Sport Business

Curriculum

As a sport business major at the University of Mount Union, you will explore the sport industry and how it interacts with the business world. You will develop the necessary skills to make those interactions beneficial and profitable. You will study sport management, finance, public relations, marketing and administration as well as gain hands-on experience through the completion of research in the field.

Experiential Learning

Experiential learning opportunities include:

• Extended internships in the field that offer in-depth experience and training toward a future career
• Attending the Sports Sales Workshop and Job Fair (SSWJF) and industry conferences allows opportunities to network with professional and sport organizations
• Opportunity to present partnership ideas to members of various Cleveland sport organizations
• Run-a-Muc 5k Road race Administration
  
  

INTERNSHIPS

Internships provide practical, hands-on experience in the real world.

Alliance, Ohio is located within 90 minutes of Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Akron, Canton and Youngstown with each having an abundance of professional sport teams and organizations that sport business major students have the opportunity to work with. The sport business faculty members at the University of Mount Union have strong connections with professional teams and will be able to put you in contact with the appropriate people at each organization. If you choose to pursue an internship, there will be ample opportunity for extended, in-depth experience and training toward a future career.

Current Mount Union students have interned with the Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Cavaliers, National Basketball Academy, Pro Football Hall of Fame, Sports Time Ohio, Washington Wizards and St. Louis Cardinals. Schedule a campus visit to learn more in person.

GUEST SPEAKERS

SPORT SALES WORKSHOP AND JOB FAIR

The Sport Sales Workshop and Job Fair provides participants with valuable insights and proven successful sales techniques from some of the most successful professionals in the industry. Following an opening session with an overview of ticket sales, participants receive almost four hours of personalized sport sales training, as well as networking with sport industry executives during lunch.

With ticket sales being the best opportunity to find employment in the sport industry, the experiences and skills gained at the Sport Sales Workshop and Job Fair give participants a head start for a promising career. The training sessions provide participants with the unique opportunity to "audition" for entry-level sales positions.

Students and faculty from the Mount Union Sport Business program, in conjunction with representatives from the Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Browns, Portland Trail Blazers, Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche, plan and organize the Sport Sales Workshop and Job Fair.

PUBLIC RELATIONS AND MARKETING OF SPORTS PRESENTATIONS

In previous years, students in Dr. Jim Kadlecek’s Public Relations and Marketing of Sport course traveled to Cleveland to present partnership ideas to members of various Cleveland sport organizations. In 2016, students met with members of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, Cleveland Cavaliers and Cleveland Browns.

Part of what makes this project unique is that each of the three organizations have at least one Mount Union sport business alumnus working at the management level. This means that the students get real-world corporate advice from executives who were once in their shoes merely a decade or so prior.

For the project, students work with accounts the organizations are actively pursuing. They then meet with members of the partnership teams from each organization early in the semester to go over some of the objectives of each account.

For their final project in the class, students then have 15 minutes to present their work to the partnership leaders not only for a grade, but for their ideas to potentially become part of the organization’s actual pitch to the potential partner.

Students then receive feedback and exchange information with the executives to create important connections to help further their careers after graduation.

Careers

The sport industry is continually growing, and so are the number of individuals attracted to study and meaningful work in the expanding field of sport business. Students in the University of Mount Union’s sport business degree program put theory into practice every day, gaining hands-on knowledge and preparation for career success in a number of areas.

It is recommended that sport business students supplement the major by selecting either business administration or media studies as their minor, depending on individual interest or career goals.  And, when it comes time to finding internships, sources for networking and jobs after graduation, an outstanding group of alumni in the field of sport business is waiting to lend a hand.

Facilities

Supporting the educational and athletic program are outstanding physical facilities unusual for small college campuses. The MAAC, which includes the McPherson Center for Health and Well-Being, Timken Physical Education Building and the Peterson Field House is open seven days a week to Mount Union sport business students for unscheduled recreational activities as well as scheduled competitive events.

The McPherson Center for Health and Well-Being includes an aerobic room, strength and fitness room and a machine and exercise station room, as well as classrooms and offices. Included in the Timken Physical Education Building are a three-court gymnasium, a swimming pool, wrestling room, handball/racquetball courts, classrooms, training room and offices. The Peterson Field House includes a six-lane track with complete field event facilities and three tennis courts. The Gulling Training Center includes Nautilus weight training machines, Olympic bars and weights, Hammer equipment and other conditioning equipment for athletic teams. Other facilities include a 5,600-seat football stadium; an outdoor track; tennis courts; and soccer, baseball and softball fields.