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Sport Management Students Gain Insider Perspective
By
Dr. Peter
Titlebaum and Drs.Corinne Daprano
Assistant Professor, Sport Management
Department of Health & Sport Science - University of Dayton
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| The
purpose of this article. |
The
Super Show in 2004 took place January 12-14 in Orlando, Florida
with over 2,600 exhibitors and more than 100,000 people attending.
The Super Show showcased products representing more than 300 categories
of sporting goods, merchandise, and apparel (http://www.thesupershow.com/frameset.asp?category=ShowInfo).
This
is the largest sporting goods show in the United States and has
exhibitors from all over the world.
The
purpose of this article is to share the observations of ten University
of Dayton Sport Management students who served as interns for SGMA
(Sports Goods Manufactures Association) during the day-to-day management
of the show.
| Gaining
as much industry experience as possible. |
The
University of Dayton sport management program supports its students
gaining as much industry experience as possible. While these types of
experiences will never eliminate the need for classroom activities working
the Super Show is meant to build on the practicum, field experience,
internships, and coursework that is required of sport management students.
We
have found that industry experience, contacts, and the self reflection
students gain by experiencing the industry hands on benefits them greatly
as they search for jobs after graduation.
The
Super Show is in its 19th year and is dedicated to be the premier global
event for the growth of sports & fitness. Buyers and manufacturers
from across the globe network through display booths, private meeting
and presentation rooms as well as corporate parties and receptions.
The Super Show is laid out with 23 distinct shows within-within-a-show.
That's why CNN, ABC, ESPN, The Wall Street Journal and more than 200
other major media outlets sent reporters, photographers and film crews
to the show in 2003 (http://www.thesupershow.com/).
University
of Dayton Sport Management students have provided support to the Super
Show since 1999. This experience is not part of a class and students
have to pay their own transportation to the event. SGMA covers the cost
of hotel rooms for the students. Students generally miss several days
of classes and are held accountable for all coursework that is missed.
| A
questionnaire that was completed by the students. |
This
year we developed a questionnaire that was completed by the students
so we could better understand what the students were gaining from the
experience.
Pre-Super Show Questions:
1. What motivated you to apply to take part in the Super Show?
2. What do you expect to learn about the sport industry through this
experience?
3. What do you hope to discover about yourself?
4. How do you expect this experience to impact your view of the sport
industry?
Post- Super Show Questions:
1. What would you tell other students interested in taking part in this
experience next year?
2. What did you like and dislike about this experience?
3. How would you rate the sport business experience you received from
working the show?
4. What new insights did you gain about the sport industry?
5. How did this experience change your view of the sporting good industry
and the sport industry overall?
6. What did you learn about international sporting goods businesses?
Pre- Super Show Responses:
- 1. What motivated you to apply to take
part in the Super Show?
· Getting out of my comfort zone
· Learn about innovations in the sport industry
· A great resume builder and opportunity to network
· Finding a job within the manufacturing retail aspect of the
industry
· Being part one of the biggest events in the country
· Testimonials of past student's experiences
- 2. What do you expect to learn about the
sport industry through this experience?
· Event management side of the Super Show
· Take a step towards understanding what it will take to have
a career in sport manufacturing
· Get my foot in the door
· See how an event of this magnitude is run efficiently
· Learn how selling takes place at a trade show
· How the media influence the marketing efforts of new products
- 3. What do you hope to discover about yourself?
· I do have what it takes to succeed in the industry
· Learn want I want to do in the sports industry in the future
· Measure my professional growth since entering U.D.
· How much I really can handle as far as the long hours needed
· Having the ability to network and make worthwhile contacts
· How I work under pressure, working with people more familiar
with what the job entails
- 4. How do you expect this experience to
impact your view of the sport industry?
· I expect this to give me a real world view of the industry
· This will teach me more than reading about the industry in
a book
· Show me opportunities I have not considered for a career
in the sports industry
· Will help me figure out what I want to do with my career
· Broaden my idea of the sport industry/sport merchandising
· Witness all the behind the scenes aspects of what goes into
a trade show
Post-Super Show Responses:
- 1. What would you tell other students interested
in taking part in this experience next year?
· It is a great experience and even though you work for long
hours, it is still fun
· This is not a vacation, if you are expecting a party, don't
bother applying
· Your feet will hurt
· The experience will help you see a new side of the sport
industry
· Develop a plan of attack with what companies you want to
see while at show
· Opportunity to learn hands on, about planning an event
· Great networking opportunity
- 2. What did you like and dislike about
this experience?
Likes
· SGMA staff
· Learning how to survive in the real world
· The variety of experiences
· Getting to actually work in the industry
· I liked being able to see something that many people don't
get to experience
· Participating in the satellite media tour that was broadcast
throughout the USA
· Meeting new people making contacts
Dislikes
· Doing inventory
· Having nothing to do at times
· Hotel distance from the convention center
· I didn't like the lack of eating and sleep
· Thankless jobs
· Waking up early
- 3. How would you explain the sport business
experience you received from working the show?
· Wanted more "real" work and experience
· Had an enjoyable time
· The hours were grueling
· Learned the retail side of the business
· Learned how much SGMA staff enjoyed their jobs
- 4. What new insights did you gain about
the sport industry?
· How important licensing of merchandise is to the industry
· How the press room works and what it takes to do inventory
· The real world is going to take hard work and require long
hours
· There are many areas of the sporting goods industry and it
is very sales oriented
· The importance of how you present yourself
· The media is forced to fight for attention when pro-athletes
are involved
· That even if an invention looks silly, people may buy it
and it can be profitable
· Planning and running events is a major part of the industry
- 5. How did this experience change your
view of the sporting good industry and the sport industry overall?
· Insider view of the sporting goods industry and learning
how to run trade show
· How the government can push for physical education
· Realizing the diversity of the field and the amount of work
required
- 6. What did you learn about international
businesses?
· Sporting goods industry conducts business on a global scale
· How vast it is and how beneficial a second language could
be
· That people from different countries have different approaches
in the way they do business
· Clear communication is hard
· There is more than just the American way to do business
As we develop more opportunities for students to gain experience, we
believe it is important to evaluate these experiences to ensure they
are worthwhile.
However we believe it's not enough just to provide experiences for students.
They need to be with organizations that are willing to invest time and
energy into providing a quality experience. While we know that these
experiences will sometimes include grunt work, we have found that the
SGMA staff does everything that they ask our students to do and thus,
lead by example.
- What
changes can UD students anticipate next year?
· Student team building
activities prior to traveling to the Super Show
· Super Show manual describing SGMA and the Super Show to better
prepare students for their experience.
· Complete schedule for travel, work, and room arrangements
· Orientation with the SGMA staff, the day prior to the Super
Show
1.
What
do you think students gain from insider prospective?
2. What
could we do to make the experience stronger for our students?
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April 2004 - Dr. Mike Perko
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