Sports business industry and faculty leaders gather for annual conference

Faculty and academic leaders from more than 20 colleges and universities across the country gathered with sports and entertainment industry leaders in Columbus, Ohio, for the Alliance of Sports Business (ASB) annual conference, which was hosted by Ohio University’s College of Business.

Established in 2011, the ASB, for which OHIO is a founding member, was formed to bring together leaders and faculty in sports business programs. The group provided a pathway for them to discuss industry needs and address issues within the growing field of Sport Business Programs established within accredited schools of business.

“This conference affords our discipline with the opportunity to share with one another and to hear from industry leaders. This connectivity is invaluable as we aim to grow high-quality graduates in the sport, recreation, and entertainment industries,” said Dr. Jim Strode, president of ASB and associate dean of undergraduate programs for OHIO’s College of Business. “Our ability to convene this level of thought leadership is invaluable in our field and provides us with unique perspectives and insights into a changing industry.”

The annual conference focused on sharing innovative and best practices in the areas of the assurance of learning models, curriculum, faculty teaching and intellectual development along with creating high-quality professional industry engagement opportunities. Academic sessions ranged from accreditation to teaching practices in a business school and sport analytics instruction.

“This year’s conference not only afforded us the opportunity to have those discussions but to also hear what university leaders think about sports business programs. Our own President Emeritus Hugh Sherman provided thoughtful insight from his time as dean of OHIO’s College of Business,” Strode said.

Conference attendees also engaged with leaders in sports business including David Paitson, Ed.D., CEO, Columbus Fury, Pro Volleyball Federation, Linda Logan, an OHIO alumnae, and toured Lower.com Columbus Crew stadium hosted by Katie Foglia, an alumnae of OHIO’s master of sports administration program.

In addition to sharing the latest best practices, the conference also included student competitions. The OHIO team of Kate Dennis, Sam Lawler, and Luke Torres, which was coached by Dr. Lamar Reams, chair of OHIO’s Sports Administration program, secured the top spot in the Student Case Competition presented by the Columbus Blue Jackets. They bested the OHIO team of Delaney Evans, Caleb Anderson, and Reed Smith, who made the finals, as well as four other teams including Westminster College, Lewis University and Midway University.

The next annual conference will be held in April 2025.