Sport Management Cultural Connection

The US Center for SafeSport is an independent, non-profit organization focused on ending all forms of abuse in sport. As a Compliance Development Coordinator, I work with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, National Governing Bodies, and Paralympic Sport Organizations to assist in achieving compliance with SafeSport policies and standards within the Olympic movement, as well as help prepare them for annual audits of internal athlete safety policies.

Very shortly after joining a Sports Medicine program at a different university, I realized I was more interested in the ‘behind-the-scenes’ aspect of sports. I was, and still am, fascinated by how things work within sports business and culture, and how they change over time. Denver is an incredible sports hub, so MSU Denver was the mecca of sports management in my mind. It also provided the tight-knit community within the sports management program that I was missing in my previous program – it was so great to work so closely with everyone in the program!

Every class had the opportunity for real-world experiences and practice. We had chances to network, learn from sports management professionals working in the industry, and work in the field directly. I’m very grateful for how many opportunities were presented to us that showed all the different career paths sports management can offer.

We were also provided the chance to learn about things that truly interested us or that we wanted to learn more about. Being able to study and practice the topics that truly interest you about this industry meant that everyone continued to grow, learn, and stay hungry for knowledge on a daily basis. 

My favorite class was on risk management in sports – it’s something I still talk about today and have even been able to apply to my current position! There were so many lessons throughout the history of sports that are still used in professional and amateur sports today, and it taught me just how much the industry can evolve over the course of time, which is something that I don’t think many people get to experience in their day-to-day jobs.

Never take for granted the opportunities you have in front of you, even if you’re intimidated at first. There are so many different avenues that this career can take that aren’t always obvious but you’ll never find them if you’re sitting around waiting or being too scared to ask for what you truly want. I started as an administrative assistant to simply get my foot in the door, and while I was terrified to ask for opportunities to advance my career, I’m so glad I took the chance to shadow different departments at my organization to find where I was most valuable and where I could learn the most about what I was passionate about.

I would also say to never be afraid to ask questions and take every chance to do something you’ve never done. You can always learn from those around you – there was never a day where I walked out of class without learning something new from either one of my professors or one of my classmates. And it taught me much later in life to soak up every bit of knowledge from those around me.

My final piece of advice is this: Work hard and have fun – this is, without a doubt, the most rewarding industry to work in!

Currently I am within our community department as our Community Affairs Coordinator. This position originated from me running our 50/50 Raffle program partnered with MSU Denver. The role has continued to grow throughout the years allowing me to now manage our family room, youth baseball and softball camps, as well as contributing to all other community outreach programs for the Colorado Rockies.

I have been an athlete my whole life and continued my career playing softball at MSU Denver. I chose this university with the intention to graduate with a Sport Management degree. Originally I was most interested in the broadcasting side of the industry but realized I wasn’t as passionate about that field as I needed to truly be successful, and that’s okay! I always knew I loved sports and was determined to find a way and find something I love to do every day.

The Sport Management program at MSU Denver wasn’t your traditional lecture where you just show up and your professor has no idea who you are. My classes were made to feel like real world situation and I was forced out of my comfort zone in the best way possible! In my current role here at the Rockies, I am very confident managing larger groups and working together with my team. One of the biggest things that I learned was professionalism. How to write a resume, dress for an interview, and something as simple as writing an email! Those are just a few of the many things that set me up for success in my career.

My favorite class was our promotions class! I loved this class because it allowed me to be creative and think outside the box on how to bring a brand to life. I also love the way promotions brings a little bit of everything to the table and forces you to work as a team. My professor was amazing and I just remember looking up to her as a professional and at that point in school was when I really got serious about my dream to work in professional sports.

My advice is just be willing to say yes! I remember I felt a little lost in the direction I wanted to go in and put a lot of pressure on myself to figure it out. I had to dig deep and trust in myself and my ability that I was going to make it. I was very open to allowing myself to try new things. Sometimes I would fail, but that only led me one step closer to figuring it out! I fell into the community department here at the Rockies and I couldn’t be more grateful. Being able to give back to the community and make an impact in the lives of other is where my heart truly lies.

I chose MSU Denver to pursue my degree in Sport Management because it was in the heart of where everything happens, Downtown Denver. Almost every direction you look to from campus has a major league sports team right there. The opportunities were endless and no other schools in Colorado made as much sense as MSU Denver did – great programs, involved students and faculty, and you can’t beat the tuition prices compared to almost all other universities.

There is a lot to choose from, but I think my favorite Sport Management class was the Event Management course. It was very hands on, and my class was able to put on a real live event by the end of it. We partnered with the Boys and Girls School of Denver and Endorphin Gym to host a Spin-A-Thon to raise money for the Boys and Girls School of Denver. We did everything from start to finish. It really allowed us to see how much goes into planning a large-scale event. And we were able to work the event itself, which made it exciting to see everything come to life. (I still have my binder with everything from that course… Haha)

The SM program and all the professors were ALWAYS offering additional opportunities that gave us real-life experiences. Things such as networking opportunities, volunteering to staff off and on campus events, free one-time courses, leadership events, workshops, having relatable guest speakers, and so much more. One of my professors from years prior actually was able to help me find and land my internship which led to my new full-time position! The classes within the SM program all have professors that helped tie in real life experiences and events that always kept things exciting and gave me realistic experiences and expectations of what to expect transitioning from student life to working life.

DEFINITELY take advantage of the opportunities given to you. I worked full time and went to school full time all throughout undergrad, so I always felt like I didn’t have the time to partake in many extracurricular opportunities my first two years. But so did so many other students… they were making it work so I decided so could I. Once I started making that a priority, I really started to feel like the courses I was taking were tying into my real-life experiences and it made things not only more exciting, but more engaging and I was getting more out of my classes than ever before. And networking… the more people you know, the better!

Univision Colorado is a Spanish language newscast here in Colorado. When I’m helping in the studio I help set up the camera shots for the talent, check audio for the talent, and make sure the videos that are used for the newscast are in the correct order and relevant to the story.

When I am out in the field, I go and do interviews, get footage, and edit the story that we are going to air that day. This can be anything from a crime scene to sporting events. I have worked with Univision for a full year now and I have covered many sporting events and profile stories on athletes including Colorado Rapids games, the MLB All-Star week, and the Concacaf Nations League Finals that were played here in Denver. 

Growing up I played a lot of soccer and I always enjoyed watching sports on TV. After high school I missed being around competitive sports and I wanted to be around that so I joined Met Media and the Metro State Broadcast Network. I learned so much from Eric Lansing and the rest of the crew from running cameras, setting up cables, audio, editing stories, interviewing players and coaches, etc.

The sports management program helped me because in many of the classes we talked about media and how important it is in sports. Talking about the work it takes behind the scenes of a professional sporting event or even at a local soccer tournament. That prepared me for that sort of work you have to do as a video editor and cameraman that people don’t see at home when they are watching a live stream or highlights of a game. Because of the experience I received with MSBN and Met Media I was prepared for my first job after college in Oklahoma. Over there I focused mostly on covering sports and going to OKC Thunder games, OKC Energy FC, and OU football games and there I had to shoot, edit, do interviews, and anchor my own segments which was something similar I did at MSU Denver but at a bigger scale.

To get involved and to create connections. Getting involved in what you want to do in the field is important because that gives you the practice and experience you need in the real world. If people see that you know how to do multiple things well you are more marketable and better at the job you want to aspire to. It also shows that you are passionate about what you want to do in the future and the people you work with will notice that.

That goes hand in hand with creating connections. There have been many times that people I worked with at Metro have reached out to me if there is a job opening available at their current TV station or to freelance recording a sporting event. In fact I have my current job because of a connection I made at Metro. My friend who was a producer reached out and told me there was a job opening at the station so I applied and I got the position. So yeah getting involved and connections.

I grew up surrounded by sports. My dad and my aunt played basketball all the way through college (my aunt actually played at MSU Denver in the 90s), I watched all of my sisters’ games when I was little, I played competitive soccer until I went to college, and I still continue to try and get out and play sports and stay active as much as I can today. Every job that I had while growing up revolved around sports, whether it was coaching, scorekeeping, making graphics for upcoming games, etc., so I always knew that I wanted a future working in sports since it was basically all I knew. While I didn’t major in sport management, I’ve always enjoyed writing, so I minored in sport media. The cool thing about the sport management program at MSU Denver is that there are paths for a ton of different careers within sport that students can take, so you really get to find your niche and the things that you really enjoy doing.  

When completing my degree, my favorite classes to take were all in the sport management program, and even though I was focusing on sport media, I had the opportunity to take classes that covered a wide variety of topics. I really enjoyed my sport venue management class, because that was an area of sports that I really didn’t have any knowledge in, I didn’t really think about the work that went into preparing facilities for games/fans/different events.  

I think my favorite class, though, was my sport media operations class. Like I said, I’ve  always really enjoyed writing and I’ve always really enjoyed sports, so I figured the best  future I could have would be a mix of the two. The sport media operations class taught me a lot about all of the different things that the media goes through during games, crisis situations, the time leading up to and following events, etc., and I was really able to push myself out of the box into what would be tense, potentially uncomfortable situations to see if this was really a future that I wanted. By the end of the semester, I learned that there were things I really enjoyed doing as a member of the media, as well as things that I’d never ever want to do professionally, but that’s the really cool part about these sport management classes, you figure out exactly where you want to go. 

I think one of the biggest ways that the Sport Management program prepared me for my job was by not pigeonholing me into taking classes revolving only around sport media. Like I said previously, even though I was a sport media minor who wanted to go into college athletics, I was still taking classes that talked about facility operations, professional sports, coaching, sport law and more, along with all of my media classes.  

During my internship with MSU Denver Athletics, I went into it wanting to focus on the social media side of things, which was about 90% of my responsibilities, but I also got to do things like be the technical director at basketball games, run music, call stats for soccer, share photos with all of the media people at the NCAA Softball Championships and grab players for press conferences. Because I had taken so many different classes through the Sport Management program, I had some level of familiarity with all my responsibilities – even if they weren’t completely in my wheelhouse. I’ve come to learn that even if you specialize in one thing, or your job title specializes in one thing, you’re going to be wearing many different hats when you work in sports, and I think the Sport Management program really prepared me well for that.  

I think the first piece of advice I have is don’t be afraid to try. Before I had my internship, I was terrified of putting myself out there because of how intimidating the sports industry can be – especially being a woman. Once I got rid of the “Am I going to be good enough?” thoughts that kept spiraling through my head, I realized that I had nothing to lose but everything to gain.  

That goes for trying new things too, not being afraid to say yes to something that you may not be an expert at. I have absolutely zero skills or knowledge in video production,  but I still helped out as technical director because that’s where I was needed at the time. If you’re always willing to help, no matter what it is, people will take notice.  

I would also say to just keep showing up. Sports are intimidating, nobody is perfect, you are GOING to make mistakes, but you can’t just give up if one thing goes wrong. Teams aren’t looking for people who are perfect and know everything there is to know about sports, they’re looking for people who work hard and who want to be there no matter what.  

Brad: The Sport Management program at MSU Denver prepared me for my career by offering coursework directly related to the types of work required for sports professionals. The curriculum, classes, and projects are crafted to mimic the kinds of issues sports professionals regularly have to evaluate and resolve in the industry.

Brad: My proudest accomplishment while at MSU Denver was taking the educational tools and knowledge that I acquired and applying them to my internship with the US Olympic & Paralympic Committee, allowing me to attend the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea.

Brad: Since graduating, I have been able to take all of my experience and work with USA Track & Field to contribute to and expand the organization’s merchandise and retail operations. I have been able to travel around the country to several events and help connect fans to the sport both at events and through our online marketing efforts.

Brad: The pandemic forced us to completely change our thinking in how to keep our members and fans engaged. However, it created an opportunity to connect with people by offering virtual races and competitions to keep people engaged and create value for both members, fans, and sponsors. Our department relies heavily on sales at events, so we had to focus more on our e-commerce business over the last year since we canceled most championship events and Track & Field Trials. Overall, I think many sports properties realized the value and importance of connecting with people digitally and in person.

My advice for current MSU Denver students is to approach coursework as if you’re already a sports professional. The projects and assignments are meant to replicate real-world experiences and issues, and professors are there to help you and want you to succeed. Also, be curious about other aspects of the industry. As cliché as it sounds, sports professionals wear many different hats in many organizations and need to be able to tackle a variety of problems and work with various departments. Lastly, take advantage of experiential learning and study abroad opportunities if you can. Learning from others that actively work in the industry is essential in creating valuable connections outside of education.

James: The MSU Denver Sport Management program prepared me for my career in multiple different ways. First and foremost, through the program I was able to develop a great understanding of all of the different but essential roles and branches that contribute toward the overall success of different kinds of sport organizations. I can’t even count the number of times that I benefitted within the professional hemisphere due to my understanding of organizational structure and which problems or tasks are to be handled by certain departments.

Additionally, aside from the functional knowledge that I developed, the most effective benefit that I took from the department was my transition from educational experience to professional experience. So many professors and faculty such as (but not limited to) Troy Morgan, Nicole Furuiye, and Dr. Colleen Colles were always more than willing to take time out of their busy days to sit with me and give me guidance on how to land internships, and how to conduct myself when approaching the professional world. I am extremely grateful for that. Prior to switching my major to Sport Management, I felt like I was on my own and never understood the significance of volunteering for opportunities and actively pursuing experience. I credit the Sport Management faculty for the strength of my resume today.

James: My proudest accomplishment while I was in school was NOT leaving my last final exams, but specifically GOING INTO my last final exams. I specifically remember being incredibly proud the weekend before finals week of my last semester because it was the first time that I had complete confidence in my future. With this field of study, I found so much sincere enjoyment in the content and had a passion for the work, that preparation was just implied nature. Therefore, when approaching my last finals week, I knew that I had the information and willingness to execute because of the fact that I was fully invested for the entire time.

James: Although I have had many proud moments and great experiences since graduating, I would have to say that my proudest moment so far has been when I got the call from the Game Presentation department of the Colorado Avalanche offering me a position. In hindsight, that call opened the door for so many things both professionally, and in my personal life. This has been the greatest, most fun, and most fulfilling job I have ever worked and it is work that I find myself constantly craving and missing on my days off. It is an amazing role, and it is just the beginning so I can’t wait to see where I grow into from here!

James: This pandemic has affected so many things within the sport industry that it is difficult to put into words. I am saddened by the amount of people that have had to leave their roles within the sport industry to pursue different professions. Although I know it will eventually return, these events have lifelong implications on the careers of individuals. As a young person that has not been in the industry for as long as others, it was initially discouraging that the timing of my emergence in the industry was put on pause. However, when connecting with other professionals and seeing their stories, I am confident that this provides opportunity to those who are fortunate enough to stay involved. Although this time with the lack of full fan attendance provides less work responsibility, it does provide more time to pursue further education which I have done. This pandemic has the opportunity for all of us to adapt and innovate, not only within the sport industry but also for ourselves and our own development. There is always room to improve, and this will strengthen our approach toward many different elements moving forward.

Erica: The MSU-Denver Sport Management program gave me the tools and knowledge to succeed in a career in sport. I left well-rounded with knowledge in many different aspects from promotions, to financial planning and issues, to venue management. All of our professors bring their wide array of experience and a “you can do anything you set your mind to” attitude.

Erica: My proudest accomplishment while in school was being asked to be the student coordinator for the Women in Sport Management event. I learned so much from this opportunity and gained confidence in myself. Also, the opportunity to be the President of the Sport Management Club and take a group of eager students to New Orleans for a conference was an honor.

Erica: Since graduating, I have networked with numerous professionals in our industry. I was able to interview for and obtain an internship with USA Triathlon through my connections with USA Football. I also have began a master’s program at ASU in Sport Law and Business.

My advice is to take in every moment! Get to know your peers and professors, volunteer for an opportunity you’d usually avoid, be involved in the club, study abroad if possible; just put yourself out there and be confident! Us alumni are always here to support you.

Amanda: The MSU Denver Sport Management program prepared me for my career in multiple ways, but most importantly it was taking advantage of the “real-world” experiences. This program is very fortunate to be located in the heart of Denver, so we had numerous opportunities to attend workshops at Pepsi Center with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. The professors and staff within the Sport Management program often created assignments and projects working with actual leagues, teams, and industry professionals which not only motivated me as a student to put forth my best effort but also showed that the work we were doing helped businesses in the sport industry.

Specifically, I loved the social media projects we did working with local sport businesses and the project we did mitigating risk for a sport venue in my Sport Government class. Each professor has real world experience working in the sport industry and were all able to contribute to the reality of working in sports which was incredibly helpful. I also feel like the program is incredibly supportive of their students, constantly providing resources for us and connecting us with the right people in the industry to serve as mentors.

Amanda: While in school, my proudest accomplishment was taking the leap to commit to the Sport Management Program. After switching my major three times and taking the intro to sports class I finally realized what industry I belonged in. I had no idea what opportunities would be waiting for me or what working in the sport industry would entail but I was excited to complete the program. Knowing I could combine my love for sports with my passion for developing systems and processes for businesses, I was incredibly happy to pursue my degree with the sport management program. 

Amanda: Since graduating, my proudest accomplishment would be becoming the owner of the Mile High Collegiate Baseball League; a summer development league in Colorado. I got involved with the league after interning with them my senior year. I then stayed with the league the following summer helping out however I could, and before my third season I was offered ownership to be the President.

I truly think the reason I was blessed with this opportunity is because I put in so much effort into my time as an intern. Whether it was field work, running the scoreboard, planning the all-star game or figuring out the website, I put in 100% all the time. Luckily it didn’t go unnoticed and when the current owners were ready to take a step back, I was still involved and had learned the intricate details that go into running a successful summer baseball league.

Amanda: The best advice I can give is you never know who or what will lead you to your future career or opportunity. I had no idea that becoming owner of the MHCBL was a possibility; especially just three years after I began an internship with them. It is very important to always be showing your best work as you never know who may be in need of your skills and expertise. The sport industry is a large industry, but a small network. There were often times that the industry professionals I knew were very involved in multiple teams, leagues, or business ventures. I learned quickly that if you had a good relationship with someone they would help connect you with someone they knew to support your career and goals.

Which shows again how important it is to always be prepared to meet business professionals as you never know who they may introduce you to and where those opportunities can lead. It is also important to note that hard work does not go unnoticed in the sport industry; when I hire interns for the league I value those who are willing to go the extra mile and always offering to help. It can be a very physically demanding job with long hours but the reward of being able to work in an industry with the excitement and competitiveness of sports is an incredible opportunity!

Amy: MSU Denver helps you realize that there are so many paths and avenues you can take after you get your degree. The different courses that the [Sport Management] program offers along with other specialities at Metro, you can navigate and customize your specialties to get a job you you will enjoy and succeed at.

Amy: When I was in school my proudest moment was when I was in the marketing & selling class. Our assignment was to sell the most avalanche tickets, I sold the most out of all the classes that semester. I found that really enjoyed selling and that I was very good at it. It opened so many doors and avenues that I didn’t know existed before.

Amy: When I worked with Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA) I was able to find my true passion in selling autographed Memorobilia and working with former and current players. I left MLBPAA as a Director of Sales and Player Relations, I found that when you love what you do it’s not a job but a career. I was also able to offer internships to up and coming [Sport Management] Majors. This also gave me the platform and contacts to start my own business doing something I love. 

Amy: Find different avenues and make connections while you are in college. Build relationships with people because you never know when they can help you or when you will be able to help them. Last find your passion, work hard, but remember a job is a job and they will come and go, so make time for things that are important in your life!

Chip: I am a fourth generation educator. My family consists of church folks and educators. I learned very early in my life that it was important to give service to others. I also played lots of sports growing up and then played college football. All of those experiences has allowed me to be able to hopefully give to others what the people I have been raised by gave to me. The confidence to know that anything is possible if you work hard, do right, treat people right and give service.

Chip: I have been blessed to achieve some really neat things. I was named Teacher of The Year twice on my campus and have received a few other accolades. The biggest accomplishments for me come from the fulfillment side of things. It gives me great pleasure to know that by what I have experienced, I can take the lessons I have learned and use those to help others move more efficiently and effectively in their life. That is what makes me proud.

Chip: I always feel that it is important to find ways to create in crisis. Covid has definitely been a crisis for many. What I have chosen to do is control what I can control. I have worked very hard at getting better on some things that I have always wanted to learn and felt that I typically never had time for. It has been a time of growth and reflection for me. Professionally the time during Covid has been good for me.

Chip: Mentoring is huge! We all can learn from one another. Nothing (No Thing) is wasted. So every experience we have can be used to help others when we are aware of the blessings in the lessons. This allows us to make a positive difference in the lives of those that we mentor.

Chip: 3 Things-
1. Don’t limit yourself, you are capable of achieving whatever it is you want to achieve. If you limit yourself, you limit yourself!
2. It is possible for you to do big things….if you are willing to put in the work to make it happen. The possibilities are possible!
3. Opportunities bring opportunities! Be present, be in the moment and enjoy every opportunity that you are blessed to have. How you do in THIS moment determines the opportunities you will have down the road.

Live. Learn. Serve. Inspire. Go Get It!

Lorenzo: The MSU Denver Sport Management program allowed me to embrace the field of sports in so many different and creative ways. Denver truly is an underground sports town that MSU Denver puts you in the frontlines to truly grow as a person and industry professional. The program puts you in situations that takes you out of your comfort zone to truly make you a better sport manager in whatever route you take! 

Lorenzo: My proudest accomplishment while I was in school was coming in a young professional and leaving as an improved version of myself both on and off the field. I felt like I was prepared to tackle anything life and the professional world would throw at me, and that was something that MSU staff encouraged.

Lorenzo: My proudest accomplishment since graduating was starting my own esports organization and develop my own content creation brand such as streaming on Twitch.tv/LORDENZO. Through the experiences at MSU, I was able to translate my sporting industry skills and directly translate them in esports. I have been extremely marketable for esports brands such as the global powerhouse 100 Thieves. Having a traditional Sport Management background allowed me to outshine the competition by showing esports companies that I validated them and found them credible. My passion is fashion, esports and content creation and the sport management skills I’ve used and learned at MSU Denver are second to none taking me to new heights.

Lorenzo: The advice I have for Sport Management students is to enjoy everyday as if it were your last. Make the best out of the good and the bad and find ways to use it as your advantage. Don’t count time, make time count. Your college years will be finished before you know it so network with your classmates and teachers. Be kind! The program is a very tight-knit family and being personal with your professors and peers will take you to the next level. Your alumni, such as myself, are also ready to help and be there whenever you need! Feel free to connect with me as well!

Craig: The MSU Denver Sport Management program was able to prepare me for my career in sports, by teaching collaboration, dedication, and the ability to be flexible. In a sports career you never know if you will be working in ticketing, sponsorship or marketing and the MSU Denver Sport Management program made it an easy transition into a fast-paced career.

Craig: My proudest accomplishment while I was in school, was completing my Sports Management degree with honors my final year while working full-time for a sports organization.

Craig: My proudest accomplishment since graduating was, being part of the Portland Thorns NWSL team. Being part of the team that built a nationally recognized Women’s soccer team, selling out games of over 21,000 people, while being broadcast on National Television and creating a platform where children dreamed of becoming Women’s soccer stars…that is my proudest accomplishment.

Craig: CT: My biggest piece of advice would be to dive into sports business with the same passion you have for sports. Sports teams already have fans, what they really need are Sports Management professionals who know the business more than they know the game.