Summer 2018

Table of Contents

Sport Analytics program receives $1 million gift 

Commitment to developing a new generation of professionals inspires donation from Syracuse University alumnus Andrew T. Berlin 

When Syracuse University’s Falk College launched a new degree in sport analytics in 2016, it was responding to the sport industry’s need for trained professionals able to process and analyze ever-increasing amounts of information to guide data-driven decision making. A $1 million gift by Syracuse University Trustee and alumnus, Andrew T. Berlin ’83, partner owner of the world champion Chicago Cubs and its minor league affiliate, the South Bend Cubs, will make a number of student focused initiatives in this fast-growing program possible.

“Syracuse University has played a very significant role by providing the foundation for my business success, and this gift is my way of making a commitment to help ensure that students will have the resources to make sport analytics the best program in the country,” Berlin said. “I believe this cutting-edge program—the first of its kind in the country—will shape the direction of the sports industry for years to come.”

The Berlin gift will provide scholarship and financial assistance to select undergraduate sport analytics students as well as support for faculty research, participation in academic symposiums, and student-focused sports analytical competitions. Berlin Scholars will be selected based on academic proficiency, research skills, and experiential engagement. Outstanding upper-level students interning with professional teams or sport analytics companies will be eligible for participation as Berlin Senior Research Associates to mentor younger classmates and conduct seminars on analytics techniques. Associates will also support sport analytics faculty research that may include co-authoring journal articles and presenting research findings at domestic and international sport analytic and economic academic symposiums.

“As the proliferation of sophisticated analytics in the sport industry continues to transform data-driven decision making, our graduates will provide strong technical and analytical skills sport organizations are seeking to make sound business decisions,” said Falk College Dean Diane Lyden Murphy. “We are grateful for the Berlin family’s generous support that will further escalate Syracuse University’s reputation as a nationally recognized leader in sport management education.”

Plans for a lecture series and creation of an on-campus program for high school students interested in sport analytics are also under development. The annual symposium featuring leading innovators in sport analytics will be hosted across the country, with the inaugural event taking place in Chicago to feature a panel of local industry executives and Syracuse University sport analytics professors. Over time, the symposium will incorporate graduates of the sport analytics program, including Berlin Scholars and Berlin Senior Research Associates. 

“The gift from Mr. Berlin will further expand the exciting opportunities available for the incredible students in our program,” said Dr. Rodney Paul, professor of sport management and sport analytics program director. “Mr. Berlin serves as a role model for our students, not just from his successes and leadership in the business and sports world, but also in terms of his generosity and care he exhibits as it relates to young people and the future.”

The future Berlin Sport Analytics Academy at Syracuse University will include guest speakers, projects, lectures and activities for high school students. Participants will benefit from gaining first-hand knowledge presented by sport analytics faculty and students while enhancing their analytical problem-solving and presentational skills.

“The generosity of the Berlin family gift allows us to follow our blueprint of recruiting Ivy League-caliber students from across the globe,” said Michael Veley, the Rhonda S. Falk Endowed Professor and chair and director of the Department of Sport Management. “Providing opportunities for our students to showcase their analytical and academic skills will allow us to build our brand while providing students with unlimited opportunities outside of the classroom.”

Falk College’s bachelor of science in sport analytics provides students with a deep understanding of math, statistics, research methodology, sport economics, database management, finance, and computer programming. Upon graduation, students will be prepared to think conceptually and analytically while applying these principles to real issues in sport organizations. The degree incorporates a mandatory foreign language requirement to prepare students for the global sport industry in a variety of possible analytics career paths on the player evaluation side, business side, or both.

“Mr. Berlin’s gift is a huge jumpstart to Syracuse University’s sport analytics program,” said Charles Garrett ’19, a dual major in sport analytics and broadcast and digital journalism. “It will provide tremendous opportunities for students to attend conferences and present research, keep facilities state of the art, and adapt with a rapidly growing field to assure we are readily prepared for the industry.”

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the job market for various data analyst disciplines is growing at 27 percent annually, far exceeding the national job growth average of 11 percent. The sport industry is the fifth largest economic sector in the U.S. economy, generating slightly less than $500 billion in 2014-15.

"Analytics are integral toward changing on-field baseball strategy and scouting talent,” said Jason McLeod, senior vice president of player development and scouting for the Chicago Cubs. McLeod, who is a three-time World Champion in that role with the 2016 Cubs and 2004 and 2007 Boston Red Sox, said, “The Syracuse University Sport Analytics program will offer interdisciplinary skills that will prepare students to become the next generation of analytical thinkers, both from a business and player development perspective.” Berlin is chairman and C.E.O. of Berlin.

Packaging, the leading global supplier of glass, plastic, and metal containers and closures. He graduated with a political science degree from the College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. He earned a law degree at Loyola University of Chicago, attended the Executive Program at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University, and studied military history at Boston University. A member of the Maxwell School Advisory Board and the Chicago Regional Council, he has supported the Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism—a joint endeavor of the Maxwell School and the College of Law— by creating the Andrew Berlin Family National Security Research Fund in honor of Professor Emeritus David Bennett.

“This gift is a giant step forward for the program,” said Justin Perline ’19, a dual major in sport analytics and newspaper and online journalism. “Having the resources to send students across the country and the world in pursuit of their passions is incredible. And most important, we now have the opportunity to bring Syracuse University’s sport analytics program into the national and international spotlight.”

Falk College’s offering in sport analytics is the newest addition in its academic portfolio of programs in the Department of Sport Management that includes sport management (B.S.), sport venue and event management (M.S.) and intercollegiate athletic advising and support (C.A.S.). 

Director's Greeting

As I reflect on the past year and gaze into the future, we must continue to prepare our students for the ever-changing sports industry. Legalized sports gambling … emergence of e-Sports … Virtual and Augmented Reality … global expansion … smart technology stadiums … emerging digital platforms and technology advancements … enhanced security at events, etc.

While the future of sports is intriguing, in the present-day we are confronted with disturbing and controversial ethical, moral and societal issues that our current students must address. C.T.E. and athlete safety, performance enhancing drugs and doping, domestic violence and sexual abuse among athletes, N.C.A.A. corruption, student-athlete, Olympic and F.I.F.A. scandals, racism, diversity and gender equality in sports, among others. The laundry list is long and complicated, but we have an obligation to prepare our students for the challenges confronting the sports industry and society as a whole. As a future generation of managers, executives and decision-makers, they will undoubtedly face ethical and legal matters that are pervasive throughout the sports world and overall society.

As educators, we must provide direction, leadership and critical thinking to inspire new and open-minded ways of thinking about important and often controversial issues. A deeper understanding is needed on many topics to ensure a more diverse, inclusive, welcoming and safe sporting environment for all ages of participants and spectators.

Sports can be an ideal platform to affect social change and it has been a hallmark of this program and the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. Today, more than ever, sport is woven into the social, cultural and economic fabric of society. It’s an integral part of the world and we have a responsibility to prepare students for the challenges and unethical circumstances that exist. Outside of the classrooms, and through our experiential efforts of engagement, our students are encouraged to support social causes, provide financial support through philanthropic fundraising events and host thought-provoking educational symposiums on topics that address societal problems.

We will continue to use sports as a platform to teach social responsibility and aid our community. This past academic year, our Sport Management Club Charity Sports Auction raised $56,800 for Meals on Wheels of Syracuse and our Sport Venue and Event Management graduate students’ charity golf tournament, dinner and auction raised $20,000 for Vera House, which provides services for domestic and sexual abuse victims in Central New York. What other Sport Management program in the country can make such claims? My sincerest congratulations to the many student leaders that volunteered their time and talents to support these wonderful causes.

Later this year we will create a Sport Management Alumni Advisory Council, and details will be forthcoming. I invite you to become engaged by visiting campus, attending our alumni functions, guest lecturing in a class, supervising a Capstone or internship, hiring our graduates or assisting however you can— to share in our mission of being the prominent academic leader in Sport Management.

As always, Be Loud, Be Proud, Be Orange!!

Sincerely,

Michael Veley
Director and Chair
Rhonda S. Falk Endowed Professor of Sport Management 

A message from our Dean

Since the Department of Sport Management welcomed its first class more than a decade ago, its academic offerings have evolved into world-class programs modeled for best practices inside and outside of the classroom. Sport management at Syracuse is well known for its deep industry connections, which we encourage students to embrace from the moment they arrive. These life-changing networking opportunities begin during a student’s first semester through guest lectures, alumni visits, and activities with industry leaders, many who sit on our Sport Management Advisory Board.

Internships and our required senior Capstones put students in touch with the industry where they make essential contacts that continue well after graduation. For students majoring in sport analytics, a senior thesis connects their interests with a faculty mentor as well as the sport industry through opportunities to present and publish their research. We are very grateful for the generosity of Syracuse University alumnus and member of the University’s Board of Trustees, Andrew T. Berlin, partner owner of the Chicago Cubs and its minor league affiliate, the South Bend Cubs. His visionary support will help us build our analytics program through scholarships and other critical student-centered opportunities.

As we embrace a new academic year, a growing list of sport management-focused special interest organizations complement our students’ fields of study that you can learn more about on the Sport Management website. We take great pride in the Department of Sport Management’s commitment to teaching social responsibility in sports, providing our students the know-how to engage workplaces and communities as socially conscious global citizens. We invite you to stay informed and involved with sport management at Syracuse! Together, we will continue doing great things.

Diane Lyden Murphy, M.A., M.S.W., Ph.D.
Dean, Falk College 

Students

Congratulations to the Class of 2018

On May 12, 2018, the David B. Falk College celebrated its Class of 2018 Convocation ceremony at Manley Field House. Eighty-one Sport Management undergraduates and 14 Sport Venue and Event Management master’s students took part in the ceremony.

The 2018 Sport Management Marshals were Alex Wood (undergraduate) and Paige Hammond (graduate). Destiny Castro, Chris Henderson and Alex Wood were named Falk College Scholars.

Thirty-five Sport Management students in the Class of 2018 graduated with honors with a G.P.A. of 3.4 or higher. Eighteen students graduated Magna Cum Laude (G.P.A. of 3.6 or higher) and seven graduated Summa Cum Laude (G.P.A. of 3.8 or higher).

The Department of Sport Management’s traditional celebration of its graduates on Commencement weekend continued this year, with more than 200 parents, family members, friends, faculty and staff gathering in Falk College on May 11 to celebrate the accomplishments of the Sport Management undergraduates and Sport Venue and Event Management master’s students.

This year’s awards ceremony featured remarks by Sport Management director and chair Michael D. Veley, College benefactor David B. Falk, and Syracuse University Trustee and Chicago Cubs minority owner Andrew Berlin. S.P.M. undergraduate director Dr. Gina Pauline led the awards ceremony to honor the Class of 2018.

Awards presented included: 

• Director’s Award—Alex Wood  

• Academic Excellence Award— William Kniesner  

• Matt Brodsky Philanthropic Award — Christina Myers  

• Sport Management VIP Award— Destiny Castro  

• Professional Engagement Award— Christopher Henderson  

• Jason Morales Perseverance in Sport Award—Elise Lagerweij  

• Academic Promise Award— Elijah Newsome  

• Graduate student award— Kelsey Meisenzahl 

Nine students received the Director’s Academic Achievement Award for earning a G.P.A. of 3.4 or higher for each of their seven consecutive semesters at Syracuse University.

Those students were: Keith Bremer, Destiny Castro, Christopher Henderson, Jeffrey Kent, William Kniesner, Kyle O’Connor, Matthew Potolski, Erik Weiss and Alex Wood.

Elijah Newsome was noted as a McNair Scholar and Angela Marsh-Coan as a David Bing Scholar. Peter Nagle (Sport Management and History) and William Kniesner (Sport Management and Economics) were noted as dual majors.

Also, the M.S. in Sport Venue and Event Management program concluded its sixth year. 

Sport Venue and Event Management Master’s program graduates its sixth class 

The Department of Sport Management’s master’s program in Sport Venue and Event Management (S.V.E.M.) welcomed its sixth class of graduate students to campus in July 2017. The program comprises 36 credit hours of intensive classroom learning, skill development and experiential opportunities in settings like S.U.’s Carrier Dome.

The 2017-18 cohort included 13 students, with a diverse mix of educational backgrounds and from a variety of geographic locations. Students will complete their practicum work in the Summer and Fall 2018 semesters with organizations such as Live Nation, Special Olympics, the Indianapolis Colts, MetLife Stadium and Los Angeles Rams.

In July 2017, the students began in an immersive nature, working three days at the Musselman Triathlon in the Finger Lakes region during the first week of the program, followed by an immersion experience at the Buffalo Bills preseason training camp.

The graduate students also took part in professional development seminars conducted by Sport Management internship placement coordinators on the topics of networking, cover letters and resumes, strategic interviewing, salary negotiation, career guidance and using LinkedIn.

In the Fall 2017 semester, S.V.E.M. graduate students helped to plan and execute the annual Coming Back Together Celebrity Classic, which brings former student-athletes and fans together for a fun evening of remembering and reminiscing.

In the Spring 2018 semester, students worked with S.P.M. associate professor Dr. Gina Pauline in the advanced event management course to plan a charity golf classic benefiting Vera House. (See Page 22). 

Students in the first six cohorts have immersed themselves in the program’s academic and experiential opportunities, and leveraged relationships to launch their careers in the industry. Graduates have secured positions within McFetridge Sports Center in Chicago, Dover Speedway, Brown University, Spectra Venue Management, Legends Hospitality, Spartan Race Inc., Country Music Hall of Fame, Syracuse University’s Carrier Dome, Boston Celtics, University of Virginia Athletics, Boise State University, and Tulsa Sports Commission, among others.

The seventh S.V.E.M. graduate class began in July 2018. 

Practicum list for Sport Venue and Event Management master’s program

Fall 2017

Rachel Chulock, Madison Square Garden
Daniel Hewitt, Spectra Venue Management, C.F.E/ Arena
Yang Liu, China Cup International
Arek Olson, Syracuse University Athletics
Candace Sena, Buffalo Bills
Chengji Zuo, Syracuse University Recreation Services

Spring 2018

Fergus Barrie, Syracuse University Orange Club
Ziming Jiang, Syracuse Silver Knights
Yang Liu, HUPU Sport
Arek Olson, Syracuse University Athletics
Chengji Zuo, Syracuse University Recreation Services

Summer 2018

Brett Burke, Burlington Royals
Peng Chen, Western and Southern Tennis Open
Marisa Duval, Syracuse University Athletics
Jessica LaRoussa, MetLife Stadium
Brendan Marks, Live Nation
Kevin Martscello, Special Olympics
Kelsey Meisenzahl, Indianapolis Colts
Anna Vergara, Dallas Cowboys
Janelle Williams, Los Angeles Rams
Anna Zorn, S.M.G., McFetridge Sports Center

Welcome Class of 2022 undergraduates 

Sport Analytics:

California
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Illinois
India
Massachusetts
Missouri
Nebraska
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Ohio
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Virginia
Pennsylvania

Sport Management:

Brazil
California
Canada
China
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Hong Kong
Illinois
Indiana
Korea
Louisiana
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Ohio
Taiwan
Virginia
Washington

Congratulations to the following students for achieving an overall G.P.A. of 3.4 or higher at the end of the 2017-2018 academic year: 

Sport Management:

Class of 2018

Leah Beyer
Keith Bremer
Christopher Broderick
Destiny Castro
Alexandra Cook
Joy Essaghof
Daniel Fishbein
Matthew Friedman
Sarah Gardner
Christopher Henderson
Lawrence Jordan
Jeffrey Kent
Bryan Kilmeade
William Kniesner
William Lynch Jr.
Stephen Marciello
Angela Marsh-Coan
Caroline Morano
Ari Moskowitz
Christina Myers
Kyle O’Connor
James Pappalardo
Richard Pasternak
Tyler Penta
Matthew Potolski
Benjamin Rossetti
Benjamin Rubenstein
Paulina Rubin
Austin Ryback
Jason Smith
Eric Spyropoulos
Robert VanRaamsdonk
Erik Weiss
Alex Wood
Sydney Wysoczanski
Peter Zecca

Class of 2019

Zachary Alechammas
Nikolai Arnold
Jonathan Banner
Samuel Birdsall
Jake Bitsimis
Jan Breitenmoser
Caitlin Burke
Nicholas Carlson
Brianna Cooper
Cameryn Cortese
Brigid Daly
Lucas D’Aversa
Anthony De La Fuente
Jonathan Delabruerez
Drina Adriana Domic
Marc Eckenrod
Nicholas Gold
Daniel Hamilton
Jack Kaczorowski
Joshua Katz
Sarah Lundmark
Stefan Maish
Kellan Massino
Victoria Mattarell
Marielle Mcloughlin
Andrew Meyer
Shuk Ching Jocelyn Mong
Jake Narracci
Austin Natowitz
Alexander Newman
Chukwudubem Onwualu
Ayal Pessar
Da’Sha Prescott-Moore
Micah Rubin
Javier Ruiz
Kristen Warner
Griffin Whitman
Declan Wright

Class of 2020 

Thomas Adams
Peter Appel
Carolin Bader
Hunter Bruckner
Matthew Bustillo
Joseph Carello
Youngchae Cho
Carlos Christian Rey
Nicholas Cohen
Nolan Cooney
Caroline Davis
Matthew Defusco
Luca Di Napoli
Ryan Gargiulo
Sydney Gauzza
Andrea Ghanian
Owen Herrington
Sarah Incerpi
Erica Krumbine
Taitum Kurasz
Yong Hoon Lee
Adam Lehrman
Xinyu Li
Connor Monzo
Aaron Morrow
Adam Newman
Jordan Novak
Alexandra Olnowich
Francis Petrillo
Matthew Pignatella
Brandon Pollack
Hunter Pomerantz
Andrew Quigley
Leah Riccolo
Kristen Rogers
Jacob Rogovin
Kai Ruskin
Justin Saxe
Emma Schambers
Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru
Kelsey Smith
Ricki Sperry
Sara Stanley
Austin Towns
Alexandra Trager
Kyle Walker
Bailey Ware

Class of 2021

Jillian Barry
Jacob Berger
Andrew Bush
Pin An Chen
Joshua Davidoff
Matthew Diemand
Oliver Glavin
Ryan Harteveldt
Jacob Hauser
Patrick Hopkins
Jianghui Hu
Emani Jones
Max Josef
Josephine Kiesel
Seth Kourpas
Griffin Laine
Nicolas Lemaire
Guozheng Li
Henry Little
Jordan Lucero
Kaitlynn Miller
Max Moss
Marc Orlin
Jenna Parker
Jesse Rimland
Lukas Rubio
Simone Nico Saputo
Dylan Schwartz
Kristen Siermachesky
Jayson Staiger

Sport Analytics:

Class of 2019

Cody Barbuto
Charles Garrett
Justin Perline
Evan Weiss

Class of 2020

Ethan Alpern
William Dalton
Joshua Hentschel
Kyle Liotta

Class of 2021

Zachary Anhalt
Dylan Blechner
Jonathan Bosch
Jack Dolitsky
Sydney Foster
William Friedeman
Daniel Goetz
Gareth Jobling
Elaine Johnson
Cameron Johnson
Nathan Kellar
Samuel Marteka
Alejandro Pesantez
Nicholas Riccardi
Joseph Sabel
Luke Scheetz
Nicholas Schloop
Joseph Spoelstra
Alexander Tsemberis

Senior Capstone Experience

Among the most valuable attributes of the Department of Sport Management is its connection with the sport industry, which impacts students in numerous ways, including the Senior Capstone Experience. As a part of their degree requirements, Sport Management students must complete a 12-credit Capstone providing an opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience in the sports industry before graduation.

Since the Capstone is the culmination of one’s academic experience, the planning process begins during a student’s freshman year. The process concludes with the full-semester experience with a specific sport entity or organization as local as Central New York to across the United States and around the world.

The Capstone Experience requires the student to work with a sport-related organization for a minimum of 540 hours over the course of one semester, gaining experience in areas such as sales, marketing, finance, analytics, event management, administration, communication, law, etc.

Listed below are Sport Management students and the organizations where they completed their senior Capstone in 2017- 2018. We are grateful to our growing list of Capstone partners, who continue to provide tremendous learning opportunities for our students. This all happens under the leadership of Sport Management internship placement coordinators Francesco Riverso and Nicole Imbrogno. 

Fall 2017

David Allen, Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment
Cobie Beach, Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment
Christopher Broderick, S.U. Athletics - Ticket Operations
Kelsey Carlon, I.M.G.-Learfield: Rutgers University
Matthew Friedman, LeadDog Marketing
Jeffrey Kent, Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment
Jaeseung Kim, S.U. Athletics - Carrier Dome Box Office
Sydney Leiher, Right To Play
John Machulski, S.U. Athletics - Marketing
Reid McGrory, Intersport
John Monihan, Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment
Richard Pasternak, S.U. Athletics - Ticket Sales/Marketing
Matthew Prisco, S.U. Athletics - Marketing
Jonathan Rich, Sports Info Solutions
Gabriel Ross, Madison Square Garden
Benjamin Rubenstein, Under Armour
Austin Ryback, Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment
Matthew Van Loon, Christian Lifestyle Co.
Robert Vanraamsdonk, S.U. Athletics - Marketing 

Spring 2018

Jessica Banks, Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment
Leah Beyer, Mountain Goat Race/Fleet Feet
Keith Bremer, F.C. Dallas
Destiny Castro, Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment
Seung Chun, Syracuse University Athletics
Christian De Guzman, Syracuse Silver Knights
Sarah Gardner, Turner Sports
William Gorman, Dick’s Sporting Goods Open
Justin Harlow, S.U. Athletics - Sales/Marketing
Christopher Henderson, Madison Square Garden/New York Knicks
Harrison Hope, Point 3 Basketball
Lawrence Jordan, LeadDog Marketing
Bryan Kilmeade, National Football League
Brian Kim, Madison Square Garden
William Kniesner, Roadside Entertainment/Jigsaw Productions
Alexandria Lamontagne, OpenSPORTS
Jacob Larosche, Syracuse University Football
William Lynch Jr., S.U. Athletics - Sales/Marketing
Stephen Marciello, Wasserman
Oliver Minor, Onondaga Community College Athletics
Caroline Morano, Thuzio 
Christina Myers, N.C.A.A. 
Peter Nagle, Burns Sports and Entertainment
Emily Neal, Washington Nationals Youth Academy
Matthew Neumann, Grabyo
Daniel O’Connor, E.S.P. 
Kyle O’Connor, LeadDog Marketing
James Pappalardo, Roc Nation
Christopher Peters, Syracuse Chiefs
Deanna Polanco, Roc Nation
Matthew Potolski, Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment
Matthew Robinson, Roc Nation
Benjamin Rossetti, Madison Square Garden
Paulina Rubin, LeadDog Marketing
Benjamin Shaiman, Madison Square Garden
Erik Weiss, LeadDog Marketing
Alex Wood, Turner Sports
Corey Yablonski, Cleveland Cavaliers
Peter Zecca, Wasserman 

Summer 2018

Jeremy Birns, T.R. Sports
Joseph Bongiorno, Roc Nation
Timothy Borza Jr., Syracuse University Athletics
Jan Breitenmoser, Tenerife Top Training
Benjamin Cion, Camp Mah-Kee-Nac
Nicklaus Dipaola, St. Cloud Rox
Daniel Fishbein, Roc Nation
Carly Fleischer, New York Lizards
David Jaffin, Vayner Sports
Benjamin Kropp, NASCAR Foundation
Elise Lagerweij, University of Oregon
Angela Marsh-Coan, Washington Nationals
Alexandra Mayer, The Montag Group
Ari Moskowitz, C.S.M. 
Elijah Newsome, United Soccer League
Tyler Penta, Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment
Julian Ritholz, Roc Nation
Jake Schuster, The Hotaling Group
Perez Shaw, Tempo Storm
Jason Smith, Coach Wooten Basketball Camps
Eric Spyropoulos, Washington Redskins
Sydney Wysoczanski, Major League Lacrosse 

Capstone

Senior immersed in sponsorship with Chicago Marketing Agency Intersport

By Reid McGrory S.P.M. ’18

In Fall 2017, I completed my senior Capstone as a sponsorship intern for Intersport, a sport marketing and production agency headquartered in Chicago. Since Intersport’s birth 32 years ago, they have grown from a production company to an agency with seven practices: production, sponsorship, experiential, properties, content marketing, hospitality, and customer engagement.

As a sponsorship intern, I worked on accounts for Heineken U.S.A. and Quicken Loans. Heineken U.S.A., which includes Dos Equis, sponsors M.L.S., the Champions League, College Football Playoff and more. Quicken Loans has the naming rights for the Cleveland Cavaliers’ arena, sponsors P.G.A. pro Rickie Fowler and promotes and activates college sponsorships with Rocket Mortgage Madness.

Throughout my Capstone, I was responsible for managing Heineken’s M.L.S. ticket allocation, creating an unforgettable hospitality experience for Dos Equis’ guests at the College Football Playoff, and assisting in an on-site activation tour during college football season for Rocket Mortgage Madness. I also worked on accounts for Enterprise and Nathans, where I helped coordinate their nationwide tour; and the Marines, where I worked on-site at the Semper Fidelis Battles Won Academy. I am shown above with Gunnery Sargent Verice Bennett (left) at the event.

S.U.’s Sport Management program provided me with knowledge and my Capstone provided me with experience on sponsorship fulfillment, client relationships, and agency life, which both allowed me to secure a job as an account coordinator for The Marketing Arm working on A.T.&T.’s sport sponsorship portfolio. 

Capstone sparks senior’s interest in community relations

By Destiny Castro S.P.M. ’18

Completing my senior Capstone in the community relations department with the Brooklyn Nets during the spring 2018 semester allowed me to combine my passion for sports, children, and education, as well as give back to my hometown of Brooklyn. This community has played a vital role in shaping me into the woman I am today. The internship has been a blessing, and working in the community was one of the most fulfilling aspects of the experience.

During the Capstone, I participated in countless events, including Brooklyn Nets games, community events, and basketball academy clinics. These events included current players such as D’Angelo Russell and Spencer Dinwiddie, and Nets’ legend Albert King. My favorite events were the basketball clinics we hosted at local community centers and schools.

My experience with the Brooklyn Nets taught me that I must take on a career path that will allow me to positively make an impact on other’s lives. It showed me there are countless ways to do this, and no impact is too small. I was fortunate to sit in on planning sessions, take the lead on projects, and was even asked to assist post-Capstone with summer events/initiatives.

I am proud to say that I have accepted a full-time position with the New York Mets’ Inside Sales Department. I will still assist the Brooklyn Nets when time allows, and have submitted a proposal of an event the Nets’ organization is working toward activating next season. 

Capstone at LeadDog Marketing leads to full-time job opportunity

By Paulina Rubin S.P.M. ’18

I interned at LeadDog Marketing Group in New York City for my senior Capstone in Spring 2018.

I worked in the Account Management Department, where I gained valuable hands-on experience in the world of sport marketing. I worked on two main accounts: World Wrestling Entertainment (W.W.E.) and National Basketball Players Association (N.B.P.A.). I helped with the planning and ideation of the N.B.P.A.’s player/fan event that took place in early February during N.B.A. All-Star weekend. For W.W.E., I assisted with the planning, ideation, organization and execution of a fan event that took place during WrestleMania in New Orleans. I joined the team in New Orleans for eight days to work in the production office as well as run talent stages with W.W.E. superstars such as the Bella twins and Randy Orton.

The fun, yet professional, environment at LeadDog allowed me to thrive. I formed strong professional and personal relationships with coordinators and senior vice presidents. I ventured out of my department to help other departments and accounts, allowing me to experience all facets of the sport industry.

Upon graduating from Syracuse University in May 2018, I returned to LeadDog as a full-time account coordinator. LeadDog’s fast-paced environment will allow me to pursue my passion in sports and provide me with knowledge and experience to take with me throughout my professional career. 

Student gains in-depth knowledge of N.F.L. policies via senior internship

By Bryan Kilmeade S.P.M. ’18

During the Spring 2018 semester, I completed my senior Capstone at the National Football League with the Management Council in New York City. The Management Council deals directly with the Collective Bargaining Agreement on the league’s behalf. It handles everything from managing the league’s salary cap to regulating the amount of time players are allowed at the team facility in the offseason. I was lucky to complete my Capstone in the Spring, when I was able to see the department operate in different phases: playoffs, Super Bowl, the start of free agency, and the draft.

My area of focus was in labor operations and salary cap management, where I learned a tremendous amount about the salary cap and the C.B.A. My main responsibilities were to edit the daily waiver wire and create contract grids from the previous day and send them to the player’s union, approve contracts submitted by teams, assist with the daily reconciliation of the salary cap, and be available to complete tasks and projects as needed.

Working with the Management Council gave me an incredible opportunity to learn about the salary cap and Collective Bargaining Agreement from some of the most knowledgeable people on the subject and have access to information I could not have gotten anywhere else. I was lucky to see the department function and evolve from in-season to off-season.

Upon graduating from Syracuse University, I have been interviewing for positions with teams with the potential to rejoin the N.F.L. in a similar capacity. I look forward to pursuing a career in football on the team or league side. 

Students receive assistance from scholarship funds

Sport Management students are eligible to apply for annual scholarships to assist with the financial aspects of completing summer internships or senior Capstones.

Jennifer Corn Carter Fund

The Jennifer Corn Carter Senior Capstone Award for Sport Management supports students in the department during their senior Capstone experiences. For the 2017-18 academic year, three students were honored with this award: Kelsey Carlon, who interned with I.M.G. Learfield Ticket Solutions at Rutgers University in Fall 2017; Jonathan Rich, who interned with Sports Info Solutions in Fall 2017; and Alexandria Lamontagne, who interned with Open Sports (Canada) in Spring 2018. Each received $500 to $1000.

Jennifer Corn Carter is a graduate of Syracuse University, with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social work. She was honored with the Falk College’s 2010 Alumna of the Year Award for her on-going support of our students and Syracuse University. Her vision and support created the Jennifer Corn Carter Resource and Career Center that is housed in Falk College. 

Student Learning Fund

Twenty-eight students were awarded scholarships from the Sport Management Student Learning Fund in the 2017-18 academic year. Each received $500 to $1000. In Spring 2018, 18 students earned the scholarships: Jessica Banks (Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment), Keith Bremer (F.C. Dallas), Destiny Castro (Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment), Seung Han Chun (Syracuse University Athletics), Lawrence Jordan (LeadDog Marketing Group), Bryan Kilmeade (N.F.L. Management Council), William Kniesner (Jigsaw Productions/Roadside Entertainment), Oliver Minor (Onondaga Community College Athletics), Caroline Morano (Thuzio), Emily Neal (Washington Nationals Youth Academy), Daniel O’Connor, (E.S.P. Properties), Kyle O’Connor (LeadDog Marketing Group), James Pappalardo (Roc Nation), Deanna Polanco (Roc Nation), Matthew Potolski (Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment), Erik Weiss (LeadDog Marketing Group), Alex Wood (Turner Sports), and Corey Yablonski (Cleveland Cavaliers).

In Summer 2018, ten students earned the scholarships: Timothy Borza Jr. (Syracuse University Athletics), Nicklaus DiPaola (St. Cloud Rox), Daniel Fishbein (Roc Nation), Benjamin Kropp (NASCAR Foundation), Elise Lagerweij (University of Oregon Athletics), Angela Marsh-Coan (Washington Nationals), Elijah Newsome (United Soccer League), Tyler Penta (Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment), Perez Shaw (Tempo Storm), and Sydney Wysoczanski (Major League Lacrosse). 

Undergraduate Summer Internship Fund

The Sport Management Summer Internship Fund is used each summer to provide support to undergraduate students pursuing unpaid summer internship opportunities, enabling them to gain industry experience in the sport management field for a period of up to eight weeks. Five students were each awarded $2,000 for 2018 summer internships: William Amon (LeadDog Marketing Group), Hannah Duerr (New York Red Bulls), Daniel Hamilton (Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League), Jack Kaczorowski (Select Sports Group), and Marielle McLoughlin (Mississippi State Athletics). For more information about the funds, contact Sport Management internship coordinator Francesco Riverso, 315-443-5670. 

Sport Professionals of Color Club seeks new members

The Sport Management Sport Professionals of Color Club wrapped up its fourth year in 2017-18, as an organization to connect students who identify as people of color with sport professionals from across the industry. The organization was formed during the 2014-15 academic year with the purpose of helping to guide young professionals in their pursuit of success and career establishment in the sport industry. The club strives to sharpen members’ professional skills, host speakers, foster networking growth, and expose experiential opportunities to its members. During the 2017-18 academic year, the club began a new membership drive under the leadership of president Ian Williams and held an N.F.L. Draft watch party in Falk College. The club is planning to invite sport industry guest speakers in the upcoming academic year as well as plan outings. Meetings are on Mondays at 7 p.m. in Falk College Room 407, and are open to all Syracuse University students. Contact Williams for more information or call 315-443-9881. 

Do we have a deal? ‘Shark Tank’ participant ISlide partners with S.P.M. 444

In the Fall of 2017, students in associate professor Patrick Walsh’s S.P.M. 444 Sports Marketing Management course had the unique opportunity to work with a company that appeared on the hit A.B.C. television show “Shark Tank.”

ISlide develops premium, customized athletic slides (i.e., sandals) and has a number of partnerships in sports and entertainment, including deals with the N.B.A., Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, and international music superstar D.J. Khaled, among others. In 2017 ISlide was expanding into the collegiate space by signing licensing deals with a number of top universities across the country.

“When we were approached by ISlide they had recently signed their first collegiate licensing deal with Syracuse University and were seeking ideas of how to introduce their S.U.-branded products,” Walsh said. “I knew the students would embrace this since their product is targeted toward the college demographic, and ISlide was open to unique and creative ideas.”

Throughout the semester, students worked in groups to develop strategic marketing plans designed to generate awareness and sales for the S.U.-branded ISlides. ISlide Founder and C.E.O. Justin Kittredge and Director Sales Paul Gibson visited campus early in the semester to introduce the students to the company, the product, and the athletic footwear industry (and graciously provided each student in class with their own customized S.U. slides). Kittredge and Gibson were available throughout the semester to the students for feedback and guidance, and the students were able to present their marketing plans directly to Kittredge at the end of the semester. 

“This project was a huge success as it exposed the students to a brand with a strong entrepreneurial focus and to an area of the industry they likely would not have considered otherwise,” Walsh said.

“The S.P.M. 444 project required me to think critically about how I would apply the marketing principals I learned in the classroom to real-life business situations,” said S.P.M. senior Christopher Henderson. “The freedom of the project allowed each group to have complete ownership of their work. Being able to present our work to, and receive feedback from, founder Justin Kittredge was extremely beneficial. It was a rare opportunity to learn from a successful entrepreneur in the industry.”

Students assist Pegula Sports and Entertainment’s marketing for millennials

In the Spring of 2018, S.P.M. 444 students worked with Pegula Sports and Entertainment (P.S.E.), which manages key business functions across all of the Pegula-family owned sport and entertainment properties such as the Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Sabres, Buffalo Bandits, Rochester Americans, Hareborcenter, and Black River Entertainment, among others.

“P.S.E. and I discussed the challenges they, and all sport organizations, face when trying to market to the millennial fan base,” Walsh said. “Data shows that millennials will soon represent the largest adult population in the United States, and this generation of sport fans is changing the way sport marketers think about the strategies they must use to build relationships with their fans. As this is a major issue facing the industry we felt this would provide the foundation of a great project for the students to work on.”

Brent Rossi, executive vice president of marketing and brand strategy at P.S.E., and Erica Muhleman, executive vice president of business development at P.S.E., met with students to provide information about the project and discuss how they have marketed toward millennial fans in the past.

The student groups then conducted detailed market research on the millennial consumer and fans, including an in-depth look at secondary data, personal interviews, and a comprehensive survey which the class developed. The groups then developed marketing strategies that they presented to Rossi at the end of the semester.

“This project was beneficial in that it allowed the students to address a major issue impacting the industry and to develop ideas which incorporated a variety of different marketing strategies,” Walsh said. “Ideas ranged from new social gathering spots in team facilities, ticket packages and sales strategies, exclusive events, sponsor integration, social media content creation, and in-game enhancements all designed to meet the unique needs and wants of the millennial sport fan.”

“As a millennial and an S.P.M. student with an interest in marketing, working on this project was my first attempt at creating marketing strategies and a thorough implementation plan, and having the chance to present to a P.S.E. representative helped to boost my confidence,” said Brianna Cooper ’19. 

S.P.M. Club raises $56,800 at 13th Charity Auction

The Sport Management Club at Syracuse University raised $56,800 for Meals on Wheels Syracuse as a result of its 13th Annual Charity Sports Auction.

During the S.U. men’s basketball game on Dec. 9, 2017, supporters placed bids on hundreds of items, including sports memorabilia, electronics and tickets to major sporting events. In conjunction with the live event, Steiner Sports also hosted an online auction, which showcased a number of premium items up for bid.

“As a result of months of hard work on behalf of nearly 100 Syracuse University students, we’ve attained our second highest total in the 13-year history of this event,” said Kate Veley, S.P.M. club co-advisor. “It wouldn’t have been possible without the many products and services generously donated by the Syracuse community and later bid on by thousands of S.U. fans. Our thanks to everyone who, through their gifts, have allowed us to perpetuate this event in support of the community our students call home.”

The S.P.M. Club is a student-run organization in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics’ Sport Management Department. Since its founding in 2005, the club has now raised over $412,000 for local charities. Previous beneficiaries of the club’s annual charity auction have included the Boys & Girls Clubs, Golisano Children’s Hospital at Upstate, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of C.N.Y., the Central New York S.P.C.A., the Upstate Cancer Center, Special Olympics New York, Food Bank of C.N.Y., Make-A-Wish of C.N.Y., the Salvation Army and McMahon/ Ryan Child Advocacy Center.

“Meals on Wheels of Syracuse was impressed by the outstanding job the Sport Management Club students and Falk College faculty did with the charity auction,” said Meals on Wheels of Syracuse executive director Mason Kaufman. “The money they raised will begin an assistance fund for homebound seniors and disabled adults who would have fallen between the funding gaps for meals.”

The 14th annual auction will be held Dec. 1 at the Carrier Dome to benefit the Syracuse Rescue Mission. For more information on this event, visit their website.

The Sport Management Club meets at 7 p.m. Tuesdays during the academic year in Falk 200. For more information, contact S.P.M. Club president Sarah Lundmark. Officers are executive vice president Anthony de la Fuente; vice president of programming Austin Towns; vice president of community service Max Josef; vice president of membership Olivia Lavelle; and vice president of administration Joshua Davidoff. Falk College events manager Kate Veley serves as the Club’s co-advisor.

S.P.M. partners with Yankees to teach ticket sales tactics

Industry experts confirm that sales, and specifically ticket sales, is the most common career path into professional sports. To this end, the Department of Sport Management established a partnership in 2012 with the New York Yankees toward the training and employment of S.P.M. students in ticket sales.

During the academic year, S.P.M. instructors Al Weinberger and Dave Meluni teach students essential sales skills and develop their understanding of the importance of sales to sport organizations. The S.P.M. 350/650 Sports Ticket Sales class involves collaboration with the Yankees and their sales executives, making it unique in sport management programs across the country.

The organization hosted the students at Yankee Stadium in April for a panel discussion on the importance of ticket sales. The panel consisted of five Yankees staff members with varying levels of seniority from six months to 14 years, including several S.U. Alumni. The students also enjoyed a facility tour and watched that night’s game from a private suite.

“Exposure to real-world scenarios and personal contact with multiple people employed in the field is experience that cannot be dupli cated in a classroom,” Weinberger said.

In addition to sales training, employment possibilities are a key aspect to the partnership between S.P.M. and the Yankees. During each year of the partnership, the Yankees have interviewed S.P.M. students for full-time positions on their inside sales staff, resulting in several hires, both as summer help and permanent positions.

“Aligning our program with the Yankees, and its iconic brand, provides a superb opportunity for our sport management students,” said S.P.M. director Michael Veley. “This partnership provides students with the chance to learn valuable skills and potentially lead to jobs with the Yankees.” 

A letter from the S.P.M. Club president

By Elijah Newsome, S.P.M. ’18

S.P.M. Club President, 2017 When I began my journey at Syracuse University, one of the first things I did, beside go to Funk ’n Waffles, was join the Sport Management Club. I thought I was “supposed” to join because I am a Sport Management major and it would look good on my resume. Fast forward three years: joining the club has been one of the most rewarding things I did at Syracuse. The club combines philanthropy with knowledge and networking to create a unique dynamic that has resulted in it being one of the largest and most influential clubs on campus.

In December 2016, when I was elected the club’s first African-American president, or first president of any minority, I feared that I was not going to be able to improve or be as great an ambassador for the club as my predecessor Kevin Reese. Luckily I had the assistance of outstanding club officers.

In 2017-18, the club focused on three pillars that served as our foundation: philanthropy, education, and networking.

The club’s main focus was the 13th annual Charity Sports Auction, which benefited Meals on Wheels of Syracuse. It was a huge success and we owe gratitude to auction chairs Stephen Marciello and Connor Monzo.

Our pillar of education involved learning from professionals in the industry as well as each other. We gained knowledge from recent S.P.M. alumni, who educated us about the senior Capstone project, workplace culture, networking and searching for jobs and internships.

We welcomed guest speakers from all aspects of the sport industry and made a conscious effort to build a community within the club so members got to know each other better. We volunteered in the Syracuse community and began every meeting with a discussion on a current issue in the industry.

This could not have been achieved without an incredible group of dedicated members and outstanding officers. Every member of this club has left a lasting impact on my life.

In Fall 2018, the club will be led by Sarah Lundmark. For more information, contact co-advisor Kate Veley. The Sport Management Club meets at 7 p.m. Tuesdays during the academic year in the Falk 200. 

Senior named valedictorian of Michigan Sport Business Conference

Sport Management senior Chris Henderson ’18 was named Valedictorian of the “Big Initiative” for the 2017 Michigan Sport Business Conference (M.S.B.C.) at the University of Michigan’s Stephen M. Ross School of Business.

The event was held Oct. 6, 2017, and featured guest speakers and industry professionals David Levy (president, Turner), Arn Tellem (vice chairman, Palace Sports & Entertainment), Abraham Madkour (executive editor, Sports Business Journal), and Laura Froelich (global head of sports partnerships, Twitter). A select group of students each year are selected for the “Big Initiative” and to receive extra networking time with the guest speakers.

The Big Initiative Award, presented by the M.S.B.C., is described as “the nation’s premier award that recognizes outstanding undergraduate student leaders who have achieved an exceptional level of success in the sport business industry. Those receiving the honor are selected on the basis of demonstrated entrepreneurship, creativity, innovation and leadership.”

At the conference, Henderson gave a speech detailing his experiences and how having the opportunity to meet leaders in sport, as well as dedicated sport management students from all around the country, will help continue to grow his career.

“Being a part of the Big Initiative class was very special,” Henderson said. “Having the chance to meet the other award winners gave me insight to what others are doing to succeed in the industry. Getting to know past winners and learn what their experience has been like since graduating college was extremely valuable. Hearing what they like most about their jobs and what they wish they did differently will allow me to make more informed decisions as I go forward.”

As Valedictorian, Henderson attended a lecture by Michigan head basketball coach John Beilein, and met past Big Initiative winners.

“Hearing from leaders such as David Levy and Arn Tellem allowed me to learn where the leaders of the industry think the biggest changes will occur over the next few years and allowed me to think about how I will make an impact,” he said.

Henderson has accepted a job with the N.B.A. as a project employee in their new eSports league. 

S.P.M. 324 partners with Syracuse Crunch Marketing

Students in the S.P.M. 324 Sport Sponsorship and Promotion class gained real-world experience during the Spring 2018 semester by partnering with the Syracuse Crunch A.H.L. hockey team.

The class focuses on the sponsorship and promotional principles used in marketing sporting events, as well as emphasizes proposal writing, sponsorship solicitation and all the elements of activating a promotional campaign. “We’re looking forward to providing students with a behind-the-scenes look into the sponsorship process for a professional sports team,” said Syracuse Crunch chief operating officerJim Sarosy.

“We’re honored to have the opportunity to assist in the students’ education and help prepare them for successful careers in sport management.”

The spring semester coincided with the second half of the Crunch’s 2017-18 schedule. As part of the partnership, the class visited the Crunch’s office and followed their home game schedule for class assignments. The class experience culminated with a sponsorship proposal. Additionally, the Crunch provided each student with tickets to three games to further enhance their understanding of in-game sponsorship elements.

“This is a very exciting and unique opportunity for our students,” said adjunct professor Dave Meluni. “I appreciated the chance to work with the Crunch on this project as it provided Syracuse students a path into the sport industry that is unmatched.” 

Sales Club members receive hands-on experience

The Sport Management Sales Club continued its partnership with the Syracuse University Ticket Office, selling tickets to S.U. football, women’s basketball, and men’s basketball games. The club has put in many hours volunteering in the ticket office to help grow the attendance at sporting events through cold-calling and group prospecting. Members are looking to broaden their knowledge by continuing to grow in size, and also to work outside of Syracuse Athletics. The club received live sales experience by selling football season tickets at S.U.’s “Select-a-Seat” events.

In April 2018, the S.P.M. Sales Club worked with the Syracuse Crunch to put on an “S.U. Night” for the Crunch’s game against the Utica Comets. A portion of the proceeds benefited the Boys & Girls Club of Syracuse.

Guest speakers Adam Vogel, of the New York Mets, and Mark Hayes, of the Syracuse Crunch, met with the club to lend their knowledge and expertise. Under the direction of S.P.M. instructor Pat Ryan, club members look to build on existing connections with professional sport organizations as well as network with industry professionals.

The Sales Club was established in 2015 and serves as a medium for members to gain hands-on experience in the sport sales industry, as well as provide networking opportunities for students to earn jobs and internships. In Summer 2018, members of the Sales Club interned with the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Madison Square Garden, Boston Red Sox, and U.S.A. Track & Field, among others.

Club officers for 2018-19 are Con nor Monzo, president; Seth Kourpas, vice president and director of programming; Sam Marteka, director of community service and event chair; Drew Bush, director of membership; Sam Incardona, secretary; and Jon Nunes, sergeant-at-arms.

For more information, contact Monzo or Pat Ryan. The Sport Management Sales Club meets at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays during the academic year in Falk 400. All Syracuse University students are welcome to attend. 

Top data analysts! Sabermetrics Club wins national competition

A team representing the Syracuse University Sport Management Baseball Statistics and Sabermetrics Club won the S.A.B.R. Diamond Dollars Case Competition at N.Y.U. on November 17, 2017. Sport Analytics majors Justin Perline (’19), C.B. Garrett (’19), Luke Scheetz (’21), Trevor Olofson (’21), and Zak Koeppel (’21) won the competition against other universities such as Villanova, N.Y.U. and Fordham.

The teams were tasked with creating a model to determine a player’s B.A.B.I.P. (Batting Average on Balls In Play), both for hitters, as well as the B.A.B.I.P. that pitchers allow. They were then asked to use this to determine the players who are going to see the biggest increases and decreases in their B.A.B.I.P. next season.

The teams were given five days to collect data, create a model, and prepare a 30-minute presentation on the topic that was given in New York City. Judges for the competition included Ben Jedlovec (Baseball Info Solutions), Chris Pang (New York Mets), and Cameron Barwick (M.L.B.). Sport Analytics majors Luke Scheetz (’21), C.B. Garrett (’19), Zak Koeppel (’21), Justin Perline (’19), and Trevor Olofson (’21) (from left) teamed to win the 2017 S.A.B.R. Diamond Dollars Case Competition at N.Y.U.

“I’m very proud of these students,” said Sport Analytics professor and club advisor Dr. Rodney Paul. “The new Analytics program has accumulated very talented students and I look forward to their continued interaction with each other, their progress through the curriculum, and their present and future successes in the field.”

Also competing for S.U. at the event were Sport Analytics majors Evan Weiss (’19), Kyle Liotta, (’20), and Colby Olson (’21), as well as Sport Management major Mike Cavalier (’19) and Sport Analytics minor Chris Karasinski (’19).

Club competes in Phoenix

For the fourth straight year, the S.A.B.R. club participated in the Society of American Baseball Research (S.A.B.R.) Analytics’ Diamond Dollars Case Competition in Phoenix, Arizona, over Spring Break in March 2018.

For this year’s competition, participants needed to optimize a hitter’s launch angle, which is the vertical angle at which the baseball comes off the bat and goes into play. The team chose four players; three from a group of six that the judges assigned and one wildcard player of their choice. The groups used statistics such as exit velocity and weightedon-base-average (wO.B.A.) to determine the optimal launch angle and prepared their presentations using programs such as S.T.A.T.A., Excel, and Tableau.

With the help of a generous gift from Jeff and Andrea Lomasky, the group flew to Arizona and presented during Spring Break. The conference featured speakers who discussed the current state of baseball, as well as a networking event for the students to engage with executives who work in the business of baseball analytics. The group also attended spring training games and spoke with members of the Arizona Diamondbacks’ business analytics team, including Syracuse S.P.M. alum Greg Ackerman ’15.

The Baseball Statistics and Sabermetrics Club meets every Wednesday at 6pm in Falk Room 400. Email Dr. Paul for more information. 

Football Analytics Club gains momentum

The Sport Management Football Analytics Club was established in September 2017 and inspired by the popularity of the S.P.M. Baseball Statistics and Sabermetrics Club as well as the first class of Sport Analytics majors. Over the past year, the club worked on a research project, interacted with guest speakers, and discussed football.

The topic of the club’s research project is, “How player arrests affect team winning percentage in the N.F.L.” The club looked at every player arrest from 2000 to present using an online database and recorded the player’s team and year(s) they were arrested. Also included in the research is each players’ on-field value since a non-starter being arrested would not have the same effect on the team as a star player being arrested.

The club welcomed guest speakers Tucker Zeleny, director of sports analytics at the University of Nebraska; J.T. Busco, Syracuse University assistant football coach; and Ryan Smith, analyst and account manager at Pro Football Focus. The speakers gave students insight into the use of analytics in both professional and college football.

The Football Analytics Club meets at 6 p.m. Mondays during the academic year in Falk 400. All Syracuse University students are welcome to attend. For more information, email Zak Koeppel. 

Women in Sports and Events wraps up busy year

Women in Sports and Events (WISE) is a nationally recognized group whose goal is to be a leading voice and resource for women who currently work in, or aspire to be a part of, the professional field of sports and events. In 2009, Syracuse University was voted in as the first collegiate chapter of WISE’s national organization, and since its inception on campus, has offered multiple professional development opportunities for its members.

Students in WISE were involved with several events and activities during the 2017- 2018 academic year, including planning a weekend trip to Boston, hosting a Spin-A-Thon fundraiser, and assisting with an inaugural alumni event on campus.

With the help of S.P.M. graduate Chrissy (Cronin) Leach ’10 and Jonathan Blanchette ’10, the club organized a two-day trip to Boston to network and learn from industry professionals at the Boston Celtics and at the Boston College Athletics Department. The women arrived to T.D. Arena on a Friday afternoon in February and were greeted by a panel of seven women—all WISE Boston members—that work in the front office for the Celtics. They then attended a game later that night. Discussion topics included a company and organizational structure overview, department and position responsibilities, and what hiring managers look for in an employee.

“The Celtics executives were very welcoming, and eager to share their experiences with us,” said WISE treasurer Sarah Lundmark ’19. “Their insight and guidance was thoughtful and genuine, and I, as well as the club, feel very fortunate to have gotten this opportunity to learn from such a historically successful team.”

“All of the women were extremely welcoming and our group greatly benefited from learning more about the structure of the Celtics organization, gaining professional development advice and absorbing the insights the women shared,” said WISE president Caitlin Burke ’19. “It was special to connect with S.P.M. graduate Chrissy Leach, and to learn more about her path from Syracuse to the Celtics.”

The next day, club members visited Boston College to meet with Blanchette, associate director of sports marketing, for a Q&A session and private tour of the athletic facilities.

“We really enjoyed our visit with Jason at Boston College, where he told us about his work in the marketing department,” Burke said. “The 16 of us who traveled to Boston truly saw the value in reaching out to our fellow S.P.M. alumni to form these types of connections, which are critical as we aim to broaden our experiences in the sport industry.”

Membership worked with local company Urban Life Fitness to host a Spin-A-Thon in April to fundraise for future professional development trips and workshops.

In Fall 2017, the group traveled to Colgate for a tour of its athletic facilities, attended e.s.p.n.W.’s Campus Conversations hosted by S.U. Athletics, and collected monies for Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF They co-hosted two professional development workshops: one focusing on salary negotiation with Dr. Mary Graham and Dr. Terry MacDonald and the other on interview preparation, led by WISE advisor and Sport Management internship placement coordinator Nicole Imbrogno.

“WISE provides a fantastic way for young women to hold leadership positions and create opportunities for members, such as hosting events or collaborating with other on-campus groups,” Imbrogno said. “These are great talking points when networking as well as on interviews, not to mention a solid way to learn skills to take with them once they leave campus.”

The club officers for 2018-19 are Caitlin Burke, president; Jocelyn Mong, vice president; Leah Riccolo, vice president of recruitment; Kristen Rogers, vice president of internal programming; Jennifer Bard, vice president of external programming; Sarah Lundmark, treasurer; Olivia Lavelle, director of social media; and Kaitlynn Miller, secretary.

WISE, which meets at 6 p.m. Tuesdays in Falk 200, includes women from all majors on campus interested in pursuing careers in sports and events. For more information, email Imbrogno or call 315-443-7418. 

Students conduct analytical basketball research

The Sport Management Basketball Analytics Club concluded its second year in 2017-2018, and was able to expand its membership through the introduction of S.U.’s first Sport Analytics class. The group strives to uncover fascinating statistical trends in basketball.

The organization was assembled to conduct analysis on the N.B.A., N.C.A.A. basketball, and high school basketball. The club has expedited the process of recording large sums of data at an efficient pace. This has led to more thorough research as well as additional projects. The club has analyzed “The Effects of a Max Contract on an N.B.A. Player’s Performance,” and “The Best and Worst Tandems (High Profile) in the N.B.A.”

The club aims to gather a group of students who share the same zest for basketball, in addition to their drive for research. Members practice their analytical skills in Excel as well as utilize their research skills on basketball databases to find appropriate data for analysis. A future goal of the club is to construct research that can be presented at basketball analytical conferences.

The club meets at 7 p.m. Tuesdays in Falk 101. All Syracuse University students are welcome to join. Contact Jonathan Bosch for more information. 

Faculty & Staff

Research and publications: By the numbers

Applied research and academic publishing in peer-reviewed journals was prevalent during 2017-18, with S.P.M. faculty members presenting their findings at national and international conferences.

Several academic journals published S.P.M. faculty research manuscripts and peer-reviewed articles, including: 

• Academy of Economics and Finance

• Athletic Business Journal

• Eastern Economic Journal

• Global Sport Business Journal

• International Journal of Sport Finance

• International Journal of Sport Management

• Journal of Prediction Markets

• Journal of Law and Economics of Sports

• Managerial Finance

• The Sporting News

• Syracuse University Magazine

Sport Management faculty presented research findings and gave industry related presentations at conferences across the world, including: 

• Academy of Economics and Finance, Houston

• Academy of Management, Atlanta

• Association for Applied Sport Psychologists, Orlando

• Game Theory Conference, Stony Brook 

• International Association for Sports Law conference, Rome

• International Sport Business Symposium, South Korea

• Midwest Sport Analytics Conference, Iowa

• National Analytics Conference, Minneapolis

• North American Society of Sport Management, Halifax

• Society for American Baseball Research, Phoenix

• Sport Communication Summit, Indiana

•  Sport Marketing Association Conference, Boston

S.P.M. faculty have been quoted or interviewed by national print and broadcast media, including:

• A.B.C. News  Associated Press

• Athletic Business magazine

• Baseball Hall of Fame’s Memories and Dreams magazine

• Barron’s  Bloomburg News

• Boston Globe

• C.B.S. Sports

• Charlotte Observer

• ChinaDaily.com

• C.N.N.  Economist

• E.S.P.N. Radio

• E.S.P.N.’s Outside the Lines

• Financial Times

• Forbes

• FOX News

• Geneva Tribune

• Global Journalist

• The Hockey News

• International Busines

• Times

• L.A. Times

• Las Vegas Sun

• National Public Radio

• N.B.C. news.com

• N.B.C. Sports

• New York Daily News

• New York Post

• The New York Times

• N.F.L. Network

• The Observer-Dispatch

• The Post-Standard (Syracuse)

• Reuters

• Seattle Times

• Sports Business International

• Sports Business Journal

• Time

• Time Warner Cable News and Sports

• U.S.A. Today

• U.S. News and World Report

• Wall Street Journal

• Washington Post

• Yahoo Sports 

Associate professor receives ’CUSE Grant

Sport Management associate professor Dr. Shane Sanders has been awarded a ’CUSE (Collaboration for Unprecedented Success and Excellence) Grant from the Syracuse University office of the Vice President for Research.

Sanders teamed with Falk College Public Health assistant professors Arthur Hamie Owora and Brittany Kmush, as well as Human Development and Family Science professor Merril Silverstein on a proposal titled “Cause of Death, Longevity, and Career Statistical Characteristics among Former N.F.L. Players: An Empirical Analysis using Categorical and Survival Models.” The grant is for $29,921.

The quartet seeks to determine the relationships between on-field attributes/ events, longevity, and cause of death among former N.F.L. players. The purpose of the study is to identify cause of death risk factors among former (deceased) N.F.L. players. They will focus on career longevity, position, style of play, and on-field statistics correlated to trauma to understand the role of neurodegenerative disease in mortality among this sub-population.

The purpose of the ’CUSE Grant is to enhance interdisciplinary collaborations, to grow the research enterprise and enhance scholarship at Syracuse University in order to increase extramural funding and high-quality scholarly output. The program is designed to support faculty in becoming competitive in securing external funding and sponsorship.

This is a two-year research grant. In the second year, the researchers will submit to present their findings at the Boston University C.T.E. Conference in October 2019.

S.P.M. teaching professor, wife honored for volunteer work

At the Ability Partners Foundation’s 15th Winter Gala and Auction in Geneva on Feb. 2, 2018, Sport Management teaching professor Pat Ryan and his wife, LuAnn Ryan, were named volunteers of the year.

LuAnn has been a general education teacher at Happiness House for 16 years, before retiring in June 2018 after a 42-year teaching career. Happiness House offers programs and services for children and adults with disabilities, and their families, in Ontario, Seneca, Yates, and Wayne Counties.

After working for 30 years in the corporate world, Pat has taught at Syracuse University since 2008. He held senior sales positions in the software, communications and information technologies industry. 

S.P.M. News and Notes

The 2017-18 academic year was productive for S.P.M. faculty and staff on campus, domestically, and internationally. From presenting research at conferences worldwide to mentoring students on campus and in the community, S.P.M. faculty and staff continue to bring new and important perspectives impacting today’s most critical issues in sport. Listed below is a small sampling of select accomplishments. We invite you to visit the Falk College and Department of Sport Management web sites regularly to stay current with S.P.M. students, faculty and staff news

Rick Burton

David B. Falk endowed professor

Burton presented his research at the 2017 Sport Marketing Association Conference in Boston, and attended the N.C.A.A. National Convention in Indianapolis. He serves as S.U.’s Faculty Athletic Representative to the N.C.A.A. and A.C.C., and was selected by Sports Business Journal to serve on a panel at the Learfield Intercollegiate Athletics Conference in New York City. He served as a moderator for the Montreal Sport Summit and co-authored a new book titled “20 Secrets to Success for N.C.A.A. Student-Athletes Who Won’t Go Pro.”

Dennis Deninger

Professor of practice

The former E.S.P.N. production executive and three-time Emmy Award winner teaches Sport Communications, the Super Bowl and Society, and the Sports, Media and Society courses. Working with his students as the research team, Deninger has produced four documentaries for Falk College. This year he began a planned series of “Orange Immortals” films with Floyd Little tell ing his life story from a childhood in poverty to football success at Syracuse and the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Deninger was also the founding director of the Sports Communications graduate program at the Newhouse School of Public Communications. 

Dr. Mary Graham

Professor

Dr. Graham was on sabbatical leave in the Spring 2018 semester. She was awarded a Taiwan Fellowship from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China, to conduct cross-cultural research on human resource management in manufacturing supply chains. She served as a visiting scholar at National Central University in Taiwan and at National Taiwan University of Science and Technology in Taipei. She attended the International Sport Business Symposium in South Korea during the 2018 Winter Olympics. Dr. Graham has been named a Provost’s Faculty Fellow for the 2018-19 academic year. In this capacity, she will work closely with the Faculty Senate to finalize campus-wide shared competencies for undergraduate students. 

Dr. Jeeyoon Kim

Assistant professor

Dr. Kim finished her second year in the Department of Sport Management, where she taught Principles of Sport Management, Olympic Sport Management and Sport Venue Management. She presented her research at the 2017 Sport Marketing Association Conference in Boston and the 2018 North American Society for Sport Management in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Dr. Kim also attended the International Sport Business Symposium in South Korea during the 2018 Winter Olympics, and accompanied S.P.M. 356 students on an experiential learning trip to Lake Placid. 

David Meluni

Assistant teaching professor

Meluni has spent the past four years as an adjunct professor in Sport Management. He has more than 18 years of experience in the sport industry, including as Vice President of Sales and Business Development for both 805 Stats and Infinity Sports and Entertainment, and Vice President of Sales at SIDEARM Sports. Meluni, who will teach S.P.M. 215, S.P.M. 225 and S.P.M. 324, is a Syracuse native and a graduate of Ithaca College and Florida State University.

Dr. Rodney Paul

Professor

Dr. Paul presented his research at the SportCon and Minne Analytics Group Conference in Minneapolis, the Academy of Economics and Finance in Houston and the European Association of Sport Economics in Liverpool, England. He served as a panelist for the A.C.C. Week Power Breakfast on Sport Analytics in New York City, the Chicago Sports Museum’s Data Analytics Conference and S.U.’s Los Angeles Program’s Analytics Open House. Dr. Paul serves as advisor of the S.P.M. Baseball Statistics and Sabermetrics Club and teaches Sport Analytics courses. 

Dr. Gina Pauline

Associate professor, undergraduate program director

Dr. Pauline attended the 2017 Association of Applied Sport Psychologists (A.A.S.P.) national conference in Orlando, where she met with executives at Walt Disney’s Wide World of Sports about internships for S.P.M. students. She also met with organizers from the 2017 Disney World Marathon about conducting a research study. Dr. Pauline worked with Sport Venue and Event Management students to host a Charity Golf Classic in Spring 2018. 

Dr. Jeff Pauline

Associate professor, graduate program director

Dr. Pauline presented his research at the 2017 Association of Applied Sport Psychologists (A.A.S.P.) national conference in Orlando. He serves on the A.A.S.P. Continuing Education Committee and is also a member of A.A.S.P., the S.U. Appeals Board, and Falk College’s Grievance Committee. Pauline took students in S.P.M. 101 to the Syracuse Rescue Mission to serve meals and log volunteer hours. He also attended the Stadium Managers Association National Conference in San Diego. 

Patrick Ryan

Associate teaching professor

Ryan is the advisor of the Sport Management Sales Club and mentors the S.P.M. Learning Community. He works closely with Falk College information technology staff to best outfit the college with the necessary equipment for the Milton Conrad Technology Center and helped plan the computer software needed for Falk’s new Sport Analytics lab. He also accompanied S.P.M. 356 students on an experiential learning trip to Lake Placid. 

Dr. Shane Sanders

Associate professor

Dr. Sanders gave a lecture in S.U.’s Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science Department on the topic of algorithms to compute inconsistencies in cross country running meet scores. He teamed with Falk colleagues to secure a ’CUSE grant for $29,921 to study death rates and causes among former N.F.L. players. Dr. Sanders is the advisor for the S.P.M. Basketball Analytics Club and teaches Sport Analytics courses. 

Michael Veley

Director and chair, Rhonda S. Falk endowed professor

Veley serves as vice president of the Syracuse Sports Corporation, is the public address announcer for S.U. football and basketball games, and is the co-advisor of the S.U. Sport Management Club. He served as a guest speaker for the C.N.Y. Alumni Association and Institute for Retired Persons and as a panelist for the A.C.C. Week Power Breakfast on Sport Analytics in New York City and at the Chicago Sports Museum’s Data Analytics Conference. Veley is a member of the Falk College Dean’s Cabinet and the Advisory Board of the Center of Sports Business and Research at Penn State University. 

Dr. Patrick Walsh

Associate professor

Dr. Walsh presented his research at the Sport Marketing Association Conference in Boston and the Sport Communication Summit in Indiana. He had articles published in the International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, Journal of Applied Sport Management, and Global Sport Business Journal. He currently serves on the editorial boards of Sport Marketing Quarterly, the International Journal of Sport Management, and the Journal of Global Sport Management. 

Dr. John Wolohan

Professor

Dr. Wolohan was on sabbatical leave in the Spring 2018 semester. He spent the semester in China, England and South Africa meeting with universities and businesses. Wolohan is under contract to co-write a book on “Global Sports Law.” He served as guest speaker at Tencent’s Digital Sports Global Summit in Beijing, China, and served as an invited panelist at the Marquette University Law School for its conference titled “Maintaining the Integrity and Commercial Value of Sports While Protecting Athletes’ Rights.” 

Sport Management staff updates

Margie Chetney finished her fifth year in Sport Management as an administrative assistant. She works closely with students and faculty, organizes S.P.M. events, serves as editor of the S.P.M. newsletter and handles social media and news for the department. 

Nicole Imbrogno (S.P.M. class of 2008) finished her second year as an internship placement coordinator in Sport Management. She works with S.P.M. seniors on Capstone guidance, undergraduates on internships and advising, as well as being a liaison for department alumni. She is the advisor of the S.P.M. Women in Sports and Events (WISE) Club and also teaches S.P.M. 201 and H.S.H. 101. 

Lisa Liparulo started as an internship placement coordinator in Sport Management in August 2018. She has worked as an academic advisor at S.U.’s Whitman School of Management since 2013. Liparulo has a Master’s in Counseling and Human Services, as well as her C.A.S. in Intercollegiate Athletic Advising and Support, from S.U. Her Bachelor’s is in Business Management from SUNY Buffalo. 

Francesco Riverso finished his third year as an intern ship placement coordinator in Sport Management, working with undergraduate students on advising, internships, career events, networking and senior Capstones. He also teaches S.P.M. 201 and H.S.H. 101 and works with Sport Analytics students on academic advising. Beginning in Fall 2018, Riverso begins a new role as Sport Analytics project manager and advisor. 

Kathryn Tunkel, who celebrated her 25th year at Syracuse University in 2018, is the administrative assistant to S.P.M. director Michael Veley. She works closely with students and faculty, handles all S.P.M. course scheduling, classroom assignments, Intra-University Transfer and S.P.M. minor applications, and student enrollment. 

News and Events

History-making athlete, social activist Kathrine Switzer delivers 2018 Commencement address at S.U.

Barrier-breaking athlete, author and activist Kathrine Switzer ’68, G’72 delivered Syracuse University’s 2018 Commencement address on May 13, 2018, at the Carrier Dome.

As a 20-year-old Syracuse University junior in 1967, Switzer became the first woman to officially enter and run the Boston Marathon. That life-defining day inspired her to create greater opportunities for women in sports, including organizing an international running circuit of women’s races, being instrumental in having the women’s marathon accepted in the Olympic Games and establishing 261 Fearless, a global nonprofit to empower women through running.

“We are privileged to have Kathrine Switzer as Syracuse University’s Commencement speaker. Her story of determination as a young athlete and her work as an advocate for women in sports created much-needed change,” said S.U. Chancellor Kent Syverud. “Students can take inspiration from her enthusiasm for her sport that has led to a life of remarkable achievement.”

Switzer, who is a Sport Management Advisory Board member, graduated from the Newhouse School of Public Communications and the College of Arts and Sciences and has been recognized for her activism in advancing women’s sport, health and equality. Among her many honors, she was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 2011 and the inaugural class of the National Distance Running Hall of Fame in 1998.

“Fifty years ago, when I was an emerging athlete and a determined young advocate for women’s sports, I was sitting in that audience of graduates imagining what the future would hold. I predicted many things, but I never, ever, could have predicted that one day I would be speaking to that audience,” Switzer said.

She told the Class of 2018, “There is a funny thing about both knowledge and running—the more you learn, the more you don’t know, and the faster you get lets you know how much more training you really need. You are probably the worst judges of your own capability, and the only way to push beyond your self-imposed limits is to take the next step. You’ll surprise yourself.”

As a journalist, she has published hundreds of articles, and is the author of three books, including her memoir “Marathon Woman,” “26.2 Marathon Stories” (which she co-wrote with her husband, Roger Robinson) and “Running and Walking for Women Over 40.” 

In 2015, Switzer established 261 Fearless as a global nonprofit organization to empower and unite women through the creation of local running clubs, educational programs, communication platforms and social running events. The number 261 is a nod to her bib number in the 1967 Boston Marathon. 

Academic and athletic advisors pursue Certificate of Advanced Studies 

The Department of Sport Management offers a graduate Certificate of Advanced Studies (C.A.S.) in Intercollegiate Athletic Advising and Support as a joint program with the School of Education’s Department of Higher Education.

The purpose of the C.A.S. is to prepare current and future professional academic and athletic advisors, and higher education professionals (academic and athletic advisors, higher education student affairs professionals/administrators, and coaches) by providing a focused area of academic inquiry related to research, practice and policy perspectives in intercollegiate athletics and college student athlete development. Given the ongoing visibility and attention being paid to athletic academic advising and support services at various colleges and universities, this area of study is particularly relevant in the preparation of professionals who work in athletic advising and student service capacities with intercollegiate student-athletes.

C.A.S. coursework emphasizes an understanding of the economic, social and academic roles of intercollegiate athletics to American colleges and universities. Students explore academic and athletic policies, internal and external oversight of athletics, and current reform issues in college sport. They also study current research on college sport and student athlete development as they review best practices for advising and academic programming for student-athletes within an intercollegiate sport culture.

In May 2018, three students completed the C.A.S. For more information on the program, visit our website. 

Assistant professor conducts research at Winter Olympics

Sport Management assistant professor Dr. Jeeyoon Kim was honored to attend and conduct research at the 2018 Winter Olympics in February in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Kim researched the negotiation of motivation and constraints in young people’s decision-making for tuning into the Winter Olympics. More importantly, her research investigates how watching the Winter Olympics affects the decision-making process for sport participation.

Kim was awarded an $18,000 grant as part of the International Olympic Committee’s advanced Olympic research grant for her project “Building a Sport Participation Legacy Through the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.” She also received a Falk College Seed Grant for $7,500 for the project “Building Korea’s Brand Personality and Equity with the Olympic Brand and the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.”

Sport participation legacy among younger generations is of primary interest to South Korea and any countries hosting Olympic Games, as well as those invested in the Olympic movement. With a large youth population and a strong strategic position in Asia, PyeongChang hoped the 2018 games enabled a legacy of new growth and potential.

Through the project, Kim aimed to understand and derive strategies to stimulate young people’s interest in watching the Winter Olympics, and to effectively transfer that interest to sport participation. With Korean and Chinese youth selected as the target population, the findings will help deliver a better sport participation legacy for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics in the host country as well as across Asia. With the 2022 Winter Olympics scheduled for Beijing, the research will provide valuable insights for the next host of the Winter Olympics.

Kim joined Falk College’s Department of Sport Management in August 2016 after earning her Ph.D. from Florida State University. Her research agenda is anchored on the impact of sport events on local communities and event consumers. Prior to this role, she served with the Korean Olympic Committee. For over five years, she worked for the International Games, International Relations and 2018 PyeongChang Olympics Task Force Teams. 

Lake Placid trip offers students piece of Olympic history

In February, undergraduate Sport Management students (as part of their S.P.M. 356 Olympic Sport Management class) traveled to Lake Placid, accompanied by S.P.M. assistant professor Dr. Jamie Kim and S.P.M. teaching professor Pat Ryan. It was the ninth annual Winter Olympic Odyssey trip to Lake Placid for Sport Management.

The group stayed overnight at the United States Olympic Training Center, where Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls were staying. Students also had a chance to play basketball and volleyball at the Center, and learn about the management of Olympic venues from United States Olympic Committee operations manager Jared Steenberg.

Led by Lake Placid historian and tour guide Jim Rogers, the group visited the Olympic Center hockey arena, where the 1980 “miracle on ice” took place, and visited the 1932/1980 Winter Olympic Museum. They visited the Olympic Jumping Complex, where they took an elevator to the top of the 120-meter ski-jumping tower. Also, the students toured the Olympic Sports Complex, home to the bobsled, skeleton and luge tracks, and the biathlon range.

“Witnessing the Olympic legacy in person and learning from Olympic experts was truly a valuable experience for the students,” Kim said. “This year’s trip was unique as we were able to watch the 2018 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony live from South Korea on TV and enjoy the Olympic festivities together.”

Graduate students’ Charity Golf Classic benefits Vera House

The Sport Venue and Event Management (S.V.E.M.) graduate program raised $20,000 during a charity golf tournament to benefit Vera House on May 7 at Drumlins Country Club in Syracuse. The event, which was sponsored by Key Bank, included more than 100 golfers, lunch, a dinner reception, silent auction, guest speakers, and raffle prizes.

Monies raised will support Vera House’s domestic and sexual violence program, providing shelter, advocacy, education, and counseling for women, children, and men.

“The Charity Golf Classic provides our students with a unique opportunity to learn, plan, and execute a sporting event,” said Sport Venue and Event Management graduate program director Dr. Jeff Pauline. “In addition to their professional development, students learn the importance of social responsibility.”

This event connected event management courses, including experiential learning opportunities, and social responsibility, which are hallmarks of the academic programs across Falk College. The execution of this tournament is part of the S.V.E.M. curriculum that requires students to organize an event to gain a direct, hands-on learning experience working in all facets of the sports industry.

“Having the opportunity to be involved in the event planning and management process was a great way to learn and develop as industry professionals,” said Sport Venue and Event Management graduate student Kelsey Meisenzahl ’18. “The hands-on experience we gained is truly invaluable. Vera House is such a deserving partner and we really enjoyed furthering their efforts in bringing awareness to domestic and relationship violence.”

The students worked on the event as part of their S.P.M. 665 Advanced Event Management class and S.P.M. 635 Marketing Sport Venues and Events class. Students were responsible for all aspects of the tournament including selecting the community partner, course operations, marketing, hospitality, fundraising, and sponsorships.

Former United States Women’s National Soccer Team goalkeeper Jillian Loyden served as keynote speaker. She founded the Jillian Loyden Foundation in memory of her sister, Britton Loyden, a victim of domestic violence.

“The students took the framework of this event and worked hard to expand upon various areas to make the event unique,” said Dr. Gina Pauline, Sport Management associate professor and undergraduate director. “The result was the creation of a topnotch experience for attendees that included golf, specialty food, music, contests, and an incredible keynote speaker.” 

Batter Up! Sport Analytics seniors’ research published by Baseball America, accepted for European conference

Sport Analytics students Justin Perline ’19 and Charles “C.B.” Garrett ’19 have been invited to attend the European Sports Economics Association (E.S.E.A.) conference in Liverpool, England, in August 2018. The seniors were notified in Spring 2018 that their research was accepted for presentation at the international conference.

Their paper, “Minor League Team Success and Its Impact on M.L.B. Player Performance,” with Syracuse University Sport Analytics professor Dr. Rodney Paul as a co-author, is an academic treatment of the research by Perline and Garrett featured in Baseball America, which is a top website in the world of baseball.

The paper investigates positive externalities from minor league team success as it relates to marginal revenue product of a baseball player, measured by W.A.R. (Wins Above Replacement). The results illustrate that winning has a positive impact on individual performance later in a player’s career and has economic implications for baseball teams and for the workplace in general.

In addition to this paper, Paul also had his paper titled “The Role of Uncertainty of Outcome and Team Success on Attendance Outside the N.H.L.: Comparing the top Leagues in Europe to the Minor Leagues in North America” accepted for the E.S.E.A. conference.

Perline is a dual major in Sport Analytics and in Newspaper and Online Journalism. Garrett is a dual major in Sport Analytics and Broadcast and Digital Journalism.

The European Sports Economics Association Conference is the premier sports economics conference held annually in Europe. Sports economists present on a variety of theoretical and empirical models related to the economics of sports.

“As undergraduate students, the acceptance of the paper for the E.S.E.A. conference is especially impressive,” Dr. Paul said. “Justin and C.B. will gain valuable experience being able to present to a premier audience of researchers in sports economics and will gain valuable suggestions and ideas for both their current and future research from the conference participants. I think they will find the topics discussed at the conference to be thought-provoking and will benefit them in their future careers.” Read the article by Baseball America.

Students bask in Australia’s sport, history and culture

Falk College Endowed Professor of Sport Management Rick Burton took 12 students to Australia from June 13-30 as part of a three-credit course titled S.P.M. 300—Australia: Sport, History and Culture. The course is cross-listed as S.O.C. 300 and much of the focus of this year’s trip was on the narrative of race in sports. It was the seventh time the course was offered.

The students stayed in each city approximately five days and along with classroom work enjoyed cultural studies with trips to the rainforest and in-depth study of indigenous communities. The group visited Melbourne, Sydney, and Cairns (the Great Barrier Reef), taking in professional football and basketball, as well as snorkeling, scuba diving and “jungle surfing” in the Daintree National Park. The group visited the Queen Victoria Markets, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (the famed M.C.G.), Australia’s Sporting Hall of Fame, Sydney Harbour and Cape Tribulation, where British explorer James Cook ran aground in 1770.

Students benefitted from scholarly lectures (at top Australian universities such as Victoria University, University of Technology Sydney and James Cook University), site visits, and meetings/interactions with Australian university professors, students and industry professionals.

“From learning to play Australian Rules Football to visiting the aboriginal community, all the lectures and activities were enriching and eye opening,” said Sport Management major Jocelyn Mong ’19. “Through this trip, I met amazing people from different colleges at S.U. We bonded over everything Aussie-related: food, rugby, and kangaroos, and have memories that will stick with us forever.”

Burton, who previously worked in Australia as the commissioner of the Australian National Basketball League, said the purpose of the trip is to expose American students to a different country’s sport, history and culture.

“It’s exciting for our students to get embedded in an unfamiliar setting and see the unique way in which Australia embraces its sporting culture,” Burton said. “This trip gives S.U. students the opportunity to see a vibrant sports culture that is different from what they see in the U.S.” 

Students immerse themselves in LA sport culture

What better way to experience what the sport industry has to offer than spend eight days immersed in it? That’s exactly how 20 Sport Management students spent their 2018 Spring Break, finding out all there is to know about the Los Angeles sport industry.

The intensive trip to Southern California is part of a course that allows students to interact with more than 45 industry executives and practitioners from nearly every sector of the industry. The course compares and contrasts business practices, marketing strategies, branding initiatives, social media outreach and the organizational culture of competing sports franchises and entities in the greater Los Angeles market.

“As a senior, the insights these executives shared could not have pointed me in a better direction while at the same time reinforcing what I have to do to reach my goals,” said David Jaffin ’18.

This year’s trip included meetings with professional Basketball Hall of Famer Bill Walton and professional horse jockey Iggy Puglisi. The group visited Hollywood, Griffith Observatory, NASCAR, U.C.L.A., Los Angeles Football Club, Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles Marathon, FOX Sports, C.A.A., Los Angeles Sports and Entertainment Commission, A.E.G., Santa Monica Pier, Stub Hub Center, Santa Anita Racetrack, Rose Bowl, Los Angeles Kings, Los Angeles Coliseum, and N.F.L. Network, where they watched a live segment of “N.F.L. Replay.”

“Every year the course and immersion trip to Los Angeles mirrors the ever-changing landscape of the sports industry,” said Michael Veley, Sport Management director and Rhonda S. Falk Endowed Professor, who teaches S.P.M. 358. “We have incorporated new experiences every year and introduce students to some of the non-traditional sectors and job opportunities in sport. It’s an eye-opening experience, and best of all, it has led to full-time employment for many students.”

Students also attended a Kings vs. Red Wings N.H.L. game and Lakers vs. Nuggets N.B.A. game.

“The Los Angeles Immersion trip was the most transformative experience I have been a part of since I arrived at S.U.,” said Taitum Kurasz ’18. “Having the opportunity to speak with high-profile executives, visit world-class facilities, and see the West Coast under a new light completely influenced my view of the sport industry. It challenged me to consider working in sectors of the industry I had never thought of.”

The students were accompanied on the trip by Veley and Sport Management internship placement coordinator Nicole Imbrogno. The trip is made possible by a generous gift from Jeff and Andrea Lomasky. 

15 S.P.M. students named to A.C.C. honor roll

Fifteen Syracuse University Sport Management student-athletes were named on the Atlantic Coast Conference Honor Roll for the 2017-18 academic year, Commissioner John Swofford announced. The Honor Roll is comprised of student-athletes who participated in a varsity-level sport and registered a grade point average of 3.0 or better for the full academic year. The S.P.M. honorees include:

Carolin Bader, soccer
Aliah Bowllan, volleyball
Jan Breitenmoser, soccer
Cody Conway, football
Nolan Cooney, football
Drina Domic, soccer
Baylee Douglas, softball
Philo Germano, track and cross country
Josephine Kiesel, rowing
Alexandria Lamontagne, soccer
Sydney Leiher, track and cross country
Alexandra Olnowich, ice hockey
Johannes Pieles, soccer
Lysianne Proulx, soccer
Lukas Rubio, soccer

S.P.M. guest speakers 2017-18

In Person

Danielle Andrade, volunteer coordinator,
Rescue Mission

Sarah Azria, assistant director budget and planning,
Syracuse University 

Dee Bailey, associate director, parking and transit services,
Syracuse University

Mark Barbuto, event staff manager, Carrier Dome,
Syracuse University

Bill Bonnell, producer,
A.B.C. Primetime College Football

Tiffany Brec, campus project coordinator,
Vera House

Neil Buethe, senior communications manager,
United States Soccer

J.T. Busco, assistant football coach,
Syracuse University

Cassie Calvert, social media coordinator,
Baltimore Ravens

Adam Candee, sports business reporter,
Las Vegas Sun

Joe Carfi, director of parking and transit services,
Syracuse University

Olivia Cheng, marketing professional,
Legends

Lisa Cotanch, director of tax reporting and financial projects,
Syracuse University

Clint Cure, assistant general manager,
Syracuse Chiefs/New York Mets

Danielle Czysz, senior events associate,
DraftKings

Michael Drobnick, inside sales manager,
Philadelphia 76ers

Robyn Dumas, development officer,
Make-a-Wish Foundation

Lauren Ferris, senior specialist people acquisition,
Madison Square Garden

Paul Gibson, director of sales,
ISlide

Suzanne Grassel ’08, special assistant to the president,
Major League Soccer

David Greco, director of operations,
S.P.A.C. 

David J. Halberstam, former executive vice president,
Westwood One sports

Joe Hart, president,
South Bend Cubs

Mark Hayes, vice president of revenue development,
Syracuse Crunch

John Huff, general manager,
Live Nation Entertainment

Julie Hughes, accounts payable manager, Carrier Dome,
Syracuse University

Aaron Hugo, executive vice president,
Pinckney Hugo

Peter Irvine, manager of ticketing systems, Carrier Dome Box Office,
Syracuse University

Gary Jacobus, head of business development, sports, and entertainment,
Aramark

Jake Kelfer, author, Elevate Beyond; founder,
Professional Basketball Combine

Scott Kevy ’15, account executive,
Momentum

Justin Kittredge, chief executive officer and founder,
ISlide

Charles Lerner ’17, philanthropic broker

Lori Lashombe, accountant, Carrier Dome Box Office,
Syracuse University

Mike Lucero, global director for client strategy,
Twitch.tv

A.J.Manderichio, social media director,
Anaheim Ducks

Andrea Marino, senior manager of corporate activation and marketing,
Syracuse Crunch

Chris McCloskey, senior vice president of communications,
N.B.C. Sports

Ian McFate, director of clubs,
Aramark

Casey Miller, director of client services,
Grabyo

Tom Odjakjian, associate commissioner,
American Athletic Conference

DaeKwon Park, assistant professor,
Syracuse University School of Architecture

Michael Patent, co-founder and managing director,
Culture Group

Kim Pegula, president and chief executive officer,
Pegula Sports and Entertainment

Mark Potter, associate director ticket operations, Carrier Dome Box Office,
Syracuse University

Bob Rauscher, creator “N.F.L. Countdown” on E.S.P.N., executive producer for E.S.P.N.’s coverage of 22 Super Bowls,
E.S.P.N.

Chuck Reutlinger, associate director,
Syracuse University Career Services

Jason Riddell, senior sports scientist,
EDGE10

Ashley Robbins Congdon, director of athletic communications,
UMass Lowell

Joe Rosen, lawyer, founder and managing member,
Brown & Rosen

Cameron Schuh, executive producer of multimedia,
N.C.A.A.

Leonard Shanes, project manager,
Syracuse University

Dr. Robby Sikka, associate director of data analytics for sports medicine,
Mayo Clinic

Brandon Steiner, C.E.O.,
Steiner Sports

Eric Stensland, marking manager,
Dunkin Donuts

Scott Sugar, athletic director,
Fayetteville-Manlius High School

Micah Tannenbaum, corporate social responsibility manager,
N.B.A.

Mike Trager, chief marketing manager, The Trager Group;
former president of Clear Channel/ S.F.X.

Tim Trussell, director of data science,
Kinduct

Amber Vander Ploeg,
Rescue Mission

Adam Vogel, director of inside sales,
New York Mets

John Wildhack, director of athletics,
Syracuse University 

Via Skype

Greg Ackerman ’15, digital marketing analyst,
Arizona Diamondbacks

David Baker, president and C.E.O.,
Pro Football Hall of Fame

Christine Berney, vice president of community relations,
Oklahoma City Thunder

Cassie Calvert, social media coordinator,
Baltimore Ravens

Dennis Ceccarelli, senior product marketing manager,
Xbox Game Pass

Kyle Chank, vice president, operations and logistics,
Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee

Alexa Dolan,
Madison Square Garden

Teddi Doman, chief marketing officer,
360 Sports and Pro Football Camps

Terell Drayton, activations and communications,
Red Bull

Chris Fowler, host and play-by-play announcer,
E.S.P.N.

Dejah Gilliam, coordinator, industry communications,
NASCAR

Joshua Glasheen, manager of sponsorship and marketing,
Bose Corporation

Charma Harris ’13, tournament services manager,
P.G.A. Tour

Laura Kenney, senior manager of content alliances,
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts

Erika Larsen ’17, athlete services coordinator,
Ironman

Adam Lefkoe ’08, host/anchor,
Bleacher Report

Mike Mariano, director of research and analysis,
Wasserman

Michael Marsocci, manager of data analytics,
Los Angeles Kings

Shanell Mosley, assistant director for sport partnerships,
U.S. Fund for UNICEF

Erica Muhleman, executive vice president of business development,
Pegula Sports and Entertainment

Andy Pregler ’15, alumni engagement and marketing coordinator, Lubin House,
Syracuse University

Jonathan Prinsell, manager of ticketing administration and data analytics,
Hamilton Tiger-Cats Football Club

Francesca Ranieri, executive assistant,
National Hockey League

Brent Rossi, executive vice president of marketing and brand strategy,
Pegula Sports and Entertainment

Matt Samost, senior director of new ventures,
Tampa Bay Sports & Entertainment

D.J. Shea, account manager,
LinkedIn Marketing Solutions

Ryan Smith, analyst and New York Giants media correspondent,
Pro Football Focus

Ian Solomon ’14, account manager,
Octagon

Robert Stabenau ’13, manager,
Sponsorship Research International with M.K.T.G.

Jayson Stark, baseball columnist and reporter

Micah Tannenbaum, senior digital coordinator for social responsibility,
N.B.A.

Dawn Turner, director of marketing and brand management,
Oklahoma City Thunder

Stuart Wallace, quantitative analyst,
Pittsburgh Pirates

Tyler Wasserman, research analyst,
Nielsen Sports

Adam White, founder and C.E.O.,
Front Office Sports

Jordyn White, publicity assistant,
D.K.C.

Kimberly Wingert, social media and marketing manager,
Amazon 

Advisory Board

Meet the S.P.M. advisory board members

Brandon Stiener, Chair, is the founder and chairman of Steiner Sports Marketing and Memorabilia, the largest company of its kind in America. Considered a sports marketing guru, Steiner is a permanent fixture in the media as a regular on E.S.P.N. N.Y. Radio 98.7 F.M. and as host of “The Hook-Up with Brandon Steiner” on YES Network. The author of two books, Steiner received Syracuse University’s highest alumni honor, The Arents Award, in October 2015

David Falk, Chair Emeritus is the founder and C.E.O. of FAME and has long been recognized as one of the industry’s leading figures and most talented innovators. Falk is an investor in Consumable, a digital advertising company; Hyperwave, a cooking technology company; Omega, a real estate company; and Endless Entertainment, an interactive content company. In 2009, he released his first book, “The Bald Truth.” A gift from Rhonda S. Falk ’74 and David B. Falk ’72 in 2011 established the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. 

Ronald Bernard has over 35 years experience in the entertainment, sports, and media industries in both senior operating and financial capacities. He is president of L.W.B. Consulting, a media/ sports consulting advisory to private equity firms looking to make investments in the sports/entertainment industry.

Nicholas Carparelli Jr. is senior director of sports marketing at Under Armour. Previously, he worked as the senior associate commissioner at the Big East Conference and also worked for the New England Patriots and at the University of Notre Dame. He received his Master’s degree from S.U.

Howard Dolgon is president and C.E.O. of the Syracuse Crunch. A founding member of Alan Taylor Communications, Inc., an independent sports public relations agency, Dolgon has spent more than 25 years in the public relations/marketing field. He is a visiting professor at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications of Syracuse University.

Kelly Downing is a marketing veteran with more than 19 years experience working with sports teams, international sporting events, agencies, and consumer brands. She is the managing partner and chief operating officer of State6, a strategic creative marketing and communications firm that takes an integrated approach to solving challenges facing brands and businesses. The S.U. graduate began her career with the New England Patriots and New England Revolution.

Michael Duda is the cofounder and managing partner of Bullish Inc., a marketing and consumer investment-driven company whose portfolio has included Under Armour, Nike, Pelton, Casper, Harry’s, and Warby Parker. Duda has spent 25 years in the world of Madison Avenue, overseeing multiple Super Bowl campaigns, sport company launches and partnerships.

Patti Fallick is the senior director of broadcast operations at the United States Tennis Association (U.S.T.A.), where she oversees the broadcast department for both the U.S. Open and U.S.T.A. properties. She manages the partnerships with U.S. Open domestic and international rights holders, including the World Feed Broadcast. Prior to the U.S.T.A., she was a member of the original team for M.L.B. Network’s record setting launch in 2009. The S.U. graduate has won seven Emmy Awards.

Shawn Garrity is the chief executive officer for Circle T.P.R., a national entertainment production company he founded in 2013 in Las Vegas. His career also included the founding of a Las Vegas-based company called Performance Plus. Garrity was a scholarship athlete at S.U., playing football from 1982-86.

Mark Geddis is president and C.E.O. of Geddis Holdings and managing partner of Super Fan Sports Fundraising. Prior to that, he was the founder and C.E.O. of Collegiate Images and was also director of marketing communications for the Florida Marlins.

Charma Harris, a 2013 graduate of S.U.’s Sport Management program, is a talent acquisition coordinator at C.N.A., a non-profit research and analysis organization based in Arlington, Virginia. Prior to C.N.A., Harris worked for five years at the P.G.A. Tour as a tournament services coordinator and manager at the W.G.C.-Cadillac Championship in Miami, Florida.

Pam Hollander is vice president of consumer marketing at Allstate, where she leads the corporation’s Sponsorship Marketing and Promotions group as well as Multicultural Marketing and Local/Agent Marketing. She joined Allstate in 2000 and has been in the marketing, communications and public relations industry for more than 25 years.

Cliff Kaplan is chairman of Equity Sports Partners (E.S.P.), a boutique sports marketing and media company based in New York City. Previous to founding E.S.P., Kaplan, an S.U. graduate, served as president and C.E.O. of Van Wagner Sports and Entertainment. He has been an industry leader for more than 25 years. 

David Kleinhandler, an S.U. graduate, is president and founder of New Venture Financial Wellness and has been an entrepreneur for over 30 years. His other projects include Dynasty Financial Partners and Foundations, including a partnership with Carmelo Anthony’s “Courts for Kids.”

Christopher Lencheski is interim global commercial partnerships director at M.P. & Silva. Prior to this role, he served as chairman of the board of managers and chief executive officer for I.R.G. Sports + Entertainment (I.R.G.S.E.). Lencheski has worked in the global sports and entertainment landscape for more than 20 years.

David Levy, an S.U. graduate, is president of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a position he was elevated to in 2013. In this role, Levy added oversight of Turner’s domestic entertainment, kids and young adults networks and business portfolios to his leadership of the company’s advertising sales, affiliate sales, and sports units.

Sandy Montag is president and C.E.O. of The Montag Group, a talent management, consulting, content development and media strategy company focused in the world of sports, entertainment and lifestyle. Additionally, Montag spent 30 years at I.M.G., and also developed and launched Ari Fleischer Sports Communications. 

Laurie Orlando is senior vice president for talent strategy at C.B.S. News. The S.U. graduate oversees recruiting, development, and planning for on-air talent. Prior to joining C.B.S. News, Orlando served as senior vice president for talent development and planning at E.S.P.N. 

Michael J. Patent is the co-founder and managing director of Culture Group, a pan-Asian entertainment marketing agency founded in 2016. The entertainment and brand marketing executive has a 15-year history of developing creative brand partnerships and innovative brand strategies in the U.S. and Asia. Prior to founding Culture Group, Patent served as senior vice president with A.E.G. Global Partnerships in Shanghai from 2013-2015.

Jeffrey Rubin is the founder and C.E.O. of Sidearm Sports, a company he founded in 2001, that works with over 900 college athletic programs across the United States and Canada. Rubin also serves as an associate professor of practice at Syracuse University’s iSchool. He is active with the Jim & Juli Boeheim Foundation, and other organizations across Central New York.

Ben C. Sutton Jr. is chairman of Teall Capital, a private equity company with portfolio investments including Riddle & Bloom, Tailgate Guys, Sunshine Beverages, and Dyehard Fan Supply. Sutton was previously chairman and C.E.O. of I.M.G. College, which he founded as I.S.P. Sports in 1992 and built into a nearly billion dollar enterprise. In addition to being named one of the most powerful sports executives in America, Sutton has received numerous awards, including induction into the Sports Business Journal Hall of Fame. 

Kathrine Switzer is one of running’s most iconic figures: her gender-barrier breaking run in the 1967 Boston Marathon launched the women’s running revolution. The S.U. graduate is an Emmy-award winning TV commentator, author, speaker and founder of “261 Fearless,” a global non-profit to empower women through running. She gave the Commencement address at S.U. in May 2018. 

Mike Tirico, a broadcaster for N.B.C. Sports, has handled a variety of assignments for E.S.P.N., E.S.P.N. Radio and A.B.C. Sports since 1991, establishing himself as one of the most recognizable faces in the industry. He served as the primetime host of Olympic coverage for N.B.C. in 2018. In 1987, he was the first recipient of the Bob Costas Scholarship, given to a broadcast journalism student at Syracuse University.

Tiffer Valente, a 2012 graduate of S.U.’s Sport Management program, has spent the last five years working for Endeavor’s I.M.G. College division, with roles in sales strategy and operations, as well as partnership marketing. Prior to I.M.G., he acted as a consultant for Tough Mudder in event safety and operations.

John Wildhack has served as Syracuse University’s Director of Athletics since August 2016. Previously he worked as executive vice president of programming and production for E.S.P.N. The S.U. graduate oversaw all of E.S.P.N.’s production efforts, as well as programming acquisitions, rights holder relationship management, and scheduling.

Michael Wohl is president of Pinnacle Housing Group. He focuses on the development of quality, affordable housing in South Florida. The S.U. graduate heads Pinnacle’s disposition efforts throughout the state. 

Alumni

To our S.P.M. alumni

Change. That word represents our 650 Syracuse University Sport Management alumni, combining bachelor’s and master’s graduates. Whether transitioning from college to career, accepting a new job or a promotion, getting married or welcoming a baby, many of you have experienced monumental changes in the last year. Congratulations! You are business owners, directors, vice presidents, attorneys, analysts, managers, sales associates, and event managers just to name a few, and you can be found from Australia to Texas and all points in between.

Thank you for filling out our recent survey, allowing us to include you in the pages that follow. How we communicate with you is also changing, so if you didn’t receive the survey, or if the information included here is inaccurate, please email me.

You’ve continued to pay it forward by hiring fellow graduates, overseeing Capstone students, mentoring undergraduates and assisting each other. You have passed along job opportunities and spoken in our classes and clubs. Your example is inspirational and very much appreciated.

The S.P.M. Alumni Advisory Council is pending final approval, and we’ll be in touch with everyone who has expressed an interest. We wish you continued success, both personally and professionally. Please stay in touch! 

To keep up to date on all S.P.M. news and events, visit our website. Be sure to follow Sport Management on Twitter @ SUSportMgmt, and “like” us on Facebook at S.U. Falk College Department of Sport Management

~ Kate Veley, Falk College events and alumni manager, email me; visit my LinkedIn profile. 

Save the Date!

Sport Management is hosting its second annual “S.P.M. 205: 2.0 – S.P.M. Alumni in #SportsBiz [Now We’re the Pros]” on campus on Friday, November 9, 2018. The day kicks off with a noon luncheon for alumni hosted by S.P.M. director Michael Veley, followed by an afternoon with a keynote speaker, breakout panel sessions, and networking with current students. The S.U. football team then takes on Louisville at 7 p.m. at the Carrier Dome. Please join us for a day of professional development, networking, and cheering on the ’Cuse! For more information or to participate in the event, email S.P.M. internship placement coordinator Nicole Imbrogno or call 315-443-7418. 

S.P.M. Alumni

Class of 2008

Bissett, Stephanie, The Wheeler School, Teacher, Class Dean, Coach

Blumstein, Austin, New York Mets, Coordinator, Ticket Services

Fernandez, Emmanuel, ACE Programs, Job Developer

Fischer, Lauren, The Willows Community School, Third-grade Teacher

Friedman, Jackie (Stanmyre), Rutgers University School of Social Work, Program Coordinator, Instructor in Addiction Counselor Training

Grassel, Suzanne, Major League Soccer, Special Assistant to the President

Goodman, Brian, Deluxe Corporation, Social Media and S.E.O. Account Manager

Hager-Johnson, Alana (Hancock), L.R.X.D., Account Director

Hight, Jonathan, Hearts and Science, Director of Digital Investment

Hobbs, Amy (Lawicki), Arrow Electronics, Senior Event Manager

Imbrogno, Nicole, Syracuse University, Sport Management Internship Placement Coordinator

McFate, Ian, Aramark Sports and Entertainment, Director of Clubs at Citizens Bank Park

Miller, Casey, Grabyo, Director of Client Services

Nemeroff, Julie (Friedman), N.B.A., Manager of Hospitality, Business Operations, Global Partnerships

Peetoom, Brad, Lhoist North America, Sales and Logistics Support Manager

Petrino, Jeff, Turner Sports, Director of Sponsorship Marketing

Ross, Michael, Atlanta Falcons, Area Scout

Shur, Steve, Giordano, Halleran & Ciesla, P.C., Attorney

Silverman, Jake, University of Pennsylvania, Assistant Athletic Director, Admissions and Financial Aid

Smith, Lauren, Wayfair, Learning and Development Manager

Suskind, Alex, Entertainment Weekly, Music Editor

Van Pelt, Matt, St. Peter’s Health Partners, Director of Service Line and Business Development

Widell, Heather, The Law Offices of Heather A. Widell, President/Trial Attorney

Wynn, Robert, Wynn Strategic Consulting, Owner

Class of 2009

Arrighi, Emily, E.S.P.N., On-Air Specialist Motion Graphics

Babienco, Isabella, Viant Technology, Account Manager Team Lead, Northeast Region

Belsky, Brian, The Bozzuto Group, General Manager

Berschler, Samantha (Levenson), Blue Apron, Senior Manager, Corporate and Campus Recruiting

Blanchette, Jason, Boston College Athletics Department, Associate Director of Marketing and Fan Engagement 

Campbell, Lindsey, The DeBerry Group, Public Relations Manager

Flynn, Tom, American Express, Director of Global Experiential Marketing

Galvin, John, D.W. Clark, Inc., Production Manager

Gay, Matt, Cleveland Indians, Senior Account Executive, Corporate Partnerships and Premium

Guha, Saurab, P.w.C. Corporate Finance L.L.C., Senior Associate

Harrington, Kelly, McCann, V.P., Account Director

Higgins, John-Christopher, The LiRo Group, O.S.P. Engineer

Intrater, Evan, Namely, Senior Technical Recruiter

Jody, Ryan, Google, Upfront Partnerships

Jordan, Shawn, TopShelf Inc., Minority Owner/Executive Project Director

Juhas, Michael, Digital Remedy, Managing Director

Kermond, Patrick, Burnham Boat Slings, Production Manager

Lampasi, Richie, Mile High Sports Radio, Radio Producer/Staff Writer

Langlais, Gary, C.S.C. Service Works Inc., Corporate Counsel

Lehane, Dan, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Senior Dealer/Operations Manager, Infinity West Region

Lipschutz, Jeffrey, Partners Group, Legal Counsel

Martin, Nick, McLaren Technology Group, Senior Vice President, Strategic Partnerships

Meltzer, Martin, D.L.A. Piper, Case Assistant

Mountford, Thornton, SeatGeek, Manager of Revenue Operations

Payne, Brett, Snap-On Tools, Account Manager

Perry, Matthew, ServiceNow, Manager, Global Sales Development

Robinson, Lori, Texas A&M University, Director of Learning Center Services

Rosen, Jorden (Maljovec), Trough Juice Bar, Co-owner, Attorney

Rutchik, Marc, Vox Media, Category Director, Team Lead

Selig, Tiffany, Selig Enterprises Co., Inc., Chief Operating Officer

Song, Jina (Freiberg), Public Welfare Foundation, Grants Manager

Sternbach, Adam, State of New Jersey, Office of the Governor, Associate Counsel 

Szklany, Greg, American Dairy Association North East, Public Relations Specialist 

Thomas, Delante’, Cuyahoga County of Ohio, Deputy Inspector General

Van Hoff, Ashley, McDermott Will & Emery, Attorney

Vandenabeele, Evan, U.B.S., Authorized Officer

Yakubovich, Jason, Quick Jewelry Repairs, Founder 

Class of 2010

Abramo, Alex, CarGurus, Senior Account Executive

Abramson, Andrew, Safire Partners, Partner, Executive Search

Alken, Mark, C.B.S. Sports Archives, Logger

Bassewitz, Michael, Paragon Marketing Group, Account Executive

Bubier, Rachel, Houston Astros Foundation, Coordinator for Community Affairs

Brewster, Tom,  Boston Bruins, Communications Manager

Chernes, Zach, McCann New York, Account Supervisor 

Choi, John, Carat U.S.A., Associate Director, Digital Analytics

Cohn, Andrew, Advantage, Director, Marketing Solutions

Cronin, Chrissy (Leach), Boston Celtics, Senior Manager, Group Sales

Dei, Edwin, Concise Media Design, Project Manager

DiTrani, Michael, Capstone Investment Advisors, Associate, Fund Accountant

Dubensky, Lena, S.S.B. Account Manager

Elken, Erik, A.B.C. 22/FOX 45, Anchor

Ferris, Trevor, Uline, Continuous Improvement Analyst

Finn, Eileen (May-West), Wasatch Adaptive Sports Program, Manager

Flohr, T. Will, Media Assembly, Associate Director, Integrated Communications

Frias, Gregory, U.S.T.A., Foundation Manager, Programs and Services

Gerstel, Stacie (Creasea), Entertainment Benefits Group, Program Manager

Gorsky, Jason, MongoDB Inc., Senior Technical Recruiter

Guzinski, Steve, S.J.G.Sports Fitness, Fitness Coach

Kallet, Brad, Spine Media, Managing Editor

Lemon, Cooper, Anomaly, Senior Digital Strategist

Levy, Joshua, W.M.E. T.V., Agent

Lewis, Josh, Storelli, Marketing Director

Mahaffy, Brandon, Genius Sports, Senior Project Manager

McIsaac, David, Good Sports, Community Partnerships Manager

Merritt, Nicole (Langlais), ThinkArgus, Account Director

Meyer, Joseph Prasco, L.L.C., Market Intelligence Analyst

Miksitz, Alyson, Zurich North America, Underwriter

Morrissey, Calvin, Perform Media, Director of Programmatic Sales

Neiman, Ashley (Brantman), Intersport, Account Director

Park, Andrew, Doman Group, Director of Client Services

Persoff, Joey, Baker & Hostetler L.L.P., Associate Attorney

Piken, Jonathan, Prudential Financial, Project Management Specialist

Posser, Erick, Guggenheim Partners, Vice President, Legal Counsel

Prinsell, Jonathan, Hamilton Tiger-Cats (C.F.L.), Manager, Ticketing Administration and Data Analytics

Reynolds, Matt, Boston Celtics, Video Coordinator 

Saxena, Aneesh, Wayfair, Senior Manager, Marketing

Shreve, Michael, M.D.S. & Associates, Manufacturer’s Representative

Shilo, Ashley, M.I.T. Sloan School of Communications, Assistant Director, Alumni Management

Siegal-Eisman, Zach, Artist Network Mangement, Junior Manager

Sotiropulos, Chris, Oakland Raiders, Director, Stadium Operations and Development

Spicer, Ashley (Lloyd), U.S. Money Reserve, H.R. Generalist and Trade Show Manager

Staton, Sam, Northern California Golf Association, Director, Events and Travel

Stone, Kevin, Boston Bruins and T.D. Garden, Ticket Sales Manager

Taylor, Gordie, Implus Marketing, Manager

Watson, Matt, Glover, Young, Hammack, Walton and Simmons, P.L.L.C., Attorney 

Weinman, Spencer, YieldMo, Vice President, Partnerships and Programmatic

Weintraub, Peter, Imperial Network Group, Digital Marketing Consultant

Wood, Samuel, Puck Agency, L.L.C., Client Representative, P.H.P.A. Certified Agent

Young, Tyler, Braze Director, People Enablement 

Class of 2011 

Anthony, David, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Assistant Director of Athletic Compliance

Aponte, Adriel, Robert Half Technology, Assistant Vice President and Staffing Executive

Baldassarre, Adam, S.M.E. Entertainment Group, Vice President, Business Development

Barca, Brendan, Traackr Enterprise, Account Executive

Bennett, Drew, Arizona Coyotes, Client Retention, Corporate Entertainment

Bernstein, Matthew, G.R. Properties U.S.A., Assistant Project Manager

Bourque, Basil, Visa Inc.,  Senior Analyst

Burkgren, Alyssa (Bleaken), Cornell University, Program Coordinator

Burks, Arielle, RYCARS Construction, L.L.C., Public Relations and Marketing Manager

Chernes, Zachary, McCann New York, Account Supervisor

Ciurzynski, Katie (Reagan), G&G Outfitters, Inc., Director of Accounts

Cooper, Jordan, Andela, Partner Experience Lead

Cravitz, Zachary, Florida Panthers,  Marketing Coordinator

DePoint, Devin, CaterTrax, Inc., Product Manager

Diamond, Andrew, Modell’s Sporting Goods, Digital Marketing Manager

DiTrani, Mike, Capstone Investment Fund, Accountant Advisors

Fair, Shantel, Special Olympics Southern California, Manager of Volunteers

Granato, Richard, New York Yankees, Ticket Operations

Heinen, Devon, The Atlantic, Contributing Feature Writer

Hoang, Thuong, Take-Two InteractiveSoftware, Inc., Manager Internal Audit

Hucal, Julian, E.Y., Management Consultant, Data and Analytics 

Kanter, Maxx, Young & Rubicam, Associate Account Director

Kramer, Matthew, C.G.I., Communications Sales Associate

Kravec, Mike, F.E.L.D. Entertainment, Tour Manager

Kuflik, Elana, Stevens Cooperative School, Head Teacher

Letterii, Marie, Hofstra University, Assistant Dean of Admissions

Levitt, Max, Leveling the Playing Field, Founder/C.E.O. Inc.

Lewin, Alex, Reuters Integrated Marketing, Manager

Meyer, Brian, Endeavor, Account Manager

Meyerkopf, Samuel, NextStep Basketball, Founder and Scout

Pak, Wilson, Elite Tournaments, Assistant Director of Operations

Paul, Matthew, Salmanson Capital/L3, Realty Group/Jemcap, Vice President

Porillo, Meghan, Signature Consultants, National Account Manager

Robbins, Ashley (Condon), UMass Lowell, Director of Athletic Communications

Ruhland, Saralynn, Buffalo Sabres, Account Services Representative

Sagnelli, Angie (Thomas), My/Mo Mochi Ice Cream, Director of Marketing

Salvan, Morgan, M.S. Consulting Services, Consultant

Schoem, Jordan, New York Ragers, President

Sharkey, Brian, Indeed.com, Account Manager, National Franchise Accounts

Stahler, Jonathan, Kenner + Imparato, P.L.L.C., Associate Attorney

Stark, Hali, Major League Baseball, Director, New Media and Content Marketing

Stein, Jamie, Wasserman, Manager, Sports Broadcasting

Tepper, Sarah (Carroll), General Assembly, Events and Marketing Producer

Thomas, Akeem, E.S.P.N., Multimedia Account Executive

Werner, Zachary, Electromed, Inc., Clinical Area Manager

Wilkinson, Sharifa, Northern Territory Major Events Company, Arafura Games Planner 

Woltz, Brett, DRAFT Marketing, Manager

Yeremian, Zack, SapientRazorfish, Senior Associate Marketing Strategy and Analytics

Zuckerman, Chelsey, Katz Media Group, Client Relations Broker 

Class of 2012 

Adamczyk, Elliott Regency Centers, Senior Property Manager 

Bailey, Antwon, San Miguel School, Educator 

Cheng, Olivia, Legends National, Marketing Manager

Coe, Jonathan, Southern California Golf Association, Assistant Director of Communications 

Cohen, Matthew, Riddle and Bloom, Account Supervisor 

Czysz, Danielle, Draft Kings, Events Associate 

D’Agostino, Margaret (McDonald), Dude Perfect, Senior Operations Manager 

Davidson, Bryan, Authentic Brands Group, Senior Manager, Business Affairs 

Edwards, Jennifer, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, Senior Account Manager

Fanelli, Joseph, The Lagasse Group, Assistant Superintendent

Fowler, Natalie, Winter Park Resort, Catering Manager

Glosser, Doug, Montlick and Associates, Associate Attorney

Hall, Kevin, The 212 Group, Account Manager

Handler, Eric, Madison Square Garden, Senior Manager, Pricing and Inventory Optimization

Hochberg, Sam, NetJets Sales, Consultant

Holden, Sarah, Fleet Feet Inc., Human Resources Business Partner

Irvin, Zuri, Showtime, Associate Producer

Josephs, Jordan, #VAUNT, Business Development and Partnerships

Kalinowski, Caitlin, Walt Disney World Resort, Recreation Guest Experience Manager

Langevin, Alison, Boston Celtics, Manager, Corporate Partnerships Activation

Lazare, Zachary, Madison Square Garden, Manager, Account Activation

Lomasky, Marc, Lowenstein Sandler, L.L.P., Associate

Marks, Alyssa, N.B.A., Associate Manager, Team Marketing and Business Operations

Naylor, Andrew, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Freight Flow and Operations Manager

Nightingale, Josh, Kraft Analytics Group (K.A.G.R.), Marketing System Analyst

Norowski, Ben, New York Red Bulls, Youth Soccer Sales Supervisor

Odell, Justin, Mindshare, Account Manager

Olivero, Tony, Trustco, Bank Head Teller

Prisco, Anthony, SIDEARM Sports, Account Manager/Support Specialist

Proctor, Brian, Special Care Systems, L.L.C., Sales Executive

Punda, Katie, Boston Celtics, Account Executive

Reilly, Jennifer, Hello! Florida Destination Management, Senior Account Manager

Reuben, Jeffrey, Access Sports Media, Director of Account Services

Resavy, Nick, Northeast Elite Basketball, Founder/Head Coach

Ricco, Richard, N.B.C. Sports Group, Technical Logistics Assistant

Rollins, Brandon, Aquarius Sports and Entertainment, Senior Manager, Client Services

Ruff, Brett, Buffalo Sabres, Coordinator of Hockey Administration 

Salmon, Jamal Paramount Pictures Vice President, Marketing Analytics 

Schenker, Michael The Montag Group Vice President 

Scrofani, Joseph, M.G.M., Manager, Business and Legal Affairs 

Shimrat, Alexander, Pro Specialities, Group Sales Manager/Premium Account Manager 

Sohl, Rudolph, Cerio Law Offices, Associate Attorney 

Tischler, Michael, Comcast, Facilities Amenities Supervisor 

Valente, Tiffer, I.M.G. College, Manager, Partnership Marketing 

Class of 2013 

Abrams, Jesse, Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Marketing Manager, Prudential Center and New Jersey Devils 

Alexander, George, Jared The Galleria of Jewelry, Certified Diamontologist 

Altavilla, Drew, U.T.S.A., Director of Facilities and Event Operations 

Arrospide, Andrew, Alfalfa, Co-Founder 

Belanger, Erica, ASICS Digital, Integrated Marketing Manager 

Berkowitz, Jacob, Spectra Venue, Director of Events Management 

Berman, Danielle, D.B. Consulting Firm, L.L.C., Founder and C.E.O. 

Boepple, Ryan, University of Colorado Law School, Student 

Botwinick, Michael, C.N.A., Insurance Attorney 

Brest, Eric, Catalyst Sports, Player Representative 

Bruce, Rebecca, National Hockey League, Manager, Partnership Marketing 

Ciferri, Marley, Real Broker Connection, Marketing Manager 

Cohen, Benjamin, Janney Montgomery Scott, Associate 

Cohen, Daniel, W.R.E.X.-T.V., Sports Anchor/Reporter 

Cohen, Max, Tampa Bay Rays, Pro Scout 

Costello, Sarah, Tampa Bay Lightning, Lightning Foundation and Community Events Manager 

Davidson, P.J., New York Yankees, Senior Account Executive, Group Sales 

Firestone, Evan, State Street Bank, Client Operations Associate 

Geant, Jim, New York Road Runners, Senior Manager, Business Development and Strategic Partnerships 

Geisenheimer, Stephen, M,L,B, Advanced Media, Media Planner

Harris, Charma, C-N-A, Coordinator

Higger, Eric, Bernstein Private Wealth Management, Private Client Associate

Jacobino, Jonathan, Dow Jones, Senior Marketing Associate

Kim, Tae Yun, Bike New York, Marketing Assistant

Kwasnowski, Liz, National Football League, Sponsorship and Partnership Management

Lecce, Michael, Radegen Sports Marketing, Director of Client Management

Lennon, Michael, Allstate Sprinkler Corp., Northeast Sales

Linowes, Rayna, Spartan Race, Inc., Senior Event Project Manager

Lyons, Davis, Van Wagner Sports & Entertainment, New Stadium Sales Consultant

McLean, AmandaRae, New York Yankees, Community Relations Coordinator

McWhirter, Iain, M.K.T.G., Senior Manager, Sponsorship Strategies and Activation

Millan, Joshua, The Whistle Sports Network, Senior Social Discovery Manager

Nelson, Dylan, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Associate

Nightingale, Josh, Kraft Analytics Group, Marketing System Analyst

Noel,Taylor, Bain & Company, Executive Assistant

Pache, Alex, Amazon.com, Team Lead, U.S. Global Sales

Pannucci, Lizzy, Princeton University, Manager of Event Operations

Plaut, Jonathan, D.V. Sport Inc., Replay Support Manager

Rudy, Aaron, Tulane University Athletics, Assistant Director of Marketing and Promotions

Ruiz II, Carlos, Major League Baseball, Senior Marketing Producer

Salzman, Nicole, LeadDog Marketing Group, Account Manager

Samost, Matthew, Tampa Bay Sports and Entertainment, Senior Director of New Ventures

Silberman, Andrew, CyberArk, Product Marketing Manager

Spodek, Chad, City Lumber Inc., Owner

Stabenau, Robert, M.K.T.G., S.R.I. Manager

Voelker Jr., Alvaro, Octagon, Account Manager

Wallace, Logan, Oakland Unified School District, Teacher

Wilburn, Clayton Tennessee Titans, Senior Account Executive 

Youle, Ellie, (Crowley), Brand Networks, Media Analyst

Class of 2014

Ackah, Rich, Disney A.B.C. Television Group, Cross-Platform Sales Planner

Andre, Matthew, Bolles Tennis, Assistant Director

Ashe, Matthew, Octagon, Account Manager

Ayres, Alexandra, United States Olympic Committee, Coordinator, Partnership Marketing

Bailey, Stephen, Syracuse Media Group, Syracuse University Football Beat Writer

Baylor, Curt, Cleveland Indians, Player Development Complex Assistant

Beck, Andrew, Advance Local, Multimedia Marketing Strategist

Bernstein, Zoe, B.M.F. Media, Account Manager

Blewis, Brian, Washington Redskins, Business Development Manager

Boory, Alex, Philadelphia Soul, Account Manager

Brooks, Beau, POWER Home Remodeling Group, Marketing Consultant

Corasaniti, Peter, Binghamton University, Director of Men’s Athletics Basketball Operations

DiDonato, Andrew, SportsEngine, Senior Customer Coach

Dragona, Anthony, National Basketball Association, Global Events

Feldman, Paige, C.A.A., Agent Trainee, Sport Consulting Group

Gilroy, Molly, M.i.Q., Programmatic Trader

Greenfield, Brett, Hartford Sports Group, Consultant

Haggerty, Kylee, Tough Mudder, Operations Manager

Hart, Nolan, AllianceBernstein, Regional Consultant

Hill, Devin, E.S.P.N., Sales Associate

Jacobson, Max, Home Team Sports, Account Executive

Johnson, Mina, Seneca Park Zoo, Society Communications Coordinator

Jordan, Jasmine, Nike and Jordan Brand, Field Representative

Kelley, Robert, All-Fill Inc., Regional Sales Manager

Kim, Sunghwan, Philadelphia 76ers, Account Executive, Group Events

Kozar, Steven, LeadDog Marketing Group, Senior Manager

Lee, Mari, Oakland Athletics, Customer Acquistion Manager

Lerner, Charles J., T.A.O. Group, Engagement Coordinator

Lewis, Marcel, I.B.M., Brand Specialist Solutions Representative 

Lyons, Courtney, New York Road Runners, Coordinator, Run For The Future

Mankowski, Meg, Scout Sports and Entertainment - Horizon Media, Event Manager

Matschiner, Thomas, J.P. Morgan Chase, Sports and Entertainment Marketing Associate

Morel, Javier, Vox Media, Campaign Manager

Muratev, Chad, Wieden + Kennedy, Communications Supervisor

Murray, Robert, T.P. I.C.A.P., Financial Analyst

Pagano, Matthew, Laver Cup, Coordinator, Business Operations

Peterson, Eric, A.D.P., Senior Recruiter

Philipson, Jeremy, FanDuel Inc., C.R.M. Associate

Rathbun, Stephen, The Rockport Group, Key Account Executive

Rosenblum, Brandon, Glacis, L.L.C., Business Development Manager

Ross, Andrew, Florida Tropics Soccer Club, General Manager

Sagarin, Andrew, Watertown Rapids, General Manager

Schotz, Zach, C.B.S. Sports, Social Media Producer

Shapiro, Benjamin, Washington Speakers Bureau, Account Executive

Smith, Jordan, Gow Media, Account Manager

Solomon, Ian, Octagon, Account Manager

Southard, Tyler, Sportsfield Specialties, Inc., Northeast Customer Service Manager

Sperino, David, P.G.A., Tour Operations Manager

Steverson, Jennifer, N.B.C. Sports, Sales Planner

Stransky, Jan, Accenture, Client Sales and Support Analyst

Sugiura, Daisuke, Los Angeles Dodgers, Public Relations Manager

Tavernier, Alex, U.S.A. Today Sports Media Group, Digital Account Manager

Tessler, Ryan, Konica Minolta, Named Account Executive

Wasserman, Tyler, N.B.A., Salary Cap Analyst

Wentzell, Jack, Spectra Venue Management, Senior Operations Manager

Wilson, John, SportsHandle, Editorial Assistant

Zombek, Ethan, Chelsea Piers Golf Academy, Coordinator

Class of 2015

Ackerman, Gregory, Arizona Diamondbacks, Analyst, Digital Marketing

Agresto, Kevin, FanDuel, Inc., Email Marketing Coordinator

Albright, Zachary, J.P. Morgan, Associate

Allam, Joseph, Z.S., Recruiter

Amantia, Nico, Scout Sports and Entertainment, Account Executive

Baren,Shaan, LourdMurray, Associate Wealth Manager

Barrie, Fergus, Syracuse University, Men’s Soccer Graduate Assistant

Bass, Scott J., Bass and Son Inc., Director, Sales and Operations

Baumer, Meghan, SIDEARM Sports, Account Manager

Beck, Michael, Advantage International, Senior Account Executive

Berger, David, S.W. Management L.L.C., Property Manager

Brown, Jocelyn, Promoboxx, Account Executive

Burke, Regina, Eastern Foundry, Chief of Staff

Bynum, Keara, Madison Square Garden, Communications

Carr, Kelly, Sidley Austin L.L.P., Associate for Capital Markets

D’Accordo, Michael, J.D.X. Consulting, Consultant

Del Guercio, Brooke, Major League Baseball, Advanced Media Senior Coordinator

Dennison, Jason, ShopKeep, P.O.S. Specialist

DiDonato, James, LeadDog Marketing Group, Senior Account Coordinator

Dillon, Catie, National Hockey League, Assistant to Executive Vice President of Events

Eidelman, Alec, U.P.S., Dispatch Supervisor

Eklund, Haley, Major League Soccer, Manager

Embry, Claire, Lippe Taylor, Senior Analyst

Filippi, Matthew, M.L.B. Network, Researcher

Frederick, Conor, Bitly, Account Executive

Gonzalez, Diana, Success Academy Charter Schools, Lead Teacher

Gorman, Daniel, American University, M.B.A. Candidate

Greenway, Chelsea, Metropolitan Hospitality, New York Mets, Event Coordinator

Gregory, Brittany, Teach for America, Teacher

Harmer, Jenna, U.S.G.A., Championship Coordinator

Hewitt, Cory, National Grid, Associate Customer Service Representative

Hill, Kevin, The Aspire Group at University of Maryland, Team Leader, Group Sales and Events

Kevy, Scott, Momentum Worldwide, Account Executive

Kopitz, Sandor, Legends, Premium Sales Consultant, LA Stadium

Korolev, Kristina, E.L.M. Developments, Project Coordinator

Laifer, Harrison, B.S.E. Global, Coordinator, Global Merchandising

Levy, Brett, Dallas Mavericks, Player Development Intern

Liemer, Colby, Scout Sports & Entertainment, Account Coordinator

Low, Matthew, B.B.D.O. Worldwide, Senior Copywriter

Ludwig, Max, Touro Law Center, Student

Mastin, Jonathan, Mas Sales Solutions, Business Consultant

McAlmont, Sydney, ONEGROUP Risk Management, Business Support Analyst

Mindock, Stephanie Ann, Inside Lacrosse, Sales and Administrative Coordinator

Neu, Nicholas, University of Massachusetts, Masters candidate in Sport Management

Peters, Derek, Endeavor Financial, Assistant

Raimo, Carly, Radegen Sports Management, Director, Strategy and Operations

Rechler, Benjamin, S.P.M. Soccer, Licensed Players’ Agent

Robinson, Christopher, Brooklyn Nets, Basketball Operations Seasonal Assistant

Rose, Matthew, The Mars Agency, Senior Account Executive

Ruben, Kate, The Montag Group, Coordinator, Brand Development, Executive Assistant

Scanlan, Daniel, Kindred Partners, Director

Schaeffer, Jay, U.C.L.A. Anderson, M.B.A. Candidate

Shapiro, Robert, Outfront Media, Account Executive

Skwiersky, David, Marks Paneth, Accounting Intern

Strand, Lauren, J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., Associate

Stevenson, Austin, Global Eagle, Campaign Manager, North America

Szczygiel, Erica, Wilen New York, Account Coordinator

Thweatt, Kyle, The NASCAR Foundation, Senior Coordinator, Programs

Walker, Bryson, Los Angeles Kings, Account Executive

Wildhack, Sean, P.G.A. Tour, Tournament Business and Sponsor Relations Coordinator

Wilkinson, Brian, A.D.P., District Manager

Williams, Delana, W.M.C. - Cooley Law, Law Student

Winter, Max, Ladas & Parry L.L.P., Trademark Intern

Wohlfarth, Derek, Joplin Miners, General Manager

Wood, Alyssa, M.K.T.G., Manager, Sponsorship Strategies and Activation

Class of 2016

Bengis, Julie, Smile Train, Associate, Team EMPOWER

Biggins, Elijah, Bleacher Report, Client Strategy

Billitier, Hailey, fuboT.V., Content Coordinator

Bocianaki, Jakob, Cramer-Krasselt, Account Executive

Brenner, Jayson, Tough Mudder Inc., Corporate Sales Account Executive

Campeas, Emily, WeWork,New Member Development Associate

Carlon, Tim, Huddle, Business Development Representative

Cohn, Caitlin, U.S.A. Diving, Social Media and Communications Coordinator

Cummings, Martin, Active International, Media Assistant 

Doskow, Sydney, LeadDog Marketing Group, Senior Account Coordinator

Freedman, Benjamin, Beyond Sports, Project Officer

Friedell, Sam, Surge Sports Management, Vice President

Gomolka, Jacob, Bucknell University,Coordinator of Game Athletics Operations

Gutman, Michael, Yext, Business Development

Hamill, Robert, I.M.G. College, Partner Services Coordinator

Hirschberg, Dean, Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Manager, Sponsorship Services

Howard-Orr, Alexis, Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium, Guest Experience Team Member

Howe-Lubowich, Hannah, UNICEF U.S.A., Partnerships Associate, UNICEF Kid Power

Johnson, Blake, Atlanta Hawks, Coordinator, Community Basketball Programs

Karslioglu, Peri, The NASCAR Foundation, Marketing Coordinator

Katz, Brett, Carat, Associate

Koeppel, Max, Koeppel Rosen, Leasing/Property Management Associate

Langdon, Cady, N.F.L., Player Health and Safety Initiatives Coordinator

Losak, Jeremy, Clemson University, PhD Economics Student

Luther, Adam, Van Wagner Sports and Entertainment, LA, Sales Coordinator

Lynn, Cameron, Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Foundation, Event Marketing Manager

Marra, Chris, Untappd, Inc., Lead Development Analyst

McCrea, C’Ara, Ernst & Young, Tax Staff

Mongiello, Drew, Frontstretch.com, L.L.C., NASCAR News Writer

Moriarty, Jeremiah, Steiner Sports, Executive Assistant to C.E.O.

Papale, Gabriella, Philadelphia 76ers, Game Presentation Coordinator

Petkevich, Kathryn, San Francisco Giants, Event Services Coordinator

Polsky, Jake, B.S.E. Global, Long Island Account Coordinator, Nets Sponsorship Sales and Activation

Regan, Sky, Los Angeles Clippers, Group Sales Associate

Rosen, Jacob, Game Seven Marketing, Account Coordinator

Rosenwald, Ben, B.S.E. Global, Research Analyst

Rothstein, Adam, Mindshare, Account Executive, Mindshare Spotlight

Sadat-Tehrani, Tara S.M.U. Cox School of Management, Master’s degree candidate 

Sanford, Hannah, The Austin Everett Foundation, Program Director

Scanlon, Daniel, Kindred Partners, Consultant

Schneider, Jonathan, Leverage Agency, Account Coordinator, Brand Strategy

Sherfey, Sam, Planit, Project Manager

Siegel, Sophie, Octagon, Account Executive

Sparks, Jacquelyn, New Jersey Devils and Prudential Center, Ticket Sales and Service Coordinator

Spector, Sam, Philadelphia 76ers, Account Executive

Tillotson, Jordan, The Hoop Group, Director of Team Tournaments

Visnosky, Hannah, G.N.F. Marketing, Account Executive

White, Marcus, N.B.C. Sports - Bay Area, Writer, “Great White Blog”

Class of 2017

Ankarali, Ahmet, Ist Basket, Player Representative

Avigdor, Harrison, National Basketball Association, Coordinator, U.S.A. Basketball

Bishop, Angus, U.S.A. Rugby, Community Communications Specialist

Brennan, Christina, CelebExperts, Vice President of New Business Development

Carter, Alexander, D.C. United, Account Executive, Partnership Marketing

Conetta, Colby, Advantage Testing, Front Desk/Proctor

Diaz, Mateo, Raymour and Flanigan, Ecommerce Home Furnishing Consultant

Ellman, Matthew, N.B.C. Sports, Digital Service Representative

Feola, Joseph, A.E.G. C.R.M. Analyst

Friedman, Samuel, New York City Football Club, Group Sales Account Executive

Grassadonia, Meghan, Excel Sports Management, Marketing Coordinator

Greenstein, Emily, Van Wagner Sports and Entertainment, Sales and Marketing Assistant

Grotenstein, Joshua, LeadDog, Marketing Coordinator, Client Partnerships

Hamilton, Nicolette, Turning Stone Resort, Casino Events Coordinator

He, Kaizheng, Guangzhou R&F Football

Horwitz, Benjamin, Post University, Assistant Basketball Coach

Hoyle, Madeline, Watertown Rapids, Assistant General Manager

Jenner, Isabelle, Turner Sports, Marketing Coordinator

Kassoff, Jared, KeyBanc Capital Markets, Institutional Equity Sales Associate

LaRosa, Lee, I Heart, Media Production/Events Assistant

Larsen, Erika, IRONMAN, Athlete Services Coordinator

Lattimore, Zachary, Boston Red Sox, Community Relations Assistant

Linabury, Samuel, Ticket Galaxy, Business Development Associate

Luna, Marcos, Legends, Special Events Coordinator (AT&T Stadium)

Maizes, Jeffrey, Maizes & Maizes L.L.P., Legal Intern

Maizlish, Evan, Box Outbound, Sales

Marinelli, Ian, Madison Square Garden, Account Executive

Martinez, Jose, Syracuse University - I.D.D.&E., Graduate Student

McDonald, Zachary, Indianapolis Indians, Community Relations Assistant

McHale, Casey, A.T.&T., Retail Sales Consultant

Miller, Mallory, Fencers Club, Social Media Coordinator

Milliken, Pierce, Legends, L.A. Stadium Premium Sales Consultant

Mitchell, Matthew, Pioneer Credit, Collections Agent

Mizruchi, Mikayla, Signpost, Sales Representative

Montferret, Nick, Arizona State University/ Sun Devil Athletics, Graduate Assistant in Marketing and Game Presentation

O’Brien, Daniel, Syracuse University Athletics, Football Equipment Manager

Overdyk, Jack, Roc Nation, Sports Coordinator, Basketball

Parauda, Nicholas, Legacy Global Sports, Director of Basketball Operations

Pongetti, Rebecca, UnderArmour, Canada Brand Marketing Rookie

Ranieri, Francesca, National Hockey League, Executive Assistant

Reese, Kevin, Momentum Worldwide, Assistant Account Executive

Rice, Jordan, The National Sports Forum, Marketing and Communications Coordinator

Robinson, Brian, Excel Sports Management, Consulting, Coordinator

Romansky, Matthew, Octagon, Account Trainee

Rosenhaus, Talia, B.S.E. Global, Coordinator, Global Marketing Solutions

Rotondo, Michael, A.E.G., Nassau Coliseum, Assistant Manager, Box Office

Rousso, Eli, Madison Square Garden, Group Sales Specialist

Salerno, Sal, Arizona State University, Football Recruiting Assistant

Schwartzman, Joshua, Taktical, S.E.O. Intern

Serra, Paige, Oakland University, Athletics Compliance Intern 

Sewerin, Oskar, Uber, Restaurant Partnership Representative

Shea, Alexander, Radegen Sports Management, Manager, Client Marketing

Shelmidine, Marcus, Syracuse University, Director of Multimedia Athletics and Technology, Women’s Basketball

Sirota, Samuel, S.L. Green Realty Corp., Portfolio Administrator

Trust, Bradley, Adelphi University, Director of Basketball Operations

Tumminia, Sara, Van Wagner Sports and Entertainment, Production Coordinator

Twomey, Nicholas, LeadDog, Marketing Account Coordinator

Vest, Jason, New York City Football, Membership Sales Club Associate

Voorheis, Patrick, Peaceful Schools, Building Men and Support Instructor

Weinberg, Joseph, Trading Players, Analytics Consultant

Weisman, Samantha, Momentum Worldwide, Assistant Account Executive

Weiss, Simon, Scout Sports and Entertainment at Horizon Media, Account Coordinator  

Class of 2018

Allen, David, Live Nation, Sponsorship Coordinator

Beach, Cobie, U.S. Soccer, Referee Programs Associate

Beyer, Leah, Live Nation, Sponsorship Coordinator

Bremer, Keith, Buffalo Bills, Event Operations Graduate Assistant

Castro, Destiny, New York Mets, Inside Sales Representative

Chun, Seung, K.C.C. Egis Pro Basketball Club, Associate, International Business

Cook, Alexandra, IRONMAN, Athlete Services Coordinator

De Guzman, Christian, Syracuse Spartans, Director of Communications, Play-by- Play Broadcaster

Essaghof, Joy, M.K.T.G., Sponsorship Department Trainee

Gorman, William, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Operations and Marketing Manager Intern

Harlow, Justin, Syracuse University, Account Executive, Ticket Athletics Sales

Henderson, Christopher, N.B.A., Project Employee, 2K League

Hope, Harrison, Point 3 Basketball, Grassroots Marketing Coordinator

Jaffin, David, VaynerSports, Assistant to AJ Vaynerchuk 

Jordan, Lawrence, Vettery, Sales Development Representative 

Kent, Jeffrey, Oklahoma City Thunder, Inside Sales Representative 

Kim, Brian, Nigel Frank, International Recruitment Consultant 

Lamontagne-Maycock, Alexandria, Professional Soccer Italy, Professional Soccer Player  

Larosche, Jacob, University of Miami, Football Operations Assistant 

Leiher, Sydney, United States Peace Corps, Volunteer, Morocco 

Lynch Jr., William, L.P.K. Esports and Entertainment, Partner  

Marciello, Stephen, Trackman, Cape Cod Data and Operations Intern 

McGrory, Reid, The Marketing Arm, Account Coordinator, Sports Sponsorship 

Morano, Caroline, Horizon Media, Meetings and Events Facilitator 

Moskowitz, Ari, C.S.M. Properties, Team Associate 

Myers, Christina, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Athletics Department, Marketing and Promotions 

Neal, Emily, T.G.R. Foundation, Tournament Services Intern 

Newsome, Elijah, Florida State - Sport Event Management, Graduate Student 

O’Connor, Daniel, Premier Partnerships, Analyst, Consulting and Valuation 

Peters, Christopher, Madison Square Garden, Inside Sales Representative 

Polanco, Deanna, Roc Nation, Digital Marketing Intern 

Prisco, Matthew, L.P.K. Esports and Entertainment, C.E.O.

Rich, Jonathan, N.F.L., Statistical Quality Insurance 

Ross, Gabriel, Strategic Financial Solutions, Financial Consultant 

Rossetti, Benjamin, M.K.T.G., Sponsorship Strategies and Activation Trainee 

Rubenstein, Benjamin, Octagon, Business Development 

Rubin, Paulina, LeadDog Marketing, Account Coordinator 

Ryback, Austin, B.S.E. Global, Account Coordinator, Long Island Nets 

Van Loon, Matthew, Digital Remedy, Digital Optimization Strategist 

Weiss, Eric, DraftKings, Customer Experience Associate 

Wood, Alex, TeamWork, Online Project Manager 

Wysoczanski, Sydney, Major League Lacrosse, Operations Coordinator 

Yablonski, Corey, Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Group Sales Specialist 

Sport Venue and Event Management Master Graduates

Class of 2013

Becton, Sidonie, Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Judicial Law Clerk

Byron, Monica, Kenny Leigh and Associates, Paralegal

Carlson, Melissa, Atlanta Braves, Senior Sales Coordinator, Special Events

Firestone, Evan, State Street, Wealth Management Services Associate

Higgins, Maureen, Levy Restaurants, Senior Suites Manager

Hills, Katherine, Syracuse University, Office Coordinator

Kim, Min, University of New Mexico, Graduate Teaching Assistant

Manecio, Matthew, State of New York, Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance

Porth, Laura, Tulsa Sports Commission, Operations Manager

Ricco, Richard, N.B.C. Sports, Technical Logistics Assistant

Rudy, Kathleen, University of Virginia, Director of Event Presentation and Fan Experience, Athletics

Upmalis, Jordan, XenoPsi, Social Media Manager

Class of 2014

Bayanker, Chari, The Topps Company, Digital Content Producer

D’Arcy, Danielle, The Madison Square Garden Company, Guest Relations and Disabled Services Coordinator

Fiorini, Emily, Spartan Race, Inc., Festival Lead

Jackson, Taylor, Research Now, Senior Account Manager

Rising, Julie, Boise State University, Athletic Game Operations Athletics Manager

Roberts, Elissa (Perlo), Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Medical Assistant

Sun, Wendong, Spark Promo & Entertainment, Account Manager

Class of 2015

Bracken, Emily, Lincoln Healthcare Leadership, Conference Planner 

Brown, Justin, Boston Celtics, Account Executive

Bryant, Jordan, Chasingjlb, L.L.C., Creative Marketing Consultant

Davidson, Hannah, Green Planet Grocery, Digital Marketing Coordinator

Davis, Lauren, Syracuse University Carrier Dome, Events Production Manager

Denick, Kristen, Syracuse Crunch, Director of Ticket Sales and Retention

Dumas, Emily, Phoenix Suns, Account Manager, Premium Experience

Fei, Gao, China University of Political Science and Law, Associate Professor

Johnson, Kelly, Syracuse University, Associate Director of Recreation Services

Liu, Mingtao, Hangzhou Dragon Center, Sport Assistant Facilities Manager

Lublin, Jason, University of Connecticut, Facilities Assistant

Peters, Jordan, Boilermaker Road Race, Sponsor and Marketing Specialist

Sloan, Victoria, Charlotte Regional Visitors Information Authority, Visitor Coordinator

Zhang, Hao, S.E.C.A., Client Services 

Class of 2016

Hines, Keith, U.N.C. Kenan-Flagler Business School, Undergraduate Business Program Assistant

Johnson, Riley, Le Moyne College, Softball Coach

Kensuke, Nakata, Under Armour, Japan Corporate Planning

Kolinski, Daniel, Empire State Development, Deputy Director

Liu, Mingtao, Hangzhou Dragon Center, Sport Assistant Facilities Manager

McCaslin, Carolyn, Sporting Kansas City, Premium Manager

Philips, Brian, Rich Entertainment Group/Be Our Guest, Ltd., Operations Manager at Canalside Buffalo

Pils, Elizabeth, Turning Stone Resort, Casino Event Coordinator

Rudy, Aaron, Tulane University Athletics, Assistant Director of Marketing and Promotions

Tartaro, Daniela, Monster Energy, Brand Ambassador

Zhang, Kaili, Spartan Race, Inc., Project Manager, Greater China

Class of 2017

Hewitt, Daniel, Spectra Venue Management/CFE Arena

Olson, Arek, Lehigh University, Manager of Facilities and Events

Class of 2018

Marks, Brendan, Live Nation, Entertainment Sponsorship Intern

Zorn, Anna, S.M.G., Facilities Manager, McFetridge Sports Center 

Alumni sought for job shadowing

We’re excited to launch the inaugural Sport Management “Students and Professionals Meet Week” in January 2019. S.P.M. Week is aimed to help current students learn more about workplaces and careers in sport, and we’d love your help. We’re seeking interested alumni to host a student (or students) to job shadow you for a day, two, or the entire week between January 7 and 11, 2019. The experience is 100 percent up to you and what your organization is willing/able to provide the student. Hosting a student can provide you and your organization with many benefits, including gaining experience in training and mentoring, improving productivity, meeting and molding a potential future employee, and fostering team spirit. For more information or to participate in the event, email S.P.M. internship placement coordinator Nicole Imbrogno or call 315-443-7418 or visit the event page. 

Inaugural alumni event encourages professional growth, networking

As part of its ongoing commitment to enhancing students’ professional growth and networking opportunities, Sport Management hosted “S.P.M. 205: 2.0 S.P.M. Alumni in #SportsBiz” in October 2017 on campus. More than 40 alumni and 120 students attended the event. Connecting students with industry practitioners and leaders in sports is a hallmark of Falk College’s Department of Sport Management. When the department considered what companies to invite to campus, it knew exactly where to start. “There were no better people to invite than our Sport Management alumni who are working for the companies our current students hope to work for some day,” said Sport Management internship placement coordinator Nicole Imbrogno. The program included a welcome from Sport Management Director Michael Veley, who is also the Rhonda S. Falk Endowed Professor of Sport Management. Alumni took part in panel discussions focusing on the sport industry, business analytics, and the importance of practical experience, and then attended a network-ing session. The day was also an opportunity for reconnecting with classmates, faculty, and staff. The event concluded with an alumni tailgate before the Orange upset Clemson in the Carrier Dome. “Sport Management prides itself on being a family, and it’s evident through the faculty and staff, especially those who have been involved with the program since the beginning, and stay in touch with many of the more than 600 S.P.M. alumni now infiltrating the sport industry,” Imbrogno said. 

Jack Wentzell ’14 earns honor

Sport Management congratulates Jack Wentzell, Class of 2014, on being named to the International Association of Venue Managers (I.A.V.M.) Foundation’s 30 Under 30 Class of 2018. Wentzell was honored for his work as senior operations manager for Spectra Venue Management/C.F.E. Arena at the University of Central Florida.

The award is given to emerging leaders in the venue management industry by the I.A.V.M. Foundation. As a selected recipient, Wentzell received a travel stipend of $800 and complimentary registration to attend VenueConnect, I.A.V.M.’s annual conference and trade show, which was held July 22-25 in Ontario, Canada. 

Meet Sam Staton S.P.M. ’10, director of events and travel, Northern California Golf Association

People told me I was crazy. Why would a California kid leave beautiful weather to go to college in snow-ridden Syracuse? It was certainly a big risk, especially considering I never visited the campus before transferring to finish my degree. I was taking an enormous chance, but did it pay off!

The S.P.M. program was relatively young when I transferred in 2008. Along with my move from the West Coast, I was also taking a chance on this program. Would it offer me the opportunity to find a career in the sports industry like I had hoped? My first “welcome to S.P.M.” meeting quickly answered my question. Professor Michael Veley addressed a group of students, telling us how difficult it is to break into the sports industry. He emphasized the importance of internships, relationship building, professionalism, leadership, and academic excellence as key factors in securing a job after graduation. He was right. I jumped right in to the S.P.M. Club, the S.U. B.C.M. church, and interned with the First Tee of Syracuse to pursue my passion for golf. In due part to this dedication, I was chosen as the first S.P.M. student to receive the Remembrance Scholarship.

After graduation, I secured a position with the Northern California Golf Association in Pebble Beach. I am currently the director of events and travel, responsible for increasing participation and revenue while managing a growing budget and staff. I run a variety of golf events to promote the game and increase N.C.G.A. members’ enjoyment of golf. I oversee our travel department, taking groups to the world’s top golf destinations, including St. Andrews, Ireland, Bandon Dunes, and Pinehurst, among others. It has afforded me the chance to see and learn about the world outside of which I live.

My advice? Take chances, get out of your comfort zone, meet new people, and experience different cultures. The more you know about the things you don’t know, the better equipped you will be when opportunity knocks. 

Meet Akeem Thomas S.P.M. ’11, multimedia account executive, E.S.P.N.

Upon graduating from Syracuse University in 2011, I began my professional career with the New York Yankees as an inside sales ticket representative. I spent one year with the Yankees selling season ticket and premium seating packages to fans and businesses in the Tri-State area. After my stint with the Yankees, I started a career in advertising sales at E.S.P.N., which has been my professional home for the last six years.

My first opportunity with E.S.P.N. arose by maintaining a strong relationship with the primary recruiter who originally offered me a job at E.S.P.N. right out of college. I turned down the position to pursue the opportunity with the Yankees. That ongoing relationship with the recruiter ultimately opened the door a year later for my first opportunity with E.S.P.N. in their New York office.

I started at E.S.P.N. in July 2012 as a sales assistant and have gradually worked my way up the ranks over the last six years. I have held four positions during my tenure and recently received a promotion to multimedia account executive in Los Angeles. My responsibilities include managing and growing a $150,000,000 account list that includes clients such as Apple, AT&T, and Google, among others.

My experience at E.S.P.N. has been tremendous thus far. E.S.P.N. is an incredibly fun and dynamic place to work and I am very excited for the future of the company in a media industry that is constantly evolving. Syracuse University is proudly represented in the hall-ways at E.S.P.N. with a large number of alumni employed here.

My advice to current S.P.M. students is to never stop networking. Relationships are so important and you never know where a conversation may take you. Treat every relationship with respect and always be the person who is a positive influence to those around you, regardless of their job title. 

Meet Emily Dumas S.V.E.M. ’15, membership experience account executive, Phoenix Suns

Many people believe it’s impossible to have a career in sports without being an athlete. For me, working in one of the four major leagues never crossed my mind. On my first day at Syracuse University in the Sport Venue and Event Management graduate program, I was told the easiest way to break into the industry was through sales. At that moment, I commit-ted to gaining as much experience as possible while in graduate school.

While at S.U., I interned in the sales departments for Syracuse Athletics, the Syracuse Crunch, and the Syracuse Chiefs. Those experiences opened many doors for me to get into one of the major four leagues. After interviewing with several teams, I had the most interest in the N.B.A. This league is quickly becoming the world’s premier and most innovative sports and lifestyle brand, which made it the perfect place to start my career.

So I moved from my hometown of Liverpool, New York, to start my career with the Phoenix Suns in Arizona. I am fortunate to be part of an accomplished and well-respected inside sales program. Quickly, I realized I had a true passion for building relationships and lasting memories for our fans, and my clients. After four months on the new business team, I was promoted to senior staff as a membership experience account executive. My experience with the Suns has helped me grow personally and professionally as I work closely with more than 500 accounts. My job is to grow revenue while ensuring fans have the best experience every time they come to our arena—and keep them coming back every season.

I plan to grow further within the Suns’ organization and to expand my impact on the business. If anyone reading this wants to work in the sports industry, my advice is to re-member that the most important sale you will ever make is selling yourself. Always believe in yourself and trust your process. Work hard and good things will come! 

Meet Christina Brennan S.P.M. ’17, vice president of new business development, CelebExperts

Shortly after graduating from Syracuse University in 2017, I began working as a junior sales associate for the New York Yankees. Within a few months, I was promoted to inside sales associate and managed a half million-dollar book of business. I learned how diligence and perseverance were keys to success in the sports industry.

I made more than 100 calls a day and worked every Yankees’ home game. The intensity and the requirement to think on my feet was the best learning experiences I could have received.

While working for the Yankees, I continued to expand my network and maintain relationships I had established. It was when I re-connected with Evan Morgenstein (S.U. ’87), who was the supervisor on my first sports internship, that my life changed. I was introduced to Evan in Professor Veley’s office when, as fate would have it, he accidentally dialed his number and tossed me the phone. On the spot, I pitched myself as his virtual intern and worked for Evan for six months. Three years later, Evan asked me to come back to the company, in a newly created role of vice president of new business development at CelebExperts and P.M.G. Sports. Having worked on several successful endorsements at Excel Sports Management during my senior Capstone, I knew it was an opportunity too good to pass up.

Every day I get to work with amazing talent like Instagram icon Jen Selter, 12-time Olympic medalist Dara Torres, and Olympic swimming legend Mark Spitz. I also consult for companies across many industries and am constantly meeting stars of the future. There is never a dull moment as this position is the challenge I was hoping for. I am always learning and honing my skills.

My advice to students: Keep networking and maintaining relationships. Your network is the key to opportunity! 

Meet Michael Ross S.P.M. ’08, area scout, Atlanta Falcons 

When I enrolled at Syracuse University, the Sport Management program did not yet exist. Fortunately, that changed in the fall of 2005 when the program was established, and I was part of S.P.M.’s first graduating class. 

I always wanted to become an N.F.L. scout. My journey to obtain a full-time position in the N.F.L. wasn’t the easiest, but through hard work and perseverance it worked out. Knowing I did not have the skill set to play at the collegiate level, I took a different path to stay involved with football. I was fortunate to work with the S.U. football team as a student manager, which gave me the opportunity to network internally with the coaching and support staffs and externally with N.F.L. personnel when they came to campus. 

I completed my senior Capstone with the S.U. football operations department on campus and at training camp with the Indianapolis Colts. After graduation, I had a decision to make between two internship opportunities: Atlanta Falcons or Buffalo Bills. I picked Atlanta and I haven’t looked back. 

I am approaching my 10th season with the Falcons and have held various positions, including training camp intern, seasonal personnel assistant, scouting assistant, pro scout and area scout. 

This is my third season covering schools in the Southwest, a region that covers Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Nebraska. Prior to the Southwest, I covered the Midwest (two seasons) and Northeast (two seasons) on the college side of personnel and then one season as a pro scout. 

My role as an area scout is to be an expert in my area and gain as much information as I can for upper management. There are many areas to focus on, including knowing the prospects at each school, their background, how they interact with their peers, and how they are viewed on/off campus in the community. Most importantly emphasize what they can do for us as a team to achieve success on and off the field. 

I have been fortunate to attend the Super Bowl and I look forward to finally bringing the Lombardi Trophy home to Atlanta! 

Meet Lori Robinson S.P.M. ’09, director of learning center services, Texas A&M University

One of the most impactful points of my collegiate experience at Syracuse was competing as a track and field student-athlete while majoring in Sport Management.

As an undergraduate student, I was involved in the S.U. Athletics Department and on campus in various leadership roles, but as my senior year rolled around, I was unsure if I wanted to attend law school in an effort to work in the front office of a sports league, or work in a player development role with a specific sport team.

For my senior Capstone, Professor Veley persuaded me to accept an internship with Major League Soccer in New York City. My internship experience reminded me how much I enjoyed teaching and connecting with others through education.

After graduation, I decided to pursue a master’s degree in Instructional Design, Development and Evaluation (I.D.D.E.) at Syracuse. Through that program, I learned the importance of incorporating assessment and evaluation throughout a process, a skill that I use daily. After completing my masters, I served as a learning specialist and assistant tutor coordinator in the student-athlete academic support unit at Louisiana State University.

I then worked as a learning specialist at the Thornton Athletics Student Life Center at the University of Tennessee. I was able to combine my passion for education by challenging and supporting student-athletes in an authentic way by sharing my experiences. I am proud to now serve as the Director of Learning Center Services at Texas A&M University’s Nye Academic Center.

The experience I gained in the S.P.M. program at S.U. helped to prepare me for a career in sport and I am continuously reminded about the power of connection. The S.P.M. family-type network gives me an opportunity to connect with a variety of people in differing aspects of sport. I have mentors and friends for whom I will forever be thankful. I am proud to be an S.P.M. alumna and will continue to serve the department and university in any way that I can. 

Visit Sport Management’s online resources

Be sure to check out falk.syr.edu sport-management for department information, alumni updates, announcements, program news, club meetings dates and activities, and other special events. Also, be sure to follow Sport Management on Twitter @SUSportMgmt, and “like” us on Facebook at S.U. Falk College Department of Sport Management. 

Support Sport Management

We continually strive to offer a variety of opportunities to support our Sport Management students. From scholarships and financial assistance to immersion programs and experiential field trips, along with inviting distinguished guest lectures to campus and hosting relevant symposiums, Falk College’s sport management education goes beyond the textbooks and the walls of our classrooms. David Salanger, Falk College assistant dean for advancement and external affairs, would welcome the opportunity to talk and/or meet with you to discuss program support and student learning opportunities. Please contact David at 315-443-8989. 

Connect with S.U. Sport Management 

Department of Sport Management 
Syracuse University 
402 MacNaughton Hall Syracuse, NY 13244 
315-443-9881 or 315-443-2630 
(fax) 315-443-9716

Website: Visit the Falk College Sport Management website

Email Links:

Michael Veley
 Director and Chair

Kathryn Tunkel
Administrative Assistant to Michael Veley  

Margie Chetney
Administrative Assistant

Gina Pauline
Undergraduate Program Director

Jeff Pauline
Graduate Program Director

Rodney Paul
Analytics Program Director

Nicole Imbrogno
Internship Placement Coordinator

Francesco Riverso
Internship Placement Coordinator

David Salanger
Assistant Dean, Advancement & External Affairs, Falk College

Kate Veley
Events and Alumni Manager, Falk College

Facebook: S.U. Falk College Department of Sport Management

Twitter: @SUSportMgmt

LinkedIn: SUFalkCollegeLinkedInAlumni