Over the last week an interesting topic surfaced amongst some of my colleagues in Sport Management. The basic tenor of the topic surrounded the following two questions: “Are there too many sport management degree programs?” and “Are the programs teaching students the most beneficial material for them to be successful in the sport industry?” 

 My colleagues made some valid points regarding the content of curricula across the country.  I found two in particular that were very good and think they should be considered in more detail.  The first is that the market is being oversaturated with students graduating with a degree in Sport Management. Unfortunately, many graduates come from the programs that are not teaching students what they need to know in order to be successful in the field. Throwing a marketing course into a curriculum does not make a quality sport management program.  The second point, which I think is right on the money, is that the sport industry is much bigger than just professional sport.  As a result, it is not surprising that, like all businesses, sport-related businesses must be run by qualified individuals who know how to manage the unique attributes of sport businesses.

 While there are some very good programs, there are also programs that are not good at all. There is a big difference between what makes a quality program at the undergraduate, master and doctoral levels.  At the undergraduate level (I will just stick to that here) we have to prepare the students for a wide range of careers in the sport industry as well as prepare them to be successful in graduate school if they so choose to go that route. I have covered what makes a quality sport management program before.  I routinely talk with industry professionals about what they look for in hiring entry level employees.  Consistently, we hear employers are looking for someone who can do a number of different things as well as be able to sell.  This is true from the professional sport franchises, to college and high school athletic departments, to non-profit and community based sport organizations, etc. There is one caveat though that most sport professionals point out…regardless of the content of the program, if an individual does not have any desire or passion to work in the sport industry they will not be successful.

 Let’s face it; education is a business just as the sport industry is a business.  If educational institutions are not meeting the wants and needs of its consumers they will lose customers just like any other business. As a result, it is incumbent upon sport management programs to meet those wants and needs, help the students become successful and be willing to alter the programs as the industry evolves. We must all look at ourselves and our programs with a keen eye towards constantly developing and honing our skills as professionals in order to teach our students and model the behaviors necessary for us all to be successful in the future. What do you think?

Preparation is one of the key elements for success in any endeavor. I firmly believe this and encourage all of my students to plan and explore as many opportunities as possible as they move from one stage in their life to the next. I also believe that some of the best teachers, coaches and leaders in virtually any field come from the experiences of those who have forged ahead of us. As a result, I find myself seeking out advice from my mentors and successful individuals in a variety of fields. In turn, I often am used as a sounding board for my current students as they prepare for their future and even have the privilege of talking with my former students as they advance in their careers as well.

Along those lines, this week’s blog consists of a small portion of a panel discussion at York College of Pennsylvania. The attached video clip focuses on what each panel member feels is important to keep in mind when preparing for success after graduation. It applies to nearly everyone, regardless of their age, major or career aspirations. I hope it will provide you with useful information and points to consider. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and reactions…the panel participants included (as seen on the video from left to right):

• Mr. Bill Nuttall -- Owner & President Golden Viking Sports, LLC (formerly Diadora America)
• Ms. Megan Smith (’04) -- Guest Services & Logistics Coordinator Lowe’s Motor Speedway
• Mr. Matt Guercio -- Coordinator of Game Day Operations & Special Events C.W. Post Campus (Athletic Department), Long Island University
• Mr. Joseph (JW) Cannon -- Sponsorship Manager Brand Marketing ING U.S. Financial Services

This week’s post is a wrap up of the Princeton Sports Symposium and was written by guest blogger Georgie Crandell a senior sport management student at York College of Pennsylvania.

The 2009 Princeton Sports Symposium took place last Friday.  The planning committee of the symposium did an excellent job of putting together some first-rate panel groups, which led to some dynamic discussions. 

The opening roundtable of the day included speaker Roland Hemond, one of the most respected and experienced executives in baseball, and also speaker Tom Verducci, a senior writer at Sports Illustrated.  Roland Hemond spoke in a refreshing, storyteller sort of way; he even provided his personal cell phone number to everyone in the audience and told us to call any time.  Seriously.

The panel topics were well-suited for the current trends, the most popular being Building Your Brand With Social Media, and Digital Media and Technology I & 2.  Digital and social media and technology are on the rise as we speak, and companies are finally starting to understand what they need to do to stay connected with fans and customers. 

Personally, I found the panel discussion on Building Your Brand With Social Media most interesting.  Panel members included Christopher Lencheski, Managing Member and Team Owner, Quad City Mallards, Lewis Howes, Founder, SportsNetworker.com, Peter Robert Casey, the first person to have received media credentials for using Twitter during a sporting event, and Amy Martin from Digital Royalty.  Digital Royalty develops social media strategies for corporate and entertainment brands, professional athletes, sports teams and leagues.  A couple clients include Shaquille O’Neal and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).  The panel discussion hit on many topics including how to “humanize” a brand, how to get sponsors on board to help out with branding strategies, and also potential ways to track whether or not Tweets help to gain a customer as opposed to just a follower. 

In addition to providing stimulating discussions, the Princeton Sports Symposium also provided everyone in attendance with the opportunity to network with one another.  Again, the planning committee did an excellent job and the experience was definitely worth the time.

If you know someone who has been affected by breast cancer you should watch this interview.  Dave has authored books on girls/womens athletics in the past.  This book will not only help fill the leadership void it also gives money back to help find a cure for breast cancer.

I am a firm believer in the idea that it is okay to have differing opinions.  I try very hard to teach this to my students.  I also tell them that they need to be able to express their opinions in a thoughtful and articulate manner.  As individuals, we should be open to listening to other people’s opinions; if we disagree it is okay.  It doesn’t make someone right or wrong or good or bad.

 Over the last couple of days, I have been listening to the rhetoric being thrown around regarding Rush Limbaugh and his bid to buy a minority ownership stake in the St. Louis Rams.  In 2003, Rush was hired by ESPN for their NFL pre-game show. Let’s understand something before we go any further.  Rush Limbaugh was hired to give commentary, his opinion.  Everyone knew that he had controversial opinions.  When he made a comment about Donovan McNabb being an average quarterback, and the media propped him up because the media wanted to see a black quarterback succeed, people went nuts and started calling him a racist.  What Rush said had more to do with the media than with McNabb.  Whether you think McNabb is a great quarterback or not is a matter of opinion. Whether you believe what he said about the media is a matter of opinion.  What Rush did was what he was paid to do– give his opinion.  By all accounts that I am aware, nobody who knows Rush would label him a racist.  However, people who don’t know him but disagree with him and his political views are quick to throw that label at him.

 Rush Limbaugh would not be the most listened to radio talk show host in America if he was a racist. Nor would he garner the radio advertising dollars that he does if he was a racist. But you have geniuses such as Jim Irsay (who by the way has a laundry list of social problems) say he would not vote for Limbaugh to be an owner.  Remember that the Irsays left in the middle of the night from Baltimore to evade Maryland law to keep the Colts in Baltimore.  There are players who say they wouldn’t play for a team that Limbaugh was an owner for.  I am pretty sure if they were offered a contract better than they have now, they would sign it and be happy they had an ownership group that valued them that much. The NFL has rules to make sure that minorities are given a fair chance and yet they are still underrepresented and nothing is really said or done about it.

 The NFL is a private business.  They can keep Limbaugh out if they want to, and I am fine with that.  What I take issue with is the idea that an individual who has expressed a thoughtful and articulate argument has been cast as something he is not because people did not like what he had to say. On this subject, one of my Twitter friends said, “Not fond of restricting his ability to own a company, but someone w/ his track record in control of an NFL team makes me nervous.” Why does it make you nervous? What is he going to do? It’s not like he is a government official running the country into the ground!  What is his track record, being a successful business man?

 A large segment of our society has become so intolerant that if someone says something we don’t agree with, we label them as racists, or bad terrible people.  Whatever happened to the idea of a society where freedom of thought and speech was cherished and actually caused dialogue and progress?  Or does that only happen when we agree with what is said? Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer who gets paid to say provocative things, like him or don’t like him I don’t care, and that isn’t the point of this piece.  Agree or disagree with him, I don’t care.  If you agree you should be able to thoughtfully express why.  If you disagree, you should be able to thoughtfully express why on the merits of what he says and does, not just through words such as racist and divisive.  Go back and listen to what he said and form your own thoughts.  Remember, it is okay to disagree, but do it on the merits, form your own opinions, and express them in a thoughtful manner.  His political views should not be the issue concerning whether or not he becomes an owner of an NFL franchise.