Sports Business Club & Initiative throw out 1st pitch
Mike Neft, WG'06
Issue date: 10/10/05 Section: News
The Wharton Sports Business Club's first goal in its inaugural year was simple: attract enough potential club members to consume the 17 pizzas ordered for its September Kickoff Lunch Meeting! With a standing room only crowd of over 60 Wharton MBA students, the WSBC's first mission was accomplished.
"As a new club, it's difficult to forecast membership demand," said Phil Murphy, VP of Marketing for the WSBC. "We've been working hard to generate awareness about the club and were very pleased with the turnout."
Ryu Yokoi, WSBC Chair, began the meeting by highlighting the club's background, mission, structure, and key activities. Yokoi placed emphasis on the fact that the club's benefits extend to many different segments of membership.
"The WSBC's primary objectives are to raise awareness of the career opportunities that exist in sports, put students in hands-on situations in the industry, and connect members with influential leaders in sports business," said Yokoi. "The WSBC should be attractive not only to those committed to pursuing a career in sports, but also those fans who are interested in learning more about the industry."
The meeting also served as a forum for first-year MBA students to learn about immediate leadership opportunities within the WSBC. Board members including Mike Neft (Vice-Chair), Dan Reich (VP of Treks), and Keziah Robinson (Special Projects Director) described their plans for the upcoming year and encouraged new club members to apply for leadership positions within their functions.
Professor Scott Rosner of the Wharton Sports Business Initiative concluded the meeting by describing the role of WSBI and its plans for the academic year. He started by highlighting the three roles of the WSBI: MBA student involvement, executive education and academic research.
Much of Professor Rosner's talk focused on the potential for student involvement with WSBI, from a resume book the Initiative is compiling for businesses looking for MBA students to help with various sports-related projects to volunteer opportunities at upcoming panels.
The focus for the WSBC now shifts to a busy fall agenda anchored by four major events - the Sports Business Career Panel, Sports Marketing Conference, Global Sports Panel, and Sports Industry Trek. Club members are also engaged in consulting projects with the University of Pennsylvania's athletic department and the Coaches vs. Cancer basketball tournament.
"As a new club, it's difficult to forecast membership demand," said Phil Murphy, VP of Marketing for the WSBC. "We've been working hard to generate awareness about the club and were very pleased with the turnout."
Ryu Yokoi, WSBC Chair, began the meeting by highlighting the club's background, mission, structure, and key activities. Yokoi placed emphasis on the fact that the club's benefits extend to many different segments of membership.
"The WSBC's primary objectives are to raise awareness of the career opportunities that exist in sports, put students in hands-on situations in the industry, and connect members with influential leaders in sports business," said Yokoi. "The WSBC should be attractive not only to those committed to pursuing a career in sports, but also those fans who are interested in learning more about the industry."
The meeting also served as a forum for first-year MBA students to learn about immediate leadership opportunities within the WSBC. Board members including Mike Neft (Vice-Chair), Dan Reich (VP of Treks), and Keziah Robinson (Special Projects Director) described their plans for the upcoming year and encouraged new club members to apply for leadership positions within their functions.
Professor Scott Rosner of the Wharton Sports Business Initiative concluded the meeting by describing the role of WSBI and its plans for the academic year. He started by highlighting the three roles of the WSBI: MBA student involvement, executive education and academic research.
Much of Professor Rosner's talk focused on the potential for student involvement with WSBI, from a resume book the Initiative is compiling for businesses looking for MBA students to help with various sports-related projects to volunteer opportunities at upcoming panels.
The focus for the WSBC now shifts to a busy fall agenda anchored by four major events - the Sports Business Career Panel, Sports Marketing Conference, Global Sports Panel, and Sports Industry Trek. Club members are also engaged in consulting projects with the University of Pennsylvania's athletic department and the Coaches vs. Cancer basketball tournament.