Beginning in the fall, Master of Business Administration students at the 91ֱ will be able to pursue a concentration in sport business. The new cluster of courses is ideal for students who are interested in working at the intersection of sports and business.
The University is well-positioned to offer the concentration due to its established degree program and its location in a major sports market, according to Pam Kennett-Hensel, dean of the College of Business Administration.
“The College of Business Administration is excited to add the sport business concentration to our popular MBA degree,” Kennett-Hensel said. “Greater New Orleans has a robust college and professional sports scene with abundant employment opportunities. The MBA with a concentration in sport business provides students with a solid business foundation while utilizing electives to gain industry-specific knowledge.”
The concentration was developed in collaboration with the University’s Department of Athletics and other local and national leaders in the sports industry. It will comprise three courses: Sport Leadership & Management, Sport Marketing, and Sport Industry Sponsorship & Fundraising. Tim Duncan, vice president for athletics and recreation, will teach the Sport Leadership & Management course in the fall.
“Our department was thrilled to partner with the College of Business Administration in helping to create this new portfolio of courses,” Duncan said. “I cannot wait to utilize my decade of experience in sports marketing in the private sector and 16 years in intercollegiate athletics to help educate the next generation of sports business leaders here at the 91ֱ.”
Students who pursue the sport business concentration will have access to meaningful, experiential learning opportunities given the variety of professional and semi-professional teams, and sports betting and gaming venues in the region, as well as New Orleans’ long history of hosting championship sporting events, said Kennett-Hensel.
