Every year, Indianapolis becomes a hub for sporting events, the Big Ten Football Championship Game being one of the latest major crowd-drawers. Just this year, more than 67,000 spectators flocked to the city to watch the showdown on Dec 7. With gameday events happening only a few miles away from campus, IU Indianapolis sport management students were in a unique position to gain invaluable experience through volunteer work.
Over a dozen sport management students signed up to work the game and be immersed in its inner workings, many learning of the opportunity through the Sports Management Club, Indiana Sports Corp (ISC), and sport management faculty. Through their experience, they gained exposure to all the moving pieces of a major sporting event—getting beyond the classroom and into practical application. Many were client-facing, working to seamlessly get fans into the building, while others took a more backstage role.
“This opportunity with the Big Ten allowed me to see the behind-the-scenes of media for a large-scale sporting event,” said Kenzie Pittenger, senior and Sports Management Club president.
This learn-by-doing approach is what sets the IU Indy sport management program apart. With numerous chances to volunteer, sport management students get crucial resume-building experiences and opportunities to apply what they’ve learned in class to real-world scenarios.
“In my sports management classes, I’ve learned about event logistics, crowd management, and creating engaging fan experiences, all of which I applied during the Big Ten Championship Game,” said Caleb Prozanski, junior sport management student.
Faculty regularly encourage students to step out into the vibrant Indianapolis sports scene with the objective to network and get a feel for various areas of employment. Students often find themselves working alongside industry professionals in their internships and volunteer experiences—creating the perfect environment to form connections.
Cole Smith, first-year student, was able to hit the ground running by volunteering at the Big Ten game and see exactly why the sport management program is so unique.
“The sport management program is…very engaged in the sports world,” said Smith. “[It also] explains how the sports business operates outside of its athletes and the game they play.”
Given the multitude of volunteer and internship opportunities afforded to sport management students, plus the wide range of sports business–related courses they are required to take, there’s no limit on what career paths the students can pursue upon graduation.
With Indianapolis hosting annual showdowns like the Big Ten championship, it’s the perfect place for students to immerse themselves in all things sports and get hands-on experience. It’s not only the city they live in, but also their classroom.
If you would like to learn more about the sport management major at IU Indianapolis, please visit: https://shhs.indianapolis.iu.edu/academics/tourism-event-sport/bs-sport.html.