Sports business conference invites industry experts to ASU

The annual Sports Business Association Symposium welcomed sports business professionals from various disciplines to share their career journeys with students.

During the annual Sports Business Association (SBA) Symposium on Oct. 27, over 200 students gathered to network and learn from industry experts about the sports business industry's many disciplines.

"If we polled a hundred random people on the ASU campus and asked them to think of greatness in soccer in the U.S., they would actually think of women. That's very unique," said Jessica Berman, commissioner for the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), during her conversation with Julie Ertz, a professional soccer player. Berman and Ertz kicked off the symposium with a keynote discussion about the status of women in soccer, player contracts, sports marketing, career advice for students interested in breaking into the industry, and the disparity between national soccer team and club team standards.

Ertz, a two-time World Cup champion and Olympian, discussed how social media has increased team and individual players' visibility, helping players leverage personal branding opportunities in women's soccer. She explained how the visibility and increasingly competitive environment have garnered more public attention and created more resources for players. The conversation concluded with practical career advice for symposium attendees pursuing sports business careers.

Berman told students the industry is highly competitive. "At the end of the day, you have to be good at what you do, and all the passion in the world and excitement about being a sports fan is not what will get you a job," she said.

"My whole career is based on being ready to embrace opportunity," said Ertz. "While you keep fighting for whatever job opportunity that's coming, don't stop doing the work."

Michael Shea (BA Sports Business '24), SBA vice president of outreach and lead symposium planner, says it was amazing to see Ertz and Berman on campus discussing the NWSL and the future of women's sports.

"I hope student attendees gained a different perspective of what it means to work in sports, whether in agency, athlete wellness, or event planning," he said.

The SBA is a student-led organization created to assist students interested in pursuing a career in the sports industry with opportunities to obtain internships and jobs through networking events, job fairs, speaker panels, and outreach trips. SBA executive board members Denisse Anne Cargado (BS Digital Marketing/BA Sports Business '25), Brendan Cuyler (BS Marketing/BA Sports Business '24), Cara Chovanec (BA Sports Business '24), Eddie Mabanglo (BA Sports Business '25), Kyle Megorden (BA Sports Business '24), Lauren Towne (BA Sports Business '25), James Taylor (BA Sports Business '25), Jayden Henifin (BA Sports Business '24), and Hogan Miller (BA Sports Business '24) assisted with the 2023 symposium planning.

Shea urges all sports business students to get involved with the SBA to meet new people and attend the association's many events including career fairs, outreach trips around the country, and speaker panels.

"Those who put in the effort and manage their connections well typically see greater opportunities when it comes to internships and jobs," said Shea, who credits the SBA with helping him obtain internships with the Arizona Cardinals and Sun Devil Athletics.

Following Berman and Ertz's keynote conversation, the symposium featured three panel discussions with sports agents, reporters, health and communications experts, and the 2024 Men's Final Four host committee. The first two panels focused on the responsibilities of representing athletes as sports agents, determining brand campaigns based on athlete personality and interests, crisis communication, using data in sports performance metrics, and the evolution of health and nutrition in sports. The final panel featured a discussion with the 2024 Men's Final Four host committee about the event's preparation, ongoing planning, and social and community impact.

"The SBA Symposium is an incredible annual event that all sports business students should attend. Events like these give students an opportunity to learn about different career paths in the industry, while networking with both sports professionals and their peers," says Elana Kutz, senior director of student experience and external relations for the sports business undergraduate degree program. "Sometimes, determining the career paths a student doesn't want to pursue is just as important as identifying the careers they are interested in. I believe our program offers tremendous industry insight and networking opportunities by educating students outside the classroom."

"The SBA was my first introduction to the business of sports," said Shea, who joined the association as a first-year student. "Now, I get to organize these amazing events for my peers to experience. The SBA opens many doors for students wanting to work in the sports industry."