In May of 2006, students from the Sports MBA (SMBA) Class of 2007 collaborated with the SDSU Athletic Department to begin a new initiative called Aztec Business Partners (ABP). With over 72,000 businesses in San Diego, the objective was to forge relationships between SDSU Athletics and local businesses. ABP was designed to increase corporate season ticket holders by offering a program that would allow businesses an opportunity to gain exposure and grow their businesses. ABP is advertised in every SDSU football and basketball program, creating over 400,000 impressions. In addition, partners are given season tickets to the football and basketball games, which they can utilize for new business development or to maintain client relations. Furthermore, business owners and executives were afforded great networking opportunities with other Aztec Business Partners, as well as invitations to exclusive Aztec Athletic events.

The 2007 SMBA students comprised the sales force driving this new initiative. Students had the opportunity to be a part of this initiative from beginning to end, actively engaging in the development phase and activation of the sponsorship to the stewardship of the sponsorship. Upon completion of this project, students gained in-depth knowledge and experience in:

• How a sports organization operates
• How to develop a sponsorship program
• Networking
• Corporate Sales
• Profiling an organization and identifying their needs
• Budgeting
• Integrated Marketing

The project yielded great results and continues to be an ongoing success in part to the extraordinary efforts of Mike Kitts (SMBA '07).  Mike acquired contracts with ten local businesses, including Wells Fargo, Aflac, and Ace Parking, resulting in over $10,000 in new revenue for the San Diego State Athletic Department. Mike's efforts as a student in the Sports MBA program resulted in a full-time job offer from Aztec Business Partners in lieu of an internship.  Mike accepted the offer as an Account Executive with Aztec Sports Properties, a division of Learfield Sports, in March, 2007.

Many of the students who participated in this program plan to pursue opportunities in collegiate athletics, sponsorship sales, or sports marketing. Aztec Business Partners provided these individuals with invaluable insight into the business of sports, and awarded them the ability to add real world sports experience to their résumé while still in school.