught by Sporty Jeralds. He kept in touch with College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management Director of Alumni and External Relations Tina Weaver, and welcomed her and Dean Michael Sagas to Houston for a visit in 2023. He has built and maintained relationships with fellow alumni, and strongly advises current students to do the same with their peers.

"Starting out in the industry, naturally you want to prioritize networking 'up.’ You want to elevate, you want to kind of fast-track your career, but take time to network at your level as well. Don't miss out on those that are around you; even classroom connections have had instrumental value throughout my career. I can't tell you how many times I've crossed paths with fellow Department of Sport and Entertainment Management alums who are having success in the industry. Throughout the years, we’ve been able to lean on each other as resources, sharing industry trends and best practices and even leveraging relationships of our own to foster new connections," he says.

That sincere effort to make connections, show genuine interest in others and build a stellar reputation has paid off. Throughout his career, Scott has seemingly found roles based on reputation.

"It's an honor and certainly keeps you grounded. To me, that says less about me, my professionalism, or production in previous roles, and more about character. That's the person that they want to bring inside of their organization and it resonates based on good merit. Beyond that, the work is going to speak for itself," he says.

Scott’s work has spoken for itself. His commitment to building relationships has brought him lifelong friends and mentors, as well as career advancement. And his loyalty to his alma mater has provided valuable lessons for many Gamecocks and will for many more to come.