Sports Business Management MBA Program in Full Swing

This January, the new Sports Business Management MBA Program kicked off its inaugural class with 33 students from a wide variety of backgrounds. Associate Dean and Director of Graduate Programs Ken Marino said, “We were very impressed with the quantity and quality of the applicants. Of the 63 applicants, we were able to offer admission to 41. Thirty-five accepted our offer of admission, but two were forced to withdraw at the last minute for professional reasons.”

Marino said the program received over 600 inquiries and more are coming in. Of course, partnering with the San Diego Padres hasn’t hurt. “The Padres have been a great partner,” Marino added. “They are not only providing some internships for students, they are lending support in the classroom in a variety of ways.”

Members of the Padres management team were on-hand for an orientation where legendary pitcher and trainer Tom House was the keynote speaker.

Pictured left to right, Gail K. Naughton, Dean, Leigh Steinberg, Jim Lackritz, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

In November, the program brought the famous sports manager Leigh Steinbergh to campus as a guest speaker. Over 250 people attended to hear how the real Jerry McGuire deals with the inside business of the sports world. Other guests are scheduled to present to the class including members of the management team hosting the Accenture World Golf Match Play Championships.

The goal of the new MBA Program is to expose students to a wide variety of careers in the sports management industry. As Marino put it, “Sports is big business and there is a real need to have trained managers who know how the business works.”