Welcome to Campus Connection, where new campus hot-spots and underappreciated organizations get their time in the spotlight.
The first thing people think of when they hear "the sports industry" is, of course, athletes.
Dive a little deeper, people may see some agents, a ticket operator or two, and a few shoe deals here and there. Maybe even a media personality or writer, if they are lucky.
The entire sports industry, however, is much bigger than that. It encompasses biomedical technology, computer scientists, customer service representatives, financial analysts, logistics and management, and a ton of other positions that go mostly unnoticed.
At Ohio State, one organization is making sure its members know that they do not have to be a four-star recruit to make it in the sports industry. Rather, the Association for the Business of Sports (ABS) is committed to informing its members of all the opportunities that exist in sports.
“The Association for the Business of Sports promotes professional development through networking with and speaking to professionals in the industry.” said Charlie Riggs, President of ABS. “There’s so much more to sports than what’s on the field.”
ABS hosts a number of different speakers and professionals, each of whom speaks on their experiences in the industry and the different fields that people can pursue and still be tied to sports.
The organization recently hosted Maurice Clarett, former Ohio State running back and 2002 National Champion, and Linda Logan, Executive Director of the Greater Columbus Sports Commision.
Clarett talked about his personal development and the role of business in sports while Linda Logan spoke about her journey in the sports industry and the importance of the Greater Columbus Sports Commision.
One last shout out to @ReeseClarett13 for coming in to not only educate us on business strategy in the Sport industry but also articulating the importance of mental health and inspiring us with wisdom on how to live a more fulfilling life pic.twitter.com/nfj8BjWKdZ
— The Association for the Business of Sports (@OhioStateABS) September 6, 2018
A constant in all of these meetings is the mention that the field of sports is not just the athletes. It is a culmination of people working every job possible, from marketers and statisticians to landscapers and janitors, and that the industry has the space for any and all types of students.
Later this semester, the Columbus Blue Jackets will host ABS for Sports Management Night. This annual event includes a game day tour of Nationwide Arena, a panel discussion with industry professionals, and a matchup against the Florida Panthers.
In addition to this special opportunity, the Association for the Business of Sports has weekly meetings in Thompson 165. ABS will host Matt Carabajal, senior director of ticket operations for Ohio State Athletics, next Wednesday.
You can follow the Association for the Business in Sports on Twitter by clicking here.
