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Degrees to Pursue
- Sport and Leisure Management (BSED)
- Sport and Leisure Commerce (MS)
Job Opportunities
- professional sport team management
- facility and event management
- sport marketing agencies
- corporate sponsors
- college and high school athletic administration
What is the work like?
As the setting varies so does the workload. Professional sport teams, college athletic
programs, and sport facilities/events can differ depending on size or level of play
(major vs. minor league; Division I vs. Division II/III; Olympics vs. Little League).
In large athletic departments or major league teams/events, jobs are more specialized,
or focused. In smaller departments, administrators tend to wear many hats and have
an opportunity to be involved in varied aspects of the organization. Sport managers
enjoy exciting careers where each day brings new opportunities, challenges and rewards,
�working while other people play.�
Why is the CEHHS/HSS the Best Place to Start?
In addition to coursework that addresses topics such as sport marketing and sales,
sponsorship, finance, and facility/event management, students gain valuable practical
experience outside the classroom and explore future career direction by meeting and
interacting with sport professionals, and completing a semester-long sport management
internship.
How do our faculty work in this career community?
Academic Unit Coordinator, Dr. Richard Irwin, has 20 years of experience working with
local sport properties such as the Memphis Grizzlies, Memphis Redbirds, AutoZone Liberty
Bowl, Southern Heritage Classic, FedEx Sport Marketing, Memphis Motorsports Park,
Mississippi Riverkings, Tiger Sports Properties, University of Memphis Athletics as
well as national sport properties such as the NCAA.
Alumni Profiles
- Karin Beckman, Atlanta Hawks/Thrashers
- Patrick Byrne, AutoZone Liberty Bowl
- Aaron Hitchcock, Memphis Motorsports Park
- Jay Jones, IMG
- Kela Jones, Memphis Redbirds
- John Mathers, Toronto Argonauts
- Jeffrey Miller, FedEx Forum
- Beth Mills, FedEx Sport Marketing
- Ken �Ziggy� Siegfried, University of Memphis Athletic Fund Raising
- Abby Smith, Host Communications/University of Arizona Athletics
- CJ Wiatr, Dallas Cowboys
- Emily Yates, Harris County/Houston Sports Commission
Special programs we offer
- Sport Sales Training Program sponsored by the Memphis Grizzlies
- Study Abroad
- On-line graduate program in Sport Commerce
- Sport Marketing Association Student Chapter
Faculty
Coordinator
Dr. Richard Irwin Ed.D.
University of Northern Colorado, 1990
Professor
Email:rirwin@memphis.edu
Phone: 901.678.3476
Teaching:
- Sport Marketing
- Sport Promotion
- Sport Sales and Revenue Production
Specialization:
- Sport sponsorship
- Sport sales force training and management
- Sport cause-related marketing
Accomplishments:
- Past President, Sport Marketing Association
- Distinguished Service Award, Sport Marketing Association (2005)
- College of Education, Health and Human Sciences Dean's Excellence in Service Award
(2004)
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Dr. Joris Drayer Ph.D.
University of Northern Colorado, 2007
Assistant Professor
Email:jdraper@memphis.edu
Phone: 901.678.3486
Specialization:
- Ticketing strategies in sport (including price determination strategies)
- Secondary ticket market
- Fantasy sports and its influence on consumer behavior
- Donor behavior in college athletics
Accomplishments:
- Graduate Dean's Citation of Excellence - University of Northern Colorado - 2007
- Research co-director for funded research for USOC and its member National Governing
Bodies
- Co-principal investigator for funded research for USA Swimming Assistant Director
of the College Sport Research Institute and Acquisitions Editor for Journal of Issues
in Intercollegiate Athletics
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Michael G. Huffman, Ph.D.
University of Utah, 1984
Associate Professor
Email:mhuffman@memphis.edu
Phone: 901.678.2474 |
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Nathan T. Martin
Assistant Professor
The University of New Mexico
Sport Leisure Studies Professor
Email:ntmartin@memphis.edu
Phone: 901.678.2462
Specialization:
- Organizational culture
- Safety and risk management
- Recreational sports and interscholastic athletics
- Survey development and design
Major Accomplishments:
- Academic Distinction: Dissertation, The University of New Mexico, June 2007
- Regents Fellowship, The University of New Mexico, January 2007
- Academic Distinction: Doctoral Comprehensive Examination, The University of New Mexico,
September 2006
- Outstanding Master's Student Award, The University of Southern Mississippi, May 2001
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Dr. Sally R. Ross, Ph.D.
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 2005
Assistant Professor
Email: sross3@memphis.edu
Phone: 901.678.3473
- Foundations of Sport and Leisure Management
- Administration of Athletics
- Sport and Leisure as Popular Culture
- Sport in a Global Perspective
Specialization
- Sport and gender
- Girls' and women's experiences and opportunities in sport
- Media images of athletes
- The marketing of women's sport and women athletes
- Social responsibility of sport entities
Accomplishments
- Affiliate Member, Center for Research on Women, University of Memphis
- Former Assistant Athletic Director, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Illinois Volleyball
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Timothy D. Ryan, Ph.D.
Texas A and M University,
2007
Assistant Professor
Email:tdryan@memphis.edu
Phone: 901.678.5003
Teaching
- SLC 7321
- SLC 7503
- HMSE 4999
Specialization:
- Work and family issues
- Coaching and coaching management
- Quality of work life issues in sport and coaching
- Quantitative research methods
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Stanley N. Walls, Ed.D.
University of Memphis, 1991
Assistant Professor
Email:snwalls@memphis.edu
Phone: 901.678.3477
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