Ledes from the Land of Enchantment

Sports Management programs? Check out Vinik at USF Muma College of Commerce – `

 USF Muma College of Commerce’s Vinik Sport & Entertainment Management Program is once again listed as among the best in the world. The rankings published by SportBusiness today reveal that the postgraduate program is gaining ground towards the top of the list, ranked as No. 3 globally in the world, No. 3 in the United States and No. 1 in Florida.

“If the top two courses are familiar faces, the third-placed course in 2021 demonstrates the ever-diversifying nature of these rankings,” stated SportBusiness in a statement released Tuesday, announcing the top post-grad program list. “The U.S.F.’s Vinik Sport & Entertainment Management Program has scored impressive marks previously, finishing fourth in 2018 and in 2019 however, by the current year, it is one step ahead it is the first program established in the year that this list was released to appear on the list of the top.

“Its rise has been impressive, from making its debut on the rankings in 2017 to rounding out an all-American top three just five years later,” the statement read. In addition, “… As the Vinik program grows and establishes its own identity, it could increase its climb to even greater heights.”

Michelle Harrolle, marketing professor and director of the program said that being recognized as one of the top in the world is an honor.

“Our innovation, industry relationships and dedication to providing opportunities for our students to grow personally and professionally has been crucial to our success,” she explained. “Even during the recent year of the pandemic, we were capable of collaborating with various sports and entertainment groups including Vinik Sports Group, San Francisco 49ers, United Soccer League and United Soccer League, to name several, to help create chances for our kids. We achieved 100 percent student fellowships in 2021. We’re in 98 percent placement three months after graduating.”

The USF program has improved since last year’s performance which saw it ranked at No. six in the entire world, and No. 5 in the United States.

“Our amazing students, alumni, faculty, staff and especially our partners are so deserving of this honor,” Harrolle stated. “And, while I obviously am a bit biased, I believe we are the best sport business program in the world.”

Ohio University and the University of Massachusetts beat USF this year to claim the top two places. Ohio University was the first school in the world to start an MBA programme in the field of sports administration in the year 1996 and the Massachusetts University program has been celebrating the 50th anniversary of its founding this year.

 

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The SportBusiness rankings are built on a formula that evaluates employability, research, help in locating job opportunities in the industry and the quality of extra-curricular assistance and opportunities to meet alumni with each other, and the potential to meet with business executives.

The 10-year-old dual-degree Vinik program awards graduates with a master’s in entertainment and sports management as well as an MBA. Nearly every graduate since the program’s beginning has been employed within the first three months of graduating.

The program was renamed known as the Vinik Sport & Entertainment Management Program in the year 2017 following Jeff as well as Penny Vinik, owners of the Tampa Bay Lightning, donated more than $6 million to its cause.

Alumna of the program, Philicia Douglas currently serving as the head of sales for Birmingham Squadron, a G-League affiliate of the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans, said she wouldn’t be where she is today without the league.

“The networking opportunities it gave me are crazy,” she told me in an interview that was published in SportBusiness. “[Former program directorformer program director Bill Sutton and Dr. Harrolle put me in the Miami Dolphins for an internship and, not just that, but I also had many networking opportunities through Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Tampa Bay Lightning. I still keep in touch with individuals from those teams, including the Lightning and Bucs until this day.

“I think one of the issues in our industry is knowledge,” Douglas declared. “A large portion of people don’t aren’t aware of, and I was unaware of the different ways you could participate in sports. I believed that it was the sole way you could get involved in sports was to be a professional athlete or be an editor. I was unaware of the different avenues to sports. I didn’t have any idea about ticket sales. I had no idea about partnerships. I had no idea about marketing.”

The course, she explained she was able to see the many opportunities.

Muma College of Business Dean Moez Limayem, whose arrival at the college was announced during the time that the management of entertainment and sport program was established, explained that the accomplishments of the program are shared by staff, faculty students, and other partners who play an important part in providing internships as well as other opportunities to work that allow graduates to be highly competitive within the business.

“We all – from our amazing faculty, to our committed students, to our patrons, such as Jeff as well as Penny Vinik, to the entire Lightning company, which is led by Steve Griggs, the CEO Steve Griggs – have made an unwavering effort to ensure this program is successful.

“With their support, our students are able to land scholarships, travel abroad and participate in internships within the industry,” he added. “The Vinik Sport & Entertainment Management Program is indeed world class.”

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