Staff Writer

Notice to parents of college-bound sports nuts: now your child can get a degree in a subject they love.

Students at the University of Southern Maine will have the opportunity to choose sports management as a major beginning this fall.

The program will be part of the USM School of Business bachelor’s degree program in business administration.

USM Associate Professor of Sports Marketing Jo Williams said sports management began as a “track” program, or a small offering of courses and internships, in 2007. However, this will be the first time a degree is offered for the program. Williams said 75 students have signed up for the major and she expects the number to grow to more than 100 students by fall.

“We’re really excited,” Williams said.

Williams, who also established a sports management program at Nichols College in Dudley, Mass.,  before joining USM in 2007, said the program will help students apply for jobs in the sports field, including sports marketing organizations, national sports committees, collegiate athletics, sporting goods industries and events.

Williams said USM will offer a “broad spectrum” of courses within the major, including sports law, sports finance and sports event management. She said there will also be a senior seminar class, comparable to a capstone course, where students will be able to work with teachers on tying together their career interests to what they have learned through their sports management classes. 

Williams said the sports management major has existed in colleges for about 30 years. She said in many cases, it gives students who love sports a chance to use their passion as a career.

“It’s kind of like the [National Collegiate Athletic Association] motto, we have been looking at turning your passion into your profession,” Williams said.

As part of the major, a 10-week, 400-hour internship program will be offered. Williams said students will be able to work locally with the Portland Sea Dogs baseball team, Portland Pirates hockey team and Oxford Plains Speedway. 

Williams said internships are also available with ESPN and Madison Square Garden in New York, as well as Octagon Sports Marketing, a worldwide sports marketing agency located in New York. She said internships in sports management are competitive, as she said not every student can work for the Boston Red Sox, but there are many opportunities to do internships with similar organizations, such as the Sea Dogs or USA Baseball. 

“It’s sort of like the world’s your oyster,” Williams said.

Liz Riley, director of ticket sales for Portland Sea Dogs, has taught the introduction to sports management course at USM while it was only a track program, and continues to teach the class now as a major. The class gives an overview of what is involved with sports management, such as finance and event planning.   She said she tries to use her work experience to instruct students. 

“It definitely helps having working experience,” Riley said. “I try to take as much from my own personal experiences. [The major] runs from various business aspects, but applies to the unique nature of sports.” 

Brian Petrovek, managing owner and CEO of the Portland Pirates, teaches the sports finance course at USM, which breaks down the principals of finance as it pertains to sports. He said having sports management students at the school has been helpful for his own organization in regard to the internship program. 

“It’s huge because it’s something we rely upon,” Petrovek said. “Students at USM are the real deal. They’re already been pre-qualified by Jo [Williams]. It’s been a huge asset.” 

Williams said one of the classes available this fall will give students a “hands on” opportunity with Petrovek and the Pirates to plan and put together the American Hockey League All-Star Game, which will be hosted at the Cumberland County Civic Center next year. Williams said the students will be broken up to help the Pirates in some of the aspects of putting together the event, such as event planning, broadcasting and management operations.

While USM is the first school within the University of Maine System to have a sports management program, two other colleges in southern Maine offer similar programs. The University of New England in Biddeford and Saint Joseph’s College in Standish also offer sports management majors. 

Saint Joseph’s College offers a bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate within the field, including students having prior internships with the Portland Sea Dogs and the minor league baseball team the Memphis Redbirds, according to the schools’ Web site. Graduates from the Saint Joseph’s College program have gone on to careers in media relations, promotions, ticket sales, parks and recreation departments and coaching careers.

The University of New England offers a bachelor’s degree in sports management. Some program requirements include students taking 42 credits of liberal arts courses, as well completion of a personal health and wellness course. The school also requires students to perform 480 hours of internship experience.

Staff writer Dave Dyer can be reached at 282-4337 ext. 219

Learn More

For more information about the sports management program at USM, contact the USM School of Business at 780-4020. For more information on the Saint Joseph’s program, visit the school Web site at www.sjcme.edu, or for the University of New England program, go to www.une.edu.