The MF Entertainment Advantage
Media Coverage
Mike Flaskey has an important title, a catchy nickname and a 5-handicap in golf — an enviable combination for the former minor league baseball player.
The CEO of Diamond Resorts — a.k.a. “The Vacation Doctor — now has his own cutting-edge logo, too. A skull wearing Flaskey’s trademark visor, sporting the initials, ‘MF,’ sits above two golf tees positioned like crossbones.
As the heavy, thumping beat of “Funky Town” pounds across the air, Glenlivet single malt scotch drinks flow copiously in a nearby hospitality tent, and idle cornhole bags ready for flight await just a flop wedge away, on a front tee.
You’d never think you were standing on the 18th hole at an official LPGA event. The season-opening Diamond Resort Tournament of Champions touts itself as a bash that transcends your run-of-the-mill tournament, then raises a glass and lives up to billing.
PGA Tour Champions is bringing the new ClubCorp Classic, a professional and celebrity golf tournament, to Las Colinas Country Club. The tournament will tee off April 22-24, 2022, and is set to be played each year through 2025 at the newly renovated course.
ClubCorp CEO David Pillsbury and PGA Tour Champions President Miller Brady expect the tournament to draw in upwards of 15,000 fans throughout the weekend with a total estimated economic impact between $10 to 15 million, with all net proceeds from the tournament headed toward DFW-based charities.
While timeshares have earned a reputation as popular among the baby boom generation, Diamond Resorts wants to change that perception by targeting millennials with different perks.
“Millennials have been at the forefront and how we get them involved in our product,” Diamond Resorts CEO Michael Flaskey told Fox Business’ Maria Bartiromo on Tuesday. For years, the baby boomers have been the core demographic of the vacation ownership industry. We’ve created some cool new products that are short-term, they can walk away from it after ten years. We’re seeing record folks coming in at that Millennial demographic.”
Like many young athletes, I thought I would end up playing baseball my whole life. That was my goal throughout high school, college and during my post-grad years coaching high school baseball and working as a professional baseball scout for the Montreal Expos.
Of course, the plan changed as it became evident that I would not play at the Major League level. I found my way into the vacation ownership industry as a salesperson, but I wouldn’t trade my experiences in the baseball world for anything. My career’s success is tied directly to the lessons I learned on the athletic field, and I continue to apply many of these takeaways every day in my current role as CEO leading over 10,000 team members at Diamond Resorts. Here are a few nuggets from my playing and scouting days that remain relevant for any aspiring leader.
Country music performer Lee Brice will be the headliner for a one-night benefit concert at the Cajundome on Sunday, Nov. 7 at 5 p.m. to help the victims of Louisiana’s hurricanes.
The Ragin’ Country Crawl concert will also feature performers Randy Houser, Colt Ford and Dee Jay Silver.
“It’s a great honor for me personally to come out and play a small role in helping out the proud, resilient people of Louisiana,” said Brice in a press release. “Country music has a special power to unite and uplift, and I look forward to taking the stage and inspiring fans to take action and lend a helping hand to families and communities facing a long road to recovery.”