On Friday, September 16, 2005, students in the SDSU Sports Business Management MBA program had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with Mr. Mark Tuohey, chairman of the District of Columbia Sports and Entertainment Commission (DCSEC). www.dcsec.com/index.html

Under Tuohey’s leadership, the Commission successfully negotiated the return of Major League Baseball to Washington, DC, initiated plans to greatly expand youth sports facilities in the city, and worked to bring the NBDL and indoor lacrosse to the District. Currently, Tuohey and the Commission are focusing their efforts on developing a new ballpark complex for the Washington Nationals Baseball Club, a topic he discussed at length with the students.

Mark Tuohey was engaging as he spoke about his recent term as chairman of the DCSEC and the issues he’s faced in revitalizing the Washington sports scene. Tuohey discussed the new stadium development for the bulk of his lecture, but focused on how an issue of this magnitude includes a number of smaller issues in various disciplines that will require an open mind and strong academic background in order to make proper decisions. He paid particular attention to the issues that face sports business managers, and praised the SDSU program, saying that it will strongly prepare them for participating in these types of negotiations in the future.

Some topics covered throughout the lecture included:

Stadium Financing Package: Mr. Tuohey provided students with detailed insight on the Baseball Stadium Agreement, a public funding proposal for a new ballpark in Southeast Washington that convinced Major League Baseball to return to the District. He also discussed the pros and cons of each proposed stadium site and explained that the Southeast site was chosen because it will serve as an anchor for redevelopment of the Anacostia Waterfront. Tuohey stressed the improvements that a new ballpark can provide for one of DC’s oldest neighborhoods and compared these improvements to the revitalization of downtown San Diego that stemmed from the construction of PETCO Park.

Ballpark Lease: The DCSEC’s need for a non-relocation agreement and the necessary steps for creating a stadium lease were thoroughly explained. Mr. Tuohey also detailed the course of action for the Commission in negotiating the Project Labor Agreement (PLA) that outlined the use of union labor for the ballpark construction. Students were also exposed to the details of providing insurance for a ballpark while balancing the various interests of the city, team ownership, and MLB.

Negotiation: Tuohey concluded his discussion with some frank advice to students on the cusp of beginning their careers in sports business. He commented that skills such as rationality, honesty, and common sense are the best assets in solving complex problems. He spoke about how these values have helped him negotiate with some of the strongest personalities in the sports industry and encouraged students to remember their qualities when faced with similar challenges.

San Diego State University and its Sports Business Management MBA students sincerely wish to thank Mark Tuohey for donating his time to share his expertise with the class. SDSU also wishes to thank DC Sports & Entertainment Commission Board member Linda Greenan for her efforts in arranging this opportunity.