Syracuse Sport Management | Sport Analytics 2022-2023 Newsletter

Building the Future

Highlighted Stories:

Congratulations to the Class of 2023 

New major in Esports Communications and Management 

Dual degree with Whitman 

Sport, Entertainment and Innovation Conference planned 

Sport Analytics program highlights 

Alumni news 

Director's Greeting

It has been said “success breeds success.” Each May, we celebrate the scholarly accomplishments of our graduates, but the amazing success of our Class of 2023 elevated the level of achievement to new standards. We conferred the largest number of degrees in our department’s history with 141 students graduating from Sport Management, Sport Analytics, and our graduate program in Sport Venue and Event Management. 

Overall, 65 percent of our undergraduate students graduated with honors, achieving a 3.4 or above GPA – which was another program milestone! Sport Management had 58 percent of its class graduate with honors, while Sport Analytics had an astounding 78 percent of its students earn academic honors. Additionally, a record number of 49 seniors earned the distinction of the Director’s Academic Achievement Award by attaining a minimum 3.4 GPA for every semester at Syracuse University, which is an outstanding accomplishment. I am extremely proud of the Class of 2023! 

As I begin my final year as the founding director and chair of this fabulous program, by announcing my retirement, I wish to reflect on the previous 18 years, but reassure everyone that just like the Class of 2023, Sport Management will set new standards! Syracuse University will continue to offer a preeminent program and be a “success engine” for the future through innovative education, research and service. 

Our mission is unwavering. To provide resources and deliver real-world experiences that empower students, educators and alumni success. To engage in cutting-edge and collaborative research that advances knowledge and catapults the sport industry forward. To maintain a diversified curriculum that is responsive to the ever-changing needs of this global industry, and our constituents and stakeholders. To be the interdisciplinary model of exceptional service and civic engagement to Falk College, our University and communities. To promote diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility by using sports as a platform for social responsibility. 

We have positioned ourselves as a global leader in this academic field, which is a credit to the graduates, faculty and staff, along with administrators such as Falk College Dean Diane Lyden Murphy, and benefactors such as David and Rhonda Falk and our nationally renowned advisory council of sports executives. 

This department has prided itself on creating pathways for women in sports and creating cutting-edge programs. Syracuse University designed the first undergraduate sport analytics degree program of its kind in the nation, and the results have been phenomenal. We have also just created a one-of-a-kind dual degree program in Esports Communications and Management, a joint program between Falk College and the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. In August 2024, we will enroll our first cohort of students in our fourth undergraduate degree program, an interdisciplinary degree in Sport Business and Management developed in conjunction with the Whitman School of Management. We have, and will continue, to move the needle in academic excellence. No other Research I and Power Five Conference university offers such a unique blend of degree programs, a feat we are exceptionally proud of. I hope you are as well.

I have tried to live some of the teachings of legendary Hall of Fame basketball coach John Wooden, who said, “True success comes only to an individual by the self-satisfaction of knowing that you gave everything to become the very best that you are capable of.” I know success can be fleeting. Sustained success is not a destination, it is a journey, and that journey of success will continue. 

I wish to thank each one of our graduates for enriching my life and giving me the passion to help this program be the best. To the parents who entrusted your sons and daughters to us, thanks for believing in our family culture. To our donors, benefactors and supporters, you have helped us make an indelible impact and difference in hundreds of students’ lives. To advisory council members past and present, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your unwavering support, friendship, dedication and loyalty. To my colleagues, best wishes and sincere gratitude. You’re THE BEST! We’re ORANGE TOGETHER! 

Sincerely, 

Michael Veley 

Director and Chair 

Rhonda S. Falk Endowed Professor of 

Sport Management 

Table of Contents

Students

Congratulations to the Class of 2023 

SVEM Graduate Program 

Welcome Class of 2027 

Director’s Honor Roll 

Senior Capstone Locations 

Senior Capstone Profiles 

Charity Sports Auction 

Sport Management Club 

ACC Honor Roll 

Sales Club/Sport Media and Marketing Club 

Women in Sports and Events Club 

Sport Professionals of Color Club 

Analytics

High School Summer Academy 

Program Highlights 

Alison Gilmore Feature 

Kittman Labs Partnership 

Student Organizations 

News and Events

Partnership with Fantastec 

New Esports Degree 

SEI-Con Announcement 

Podcast Room 

Dual Degree With Whitman 

New ESE Minor 

DEIA Symposium 

SPM 324 Yankees Project 

Los Angeles Immersion 

Winter Olympic Odyssey 

European Olympic Odyssey 

Program Donation 

Faculty and Staff

Faculty and Staff Profiles 

Advisory Councils

Sport Management Advisory Council 

Emerging Leaders Council 

Alumni

Employment Listings 

Read the most recent news from the Department of Sport Management at Syracuse University. 

Photos with caption in this section included: Student Matt Kahan (center) won the SPM Sales Combine in Spring 2022, put on in conjunction with the New York Mets and the Syracuse Mets. He is shown with New York Mets executives Tyler DeFranco (left) and Abby Higgins. The winner was misidentified in the 2022 SPM Newsletter. 

From our Dean… 

Greetings students, alumni, and friends. As I conclude my tenure as Falk College Dean in 2023, I reflect on the remarkable journey of the Department of Sport Management. Falk College has been a national leader of sport industry education for 20 years. Today, programs in sport management and sport analytics continue to excel at the highest level. Our students annually earn prestigious honors in national conferences and competitions. Our alumni hold leadership roles in agencies, organizations and teams across the industry. As Syracuse University launches its esports communications and management major in Fall 2024, I know it will find similar success. 

As a social worker and feminist scholar, I never anticipated I would help build academic programs in sport management and sport analytics. I am truly grateful to have Chair and Director Michael Veley, and each member of our outstanding sport management faculty, who were essential in building this department. Most of all, it has been my great privilege to see our students bring positive change to the world through sports and beyond. I have every confidence in the continued growth and excellence of Falk College’s programs in sport management, sport analytics, esports and sport venue and event management and all who are part of them. 

Thank you for the honor of serving as your Dean. I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished together. 

Go Orange! 

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

Students

Congratulations to the Class of 2023 

On May 12, 2023, Syracuse University’s David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics celebrated its Class of 2023 Convocation ceremony at Manley Field House. The Department of Sport Management congratulates 87 Sport Management undergraduates, 49 Sport Analytics undergraduates, and five Sport Venue and Event Management master’s graduates who received their degrees as part of the Class of 2023. 

Sport Management major Alex Guo served as a Falk College Marshal and delivered a speech at Convocation. Department Marshals were Brianne Quinlan (Sport Management), John Asel (Sport Analytics) and Luke Frontale (Sport Venue and Event Management). 

Eighty-nine Sport Management/Sport Analytics students in the Class of 2023 graduated with honors with a GPA of 3.4 or higher, representing 63 percent of the graduates, a department record. Thirty-nine students graduated Magna Cum Laude (GPA of 3.6 or higher) and 29 students graduated Summa Cum Laude (GPA of 3.8 or higher). One student had a triple major, 12 students had dual majors and three students had triple minors. Seven students earned Certificates of Advanced Study (CAS) in Sport Analytics. 

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 12 to celebrate the accomplishments of the Sport Management and Sport Analytics undergraduates and Sport Venue and Event Management master’s students. 

Forty-nine students received the Director’s Academic Achievement Award for earning a GPA of 3.4 or higher for each of their consecutive semesters at Syracuse University. Sport Management: Alexander Chillemi, Maeva Collatos, Stephanie Deangelis, Juliana DiCenso, Kevin Donoghue, Rahul Dua, Alex Guo, Chuqi Fang, Alessandro Ferrari-Carrubba, Jake Fienberg, Melanie Kelly, Andrew Leconte, Juliano Macera, Chloe Moss, Benjamin Paglia, Alexandra Panaggio, Brianne Quinlan, Anthony Ruggiero, Eli Samuels, Maxwell Schobel, Ethan Shifman, Blake Taub and Anna Theodosopoulos. Sport Analytics: Ian Archer, Daniel Beim, Mitchell Bereznay, Alexander Borelli, Daniel Brockett, Elijah Buto, Robert Craig III, Kylie Dedrick, Philip Frank, Sam Gellman, Corey Goldman, Shane Halpin, Nolan Hammond, Gabriel Herz, Jackson Hett, Christopher Jones, Nicholas Lukowsky, Nathaniel Mahoney, Austin Murphy, Zachary Palfey, Matthew Penn, Seth Quinn, Robert Schoor, Brenden Slomka, Benjamin Wachtel and Zachary Wood. 

Six Sport Analytics seniors were named Falk College Scholars: Alexander Borelli, Kylie Dedrick, Shane Halpin, Eli Miller, Matthew Penn and Benjamin Wachtel. 

Here is a list of the senior awards: 

Sport Management Director’s Award – Blake Taub 

Academic Excellence Award – Benjamin Paglia 

Matt Brodsky Philanthropic Excellence Award – Megan Sheehan 

Sport Management VIP Award – Alex Guo 

Professional Engagement Award – Melanie Kelly 

Jason Morales Perseverance in Sport and Life Award – Justin Moskowitz 

Director’s Award for Academic Promise – Nyah Jones 

Kate Veley Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility Award – Maxwell Schobel 

Patrick Ryan Sport Technology Award – Noah Wagner 

Outstanding Graduate Student Award – Molly Gross 

Sport Analytics: 

Sport Analytics VIP Award – Kylie Dedrick 

Sport Analytics Academic Excellence Award – Alexander Borelli 

Sport Analytics Academic Excellence Award – Benjamin Wachtel 

Sport Analytics Research Excellence Award – John Asel 

Sport Analytics Research Excellence Award – Austin Murphy 

Sport Analytics Director’s Award for Academic Promise – Eli Miller 

Sport Analytics Director’s Award for Academic Promise – Matthew Penn 

Also, the M.S. in Sport Venue and Event Management program concluded its 11th year.

Sport Venue and Event Management Master’s program graduates its 11th class 

The Department of Sport Management’s master’s program in Sport Venue and Event Management (SVEM) welcomed its 11th class of graduate students to campus in July 2022. The 2022-23 cohort included six students, with a diverse mix of educational backgrounds and from a variety of geographic locations. Students in this cohort worked toward completing their practicum work in Spring 2023, Summer 2023 and some will continue in Fall 2023. 

In addition to their classwork, graduate students volunteered for a variety of events, including working the entire regional tournament of The Basketball Tournament (TBT) in Syracuse. They also took part in professional development seminars conducted by Sport Management internship placement coordinators on networking, cover letters, resumes, strategic interviewing, salary negotiation, career guidance and using LinkedIn. 

In the Spring 2023 semester, students worked with associate professor Dr. Gina Pauline in the advanced sport event management course, and in collaboration with adjunct instructor and JMA Wireless Dome Director Tom Forgione, to complete a rotational program getting first-hand experience in all areas of Dome operations. The students experienced a wide range of events such as Syracuse University basketball games, Monster Jam, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers concert. 

Students in the first 11 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 at Allegiant Stadium, Soldier Field, Dartmouth Athletics, Dover Speedway, Brown University, Spectra Venue Management, Legends, Spartan Race Inc., Country Music Hall of Fame, Syracuse University’s JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse University’s Barnes Center, Met Life Stadium, Boston Celtics, Boise State University, Towson University Athletics, Nike China, and Tulsa Sports Commission, among others. 

The 12th SVEM graduate class began in July 2023. The SVEM curriculum is designed to provide graduate students with a set of courses focused on the management and operations of facilities and events in the realm of sports and entertainment. The program comprises 36 credit hours of intensive classroom learning skill development and experiential opportunities in settings like SU’s JMA Wireless Dome. Additionally, the SVEM coursework contains theory-to-practice elements where students apply concepts learned in the classroom to actual industry settings in a hands-on manner. 

For more information about the graduate program, visit Falk College Sport Management Academic Programs page. 

Images with captions included in this section: Nicolee Foster, Luke Frontale, Ben Blake and Molly Gross (from left) took part in the Falk College Class of 2023 Convocation in May. Graduate students Ben Blake, Molly Gross, Geana Torres, Linfeng Li and Luke Frontale (from left) worked at The TBT in July 2022. 

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

Fall 2022 

Joshua Hagwell, Twenty3 Sport and Entertainment 

Samantha Swart, The Game Sport Complex 

Chris Szlamczynski, Syracuse University Athletics 

Taylor Tsatsis, Syracuse University Athletic Operations 

Spring 2023 

Luke Frontale, Syracuse University Athletic Operations 

Asa Goldstock, University of Southern California Athletics 

Summer 2023 

Benjamin Blake, Perfect Game 

Luke Frontale, Syracuse University Athletic Operations 

Molly Gross, Oak View Group 

Geana Torres, Salt City Sports 

Visit Sport Management’s online resources 

Be sure to check out Falk College Sport Management website for department information, program news, club meeting dates and activities, and other special events.  Also, be sure to follow Sport Management on Twitter @SUSportMgmt, and “like” us on Facebook at SU Falk College Department of Sport Management. 

Welcome Class of 2027 Undergraduates Sport Management and Sport Analytics

Congratulations to the following students for achieving an overall cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher, as of the end of the 2022-2023 academic year:

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.

A Capstone requires students 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, collegiate athletics, communications, law, community relations, and more. 

Listed below are Sport Management students and the organizations where they completed their senior Capstone in 2022-2023. 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 the Sport Management internship placement coordinators. 

Capstone

Documentary work highlights remote experience as research intern

By Alexa Schlitt SPM ’23

For my 2023 senior Capstone, I had the privilege of interning remotely for both Burst, the leading user-generated content engagement platform, and The Carnegie Initiative for inclusion and acceptance in hockey, a non-profit named after the legendary hockey player and social justice pioneer, Herb Carnegie. 

I worked for both organizations as a business development and research intern, primarily focusing on content creation and engaging storytelling while rotating between a variety of departments and acquiring skills in public relations, communications, marketing, program development and production. 

I helped to develop the Herb Carnegie Trailblazer Award Program, honoring the unsung heroes of the hockey world and those who use the sport as a vehicle for change. 

Also, I was honored to work on a documentary titled “Beyond Their Years: The Incredible Legacies of Herb Carnegie and Buck O’Neil,” which tells the story of two men’s parallel lives, and how they were denied from playing in the NHL and Major League Baseball due to the color of their skin. The film also focuses on their induction into their respective halls of fame. I started as the production coordinator and by the end became an associate producer. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was something I never imagined as part of my senior year of college. I traveled to Toronto and Kansas City, writing and directing interviews. I was lucky to also attend the 2023 Hockey Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. 

I will cherish my senior Capstone experience for the rest of my life. I am forever grateful for those who helped me get there and supported me along the way as I begin my post-graduate career in the sport industry. 

Capstone takes student to the Super Bowl, Final Four and Masters 

By Alex Guo SPM ’23

I completed my senior Capstone in Spring 2023 with On Location’s event production department as an event production and hospitality intern in Los Angeles, California. My responsibilities were to assist the company’s premium hospitality events in the pre-production, onsite, post-production, and closeout stages. My tasks included contracting with vendors, paying invoices, budget assistance, coding payments, expensing credit card charges, retrieving quotes, building decks and diagrams, researching assets, managing onsite events, and working with clients and vendors. 

I worked on parties for the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles at Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona, as well as events for NCAA March Madness and Final Four across 18 cities. I also worked with two hospitality houses at the 2023 Masters in Augusta, Georgia. Throughout this time, I learned new personal skills and processes to improve my career, such as communication methods, leadership styles, and time management. I also gained industry knowledge in areas such as accounting, event planning, hospitality, sales, and design. While I thoroughly enjoyed this experience, my favorite aspect of the Capstone was the people I got to work with in the office and at the events. The most important takeaway from this experience is that “people make the job.” I intend to prioritize office culture and team environment in my future career plans. 

After graduation, I joined ESPN at The Walt Disney Company as a Sports Brand Solutions Coordinator, working on the SEC Network properties in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Capstone takes student to Ireland for Gaelic games experience

By Kevin Donoghue SPM ’23

During the Fall 2022 semester, I had the privilege of completing my senior Capstone with the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) in Dublin, Ireland.

The GAA is an Irish international amateur sporting and cultural organization focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, Gaelic handball, and rounders.

I worked under the supervision of Strategy, Insights, and Innovation Manager Peter Horgan within the Coaching and Games Development department. As a research support intern, my duties largely pertained to the development of various research studies relating to Gaelic games.
I helped manage the Gaelic Games Youth Participation Study, which drew upon the experiences of young participants in Gaelic games; and the Inactive Gaelic Games Coaches Study, investigating reasons for why coaches choose to step away from their roles. Through these reports, I provided the GAA with potential solutions and implementation recommendations for problems raised through study results.

Apart from research, I gained experience in social media management via the GAA Learning Twitter account. I also gained sports public communications insight by attending and assisting in the operations of Croke Park gamedays.

I will be forever grateful for this tremendous opportunity that allowed me to gain hands-on experience in the European sports landscape. I am excited to take what I have learned with me into the future as I continue to make my mark in the sports industry.

Behind the scenes at Bowl Season

By Faith Porter SPM ’23
During the Spring 2023 semester, I was fortunate to work remotely at Bowl Season as a digital media intern for my senior Capstone experience. Bowl Season represents the postseason college football bowl games, highlighting the uniqueness of each of the 43 games.

Throughout my internship, I worked closely with Bowl Season Director of Operations Thomas Carracilo on creating and executing new social campaigns that integrated existing partnerships. I was responsible for posting, engaging and interacting on all of Bowl Season’s social media platforms (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Tik Tok). I spent time creating templates on Canva, conducting research for each campaign, looking at current trends on social media and gathering information for each campaign. Additionally, I was tasked with collecting metrics from previous social campaigns, and analyze the data for a sales deck.

I worked on-site at the Bowl Season Annual Meeting in Nashville, where more than 400 executives, representatives, sponsors and vendors gathered to discuss the upcoming college football postseason. At the annual meeting, I posted live content, reposted user-generated content and captured images for the duration of the meeting.

At Bowl Season, I learned the value of communication and adaptability. I learned the importance of organizing my work before posting and contacting upper-level executives for social campaigns. I sat in on meetings with sponsors as well as planning sessions for our annual meeting, where I learned what goes on behind the scenes to execute an event of that magnitude.

I am grateful to have interned at Bowl Season as I was pushed to think outside the box creatively, trusted with projects and allowed to demonstrate the skills I learned in the Syracuse University classroom before taking on the role.

SPM Club raises $52,675 at 18th Charity Auction

The Sport Management Club at Syracuse University raised $52,675 for Vera House as a result of its 18th Annual Charity Sports Auction.
During the Syracuse men’s basketball game on December 10, 2022, supporters placed bids on various items including sports memorabilia, electronics, jewelry, gift baskets, trips, and tickets to major sporting events. In addition to the in-person event, an online auction was held, where online supporters placed bids on hundreds of items.
Vera House’s mission it to help prevent, respond to and partner to end domestic and sexual violence and other forms of abuse.
Apex Entertainment served as the Title Sponsor for the 2022 auction.
Sport Management seniors Megan Sheehan, Alex Guo and Max Schobel served as co-chairs for the event.
The SPM 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 raised more than $665,000 for local charities. Previous beneficiaries of the club’s annual charity auction include Boys & Girls Clubs, Golisano Children’s Hospital, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY, the Central New York SPCA, the Upstate Cancer Center, Special Olympics New York, Food Bank of CNY, the Salvation Army, Rescue Mission Alliance, American Diabetes Association, Make A Wish CNY, Meals on Wheels, the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation and McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center.
“Our Sport Management Club was founded on the principles of teaching our membership the value of civic engagement, community service, and social responsibility through sports,” said Michael Veley, Rhonda S. Falk endowed professor and director of Sport Management, who also serves as the organization’s faculty advisor. “The countless hours of dedication by these students to ensure that the proceeds from our charity auction would benefit our community is extremely gratifying.”
The Sport Management Club meets weekly during the academic year. 
The beneficiary of the 2023 event will be Tillie’s Touch, whose goal is to make children’s dreams of playing a sport possible while helping them to achieve academic excellence. Tillie’s Touch provides the necessary sports and/or school equipment for a child when their family is unable to do so.

Images with captions included in this section: Sport Management seniors Megan Sheehan, Alex Guo and Max Schobel (from left) served as co-chairs for the 2022 Charity Sports Auction.

A letter from the SPM Club president

By Doug Camp, SPM ’24, SPM Club President

During the 2022-23 academic year, the Sport Management Club kept busy supporting the Central New York Community as well as welcoming guest speakers and creating networking opportunities for its members.
With the help of club advisors Michael Veley and Jeremy Losak, we returned to an in-person format for meetings and events. Sport Management Club members were able to revitalize the social bonding and relationships that truly makes this club great. Throughout the semester, our members learned about the sport industry, grew their connections, and most importantly supported the Central New York Community through philanthropic efforts.
During our time in the Department of Sport Management at Syracuse University, students are tasked with determining their career goals in the sport industry and beyond.
The Sport Management Club offers students the chance to connect with industry leaders, work alongside classmates and faculty, and learn the value of the giving back to the community. Alumni and upperclassmen provide mentorship to younger students as they begin to navigate the sport industry. This invaluable opportunity allows students to expand their professional and social skillset.
Throughout the semester, Club members heard from amazing speakers, including executives from the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee, the Colorado Avalanche, and the WWE, as well as numerous sport law professionals. These conversations with industry professionals truly aid our members in so many ways.
The most impactful part of the Sport Management Club is how we support our surrounding communities. Along with the club’s annual Charity Sports Auction, club members support numerous causes year-round in the Central New York area, including the Special Olympics and the Food Bank of Central New York.
This semester could not have been possible without the hard work of our Executive Board, including Brody Ponterelli, Dan Carroll, Adelaide Gilley, Alex Grossman and Livia McQuade. It truly is a privilege to lead this club and we are excited for the 2023-24 year as well as the future of the Sport Management Club at Syracuse University. We are honored to guide and support the members of this club in hopes to make a positive impact on their lives and the Syracuse community.

Elena Randolph wins Michigan BIG Initiative Award

Syracuse University Sport Management major Elena Randolph ’24 was named a 2022 BIG Initiative Award Winner by the Michigan Sport Business Conference, an honor presented to 11 high-achieving sport management students in the United States and Canada. BIG stands for “Build, Inspire, Grow.”

Randolph attended the prestigious conference in October 2022 in Ann Arbor, Mich. She heard from featured guest speakers and industry professionals including ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro and WNBA Chief Marketing Officer Phil Cook.

“I am honored to be chosen as a BIG Initiative Award Winner,” Randolph said. “Having the opportunity to attend this conference and connect with students dedicated to being the future leaders of the sport industry was so important to me. I am thankful to have met professionals of color who encouraged me to keep pushing boundaries and creating space for other young professionals of color.” 

Launched in 2013, the BIG Initiative annually recognizes outstanding student leaders in sport business who have achieved an exceptional level of success. Each year, the MSBC attracts top applicants from across the nation. Those receiving the honor are selected on the basis of demonstrated entrepreneurship, creativity, innovation and leadership. Nominees must be students with a passion for the sport industry who demonstrate a truly remarkable curriculum vitae. 

Randolph attended networking sessions and breakout panels on topics such as sport and fashion, NIL and sport storytelling. She also met with representatives from the Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers and the NBA. BIG Initiative winners also attended a Detroit Red Wings game, complete with a facility tour.

“It was amazing to network with representatives from those organizations,” Randolph said. “Working for the NBA is my goal, so it was beneficial to hear from these professionals and learn about opportunities to gain more experience working in 
basketball.”

Randolph interned with the WNBA in Summer 2022. She previously interned with Syracuse University Athletics in Facilities and Game Operations. Randolph is the President of the Sport Professionals of Color Club and was a 2021 Peer Advisor in Falk College. She studied abroad in London in Spring 2022.

ACC honors student-athletes

Seventeen Syracuse University Department of Sport Management student-athletes were named to the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Honor Roll for the 2022-23 academic year. 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 honorees for Sport Analytics, Sport Management, and Sport Venue and Event Managements majors are:

Laila Alves, Softball
Kambel Beacom, Ice Hockey
Megan Carney, Lacrosse
Stevie Chuck, Rowing
Gabrielle Dougherty, Ice Hockey
Riley Figueiras, Lacrosse
Joseph Girard III, Basketball
Evan Johnston, Lacrosse
Heidi Knoll, Ice Hockey
Thomas Porter, Football
Kirstyn Schechter, Track and Field
Marie Sommer, Field Hockey
Sam Swart, Field Hockey
Sarah Thompson, Ice Hockey
Connor Toomey, Rowing
Haley Uliasz, Rowing
Elizabeth Vogt, Rowing

Falk College Peer Ambassadors

The following Sport Management and Sport Analytics students served as Falk College Peer Ambassadors in 2022-23: 

Isabel Alfonso, Vianka Calderon, Braden Cheverie, Nick DeMaio, Tracey Edson, Grace Froehkle, Chase Gibson, Alison Gilmore, Alyssa Helland, Jack Hitter, Charlie, Maddux, Marcus Mann, Erin Moore, Marni Nirenberg, Chris Onorato, Zach Paskal, Kyla Pearlman, Mary Quinn, Dante Reese, Nick Rovelli, Eli Samuels, Marissa Schneider, Ryan Severe, Ashley Stewart, James Stickel, Anna Theodosopoulos, Sydney Topper, Francesca Vasconi, Herason Wang and Jason Weiss. 

Falk Ambassadors assist the Admissions Office staff with recruitment activities during the year. Ambassadors provide assistance at Falk College open houses, give tours and provide the student perspective at special events throughout the year.

Sales Club merges with Sport Media and Marketing Club

The Department of Sport Management’s Sales Club merged with the Sports Media and Marketing Club in Spring 2023 to become the Sales and Marketing Club.

The Sales Club was established in 2015 to act as a platform for earning members hands-on experience in the sport sales industry. In a job market with increasing demands for preliminary experience, students can add practical sales experience to their resumes. The club welcomes guest speakers in person and virtually each semester, holds workshops and events for members, while also pairing with Syracuse University Athletics to help sell tickets.

The Sport Media and Marketing Club was formed in Fall 2020 to provide students an opportunity to learn more about these particular segments of the sport industry. The club’s mission is to provide real-world experiences for students by taking part in projects as well as connecting with peers, faculty advisors, and industry professionals.

In Fall 2022, the Sales Club worked with the Midstate Athletic Community Center (MACC) ice rink in Cicero on sponsorships, while also recruiting new members. They welcomed numerous guest speakers and hosted a sales training exercise with New York Mets sales managers. During the Spring 2023 semester, an in-person Sales Combine was held for students in partnership with the New York Mets and Syracuse Legends, who provided the students with sales tips and strategies.

In Spring 2023, the Sports Media and Marketing Club focused on building podcast skills and recording episodes. Sport Management alumna Christina Brennan, president of The Digital Renegades, spoke to the club about her job and career path. 

Going forward, the Sales and Marketing Club will focus on holding interactive meetings, and welcoming guest speakers while prioritizing creating a club that acts as an inclusive space for students interested in both sales and marketing. Club members also have plans to create a podcast, where they will “talk everything sports” as well as promote club events and gain new 
members.

Sales Club officers for 2022-23 were president Jake Palczak, vice president Edu Antonio Pena Rollet and executive vice president of membership Landon Richardson. Brianna Nechifor served as president of the Sport Media and Marketing Club in Spring 2023.

The club meets weekly during the academic year. Students from all majors are welcome. For more information, contact club advisor David Meluni at dmmeluni@syr.edu or Brianna Nechifor at bnechifo@syr.edu.

Images with captions included in this section:  Jake Newman, Matthew Tang, Judah Milgrom, Brianna Nechifor, Hongyi Ji and Jack Hitter

SPM major displays research at ACC Meeting of the Minds 

Each spring, there’s a prestigious, student-centric event featuring colleges and universities affiliated with the Atlantic 

Coast Conference (ACC) that has nothing to do with March Madness and everything to do with research and preparedness.

During the annual ACC Meeting of the Minds research conference, held in March 2023 on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Virginia, undergraduate students from each ACC institution convened to present recent findings to their peers.

The nomination and selection process— conducted by the Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE)—is extremely competitive, and only five students represented Syracuse, including Jordyn Lee, a sophomore sport management major. Lee’s research was titled “Tracking a Lack of Diversity and Equity in Professional Sports Front Offices.”

In Summer 2023, Lee interned for two different sports organizations: with event operations for Fastpitch Nation Softball Park, 
a sports complex in Windsor, Connecticut, and with USA Boccia, a national organization dedicated to promoting a highly competitive seated Paralympic sport where athletes with disabilities and able-bodied athletes participate in a throwing sport.

Lee, a lifelong tennis player, hopes to work for a professional sports organization or league once she finishes her sport management degree. When she arrived on campus, Lee noticed that her sport management classes contained mostly males, but she was determined to follow in the footsteps of recent female sport management graduates who have landed key jobs with professional sports teams and leagues. Those experiences of being in the minority in the classroom, combined with her personal experiences in sports, inspired Lee’s poster presentation delving into the lack of diversity and equity among the front offices of teams in both the National Football League (NFL) and the National Basketball Association (NBA).

“Just speaking with the other participants at the Meeting of the Minds gave me new insights into my research and knowing that the possibilities are endless,” Lee says. “I left the conference more determined to raise awareness of this issue and make changes in these professional sports organizations.”

Students receive assistance from scholarship funds; 

Annual scholarships assist students 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 2022-23 academic year, three students were honored with this award: Killian Quirk, who interned with Dominion Energy Charity Classic in Fall 2022; Noah Minsky, who interned with Bowl Season in Fall 2022; and Nyah Jones, who interned with Priority Sports in Spring 2023.

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 in Falk College.

STUDENT LEARNING FUND

Thirteen Sport Management seniors were awarded scholarships from the Sport Management Student Learning Fund during the 
2022-23 academic year. Each received $500 to $1500.

In Summer 2023, five students earned the scholarship: Brian Hall, Justin Ma, Nicholas Nizza, Benjamin Paglia and Braeden Rowley.

In Spring 2023, five students earned the scholarships: Melanie Kelly, Jackie Thomson, Liana Wong-Wright, Andrew Schiffer and Alexander Chillemi.

In Fall 2022, three students earned the scholarships: Rahul Dua, Zachary Erber and Juliano Macera

UNDERGRADUATE SUMMER INTERNSHIP FUND

The Sport Management Summer Internship Fund is used each year to provide support to undergraduate students pursuing unpaid summer internships, enabling them to gain industry experience. Eight students were awarded scholarships for their 2023 summer internships: Carter Strauss, Aryssa Hopps, William Allen, Garrett Naylor, Brett Cerenzio, Marni Nirenberg, Landon Richardson and Jake Cohen.

For more information about the funds, contact Sport Management internship coordinator Beth Perez at erper100@syr.edu or 315-443-0450.

Women in Sports and Events (WISE)

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 members. Students in WISE are involved with numerous events and activities over the course of the academic year, including networking trips, fundraisers, interview workshops, professional development seminars, community service, and assisting with SPM alumni events.

During the 2022-23 academic year, WISE welcomed guest speakers from Major League Baseball, NBCUniversal Media, Sports Philanthropy Network, NBA, Miami Dolphins, Nashville Predators, Syracuse Mets and Women in Sports Tech. The Club attended a Women in Sports Night hosted by the Syracuse Crunch, which featured a panel of speakers from across the hockey industry. WISE collaborated with the Sport Management Club on a fundraiser for the Food Bank of Central New York as 
well as hosted a New York State Golf Association panel. Additionally, WISE hosted events that featured female staff members from Syracuse Athletics including guest speakers, facility tours and networking dinners. In addition to attending events in Syracuse, WISE continued as hosts of their annual “Coffee and Conversations” event. In Spring 2023, the event welcomed executives from the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream. In May 2023, eight WISE members went on an immersion trip to Boston to meet with executives from the Celtics, Red Sox, Bruins, Patriots, ISlide and Boston Athletic Association, among others.

WISE members often volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House in Syracuse to cook and serve meals to families staying at the facility. The group also co-hosts workshops focusing on campus resources and resumes; partners with Chipotle, to fundraise for future networking trips and events; and welcomes numerous guest speakers to campus or virtually.

The club officers for 2023 are Marni Nirenberg, president; Sarah Pivawer, vice president; Erin Moore, communications chair; and Ashley Stewart, fundraising and community outreach chair.

The WISE Club includes women from all majors on campus interested in pursuing careers in sports and events. For more information, email WISE co-advisors Kailyn Jennings at kmjennin@syr.edu or Beth Perez at erper100@syr.edu, or club president Marni Nirenberg at mjnirenb@syr.edu.

Keep up with SU’s WISE Club on Social Media: Twitter: @WISE_SU; Instagram: WISE_Cuse; and Facebook: Women in Sports and Events at Syracuse University

Connecting via the Sport Professionals of Color Club

The Department of Sport Management’s Sport Professionals of Color Club is an organization that strives to uplift and connect students of color who are interested in working in the sport 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 industry. The club strives to improve members’ professional skills, host speakers, foster networking growth, and create a sense of community among students of different backgrounds.

Over the course of the 2022-23 academic year, the club welcomed many guest speakers, with experiences ranging from the WNBA to nonprofit organizations, including Major League Baseball Diversity Pipeline Program Senior Manager Tyrone Brooks, and New York City Football Club Customer Relationship Manager Destiny Castro. Brooks spoke about MLB’s continued diversity efforts as well as gave advice about applying to internships. Castro, who graduated from the Sport Management program in 2018, shared her experience of graduating from Syracuse and working her way through New York City professional sports teams.

During Women’s History Month, the organization collaborated with Falk College’s Women in Sports and Events (WISE) Club to host a Title IX panel, featuring Syracuse Athletics Senior Women’s Administrator Kirsten Elleby and WomenX executives Tiffany Bullock and Mary Ciampa. The conversation stemmed around Title IX’s influence on college athletics and the intersectionality of being a woman and person of color working in sport.

Additionally, the organization met with student-athletes at Fowler High School to teach them about the opportunities available working in sport and college advice for transitioning out of athletics.

Elena Randolph served as club president in 2022-23.

Students look to the future of fan engagement with Fantastec 

Fan engagement strategies in the sports industry continue to advance and evolve. During the fall and spring semester, students in the SPM 345 Sport Technology class, under the leadership of Assistant Teaching Professor Kevin McNeill, were immersed exploring the development of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT), commonly known as digital collectibles.

In partnership with Fantastec, a London based technology company and official digital collectible partner of Syracuse Athletics, 
students learned about the NFT industry and how it is shaping the way sports organizations are engaging fans as well as emerging opportunities in name, image and likeness. In groups, the class provided strategic recommendations to best position the technology platform with Syracuse students, alumni and fans. They met with company leadership, including Co-founder/Managing Partner Steve Madincea and Marketing Director Len Stewart. The project culminated with the delivery of a presentation and pitch decks that summarized the groups’ research and recommendations.

“The students in Sport Management are in the mindset of sports marketing, but also often fans of the sports we’re working with,” Stewart said. “What better place than to get feedback and input from those right there on campus?”

Fantastec executives visited campus and hosted a marketing focus group to showcase the application and to collect further insights from sport management students. For the students’ efforts, Fantastec made a donation to the 2022 Sport Management Club’s Charity Sports Auction. Additionally, students had the opportunity to work the Fantastec display at SU’s spring football game.

As the partnership with the University and Sport Management program continues to develop, Fantastec envisions hosting students as interns to further expand on the platform’s presence on campus.

Syracuse University to launch degree in Esports Communications and Management 

Syracuse University will soon begin offering a new, first-of-its-kind degree program focused on esports.

The program, Esports Communications and Management, will be offered jointly by the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. It will include three tracks: Esports Business and Management; Esports Communications; and Esports Media and Design.

The University will begin enrolling students to the program in fall 2024. “The esports program is a natural extension of Syracuse University’s leadership in sport-related programs and commitment to 21st century academic excellence,” said Chancellor Kent Syverud. “This new major is the latest example of Syracuse University innovating, expanding career options in emerging fields and delivering programs students want.” A proposal for the Esports Communications and Management degree was passed by Falk College and Newhouse School faculty in Fall 2022. It was subsequently passed by the University Senate in December 2022 and approved by the New York State Department of Education in February 2023.

The program, which will be among the first of its kind at a major university, taps into the rapidly growing, multibillion dollar esports industry and builds upon work already happening on campus. The Barnes Center at The Arch, the University’s recreation center, 
includes a designated esports gaming room outfitted with Omen Obelisk gaming stations; Xbox, PlayStation and Nintendo consoles; SIM racing stations; and a virtual reality unit. An active Esports Club has also flourished in recent years.

Jeff Rubin, special advisor to the chancellor on esports and digital transformation, has been leading the effort to bring an esports 
major to Syracuse. For more than a year, Rubin worked with faculty and deans from both Falk College and the Newhouse School to develop the program that will span both colleges.

“It has been an extraordinary experience working with some of the smartest minds in communications and sport management to develop a program that will be at the forefront of this burgeoning industry,” says Rubin. “I am especially proud of the collaborative work that is producing the educational opportunities and experiences are students are looking for.”

Falk College has been at the forefront of sport industry education for 20 years. In 2005, Falk launched one of the nation’s earliest undergraduate degrees in sport management, followed by one of the very first undergraduate degrees in sport analytics in 2017.

“This pioneering esports degree will focus on an emerging sector of the global and domestic sport industry,” says Michael Veley, chair of the Department of Sport Management in the Falk College. “It combines the strengths of Falk and Newhouse programs in sport communications, media production, technology, business and event management to offer a cutting-edge degree.” A University-wide task force has worked to build the new degree since 2022. The well rounded curriculum is designed to provide 
students with industry-specific competencies in event management and marketing, broadcasting/production, communications, 
content creation, entrepreneurship, strategic communications and esports experience and design. The three tracks will provide students with the ability to tailor the degree according to their career goals. 

• Esports Business and Management: Covers such topics as sport promotion, sport venue management and finance for emerging 
enterprises. 
• Esports Communications: Includes coursework in virtual reality storytelling, esports and advertising, public relations principles 
and sports in the metaverse.
• Esports Media and Design: Covers 3D animation, game experience design and virtual production. 

Falk College unveils new Podcast Studio

Falk College debuted a new Podcast Studio in Summer 2023, featuring high-level equipment that includes Rode podcast production equipment, professional grade microphones and computers for post-production and editing. The studio will be outfitted for video cameras that will support a wide range of projects, including vlogs, podcast simulcasts and capturing creative content.

The branded space will serve as a facility for students in the Department of Sport Management’s Sport Technology class to learn about, design and produce their own podcast as well as supporting faculty and staff initiatives and student organizations.

The cost of underwriting the Podcast Studio was given by Falk College benefactors Richard and Linda Ritholz, parents of Sport Management graduate Julian Rithholz ’18. The Rithholz Family also provided the generous financial support of the Milton Conrad Technology Center that has benefited hundreds of Sport Management and Sport Analytics students serving as a state-of-the art teaching center and classroom. The Rithholz Podcast Studio will enable faculty and students to produce timely and newsworthy contemporary content to various constituents. We thank the Rithholz Family for their vision and financial support of our 
students.

Syracuse-UNLV partner for 2024 sport conference in Las Vegas

On July 14, 2023, UNLV Sports Innovation and Syracuse University’s David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, in 
collaboration with the Las Vegas-based guest experience agency Circle, proudly announced the launch of SEI-Con—a first-of-it-kind Sports, Entertainment & Innovation Conference hosting thought leaders and subject matter experts from across the globe to educate, collaborate, and create dynamic ventures together.

The inaugural conference will be held in Las Vegas with an opening reception July 15, 2024, and the three-day conference July 16-18. The event will include exhibitor pods, innovation labs, seminars, and daily wrap parties with music.

“There has been momentum building in the area of professional sports throughout Southern Nevada, and the economic growth that comes along with it is undeniable,” said University of Nevada, Las Vegas PresidentKeith E. Whitfield. “UNLV is a key partner in this growth, and SEI-Con is the latest example of our collaborative work to reinforce Las Vegas’ reputation as the world leader in tourism, sports, and entertainment.”

Analysts predict the global sports market to reach $2 trillion, which is 2 percent of the $100 trillion world economy, bolstered by an influx of money from new sources, emerging technologies, and growing demand. Already the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas has become an emerging sports destination and is perfectly positioned to host an annual conference focused on the intersection of sports, entertainment, and innovation.

“The opportunity for our students to work on this world-class event captures the essence of our experiential-based academic programs,” said Michael Veley, founding Director and Chair and Rhonda S. Falk Endowed Professor in the Department of Sport Management in Falk College. “We fully embrace the collaboration with UNLV’s premier programs, the creative genius of Circle, and business partners and sports entities in one of the most dynamic sports and entertainment markets in the world.”

Attendees will have opportunities to meet industry executives and explore the latest innovations in sports and entertainment, esports and gaming, sports sociology and diversity, broadcast brands and media, research and development, and more.