Month: March 2015

Alumni Focus: Brent Colborne – ESPN Programming

Posted on March 29, 2015 by

Alumni Focus: Brent Colborne – ESPN Programming

As a part of a new series, we turn the spotlight on members of the UConn Sport Management Program (SMP) Alumni Community, focusing on the diversity of experience and breadth of knowledge they have gained within the industry. Designed to help current and future SMP students learn to navigate and understand the real-world intricacies of sport management, we thank SMP alumni for their valuable contributions and insight. Today, the focus is on UConn alumnus Brent Colborne (B.S. in Business Administration, a Major in Business Management, Minor in Sport Management, 2005), who works in programming at ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, CT.

Although it has been ten years since he graduated, UConn alumnus and ESPN employee Brent Colborne has been to Storrs twice in the last month – all in the name of giving current UConn sport management students an insider’s perspective on what it’s like to work for one of the industry’s broadcasting juggernauts. Making an appearance in both of Dr. Joseph Cooper’s Sport Marketing classes, as well as speaking at the “Career Night in Sports” event at the UConn Alumni Center on February 26, Colborne shared his perspectives on what students really need to do in order to position themselves to break into a sporting organization.

“Entry-level positions in the sporting industry have become so much more competitive,” said Colborne. “There’s a rising tide of applicants with a variety of skill sets to choose from, so it’s important to get as much experience as you can to help distinguish yourself from the crowd.” He told students to make the most of the time and opportunities they have at UConn – whether its an internship, a part-time job supporting any of the 24 varsity sports on campus or even volunteering at local community sports activities such as fun runs. The key is just putting yourself out there – experiences and networking opportunities are created through every small activity you get yourself involved in.

It’s also ok not to know exactly what you want to do while you’re still in school – although Colborne is a veteran of the sports programming world today, when he was a student at UConn, the concept of the job itself unknown to him. That is, until three UConn alumni who worked in that department at ESPN came to Storrs to speak about their jobs in sports at one of his classes. Now he is regularly negotiating broadcasting rights deals for all of the college sports programming you see on ESPN.

Reccommendations for students? “When you’re interviewing for a position, make sure you research the job,” said Colborne. “Be prepared or within five minutes an interviewer will know you haven’t done your homework.”

One can start with a search online for “sports programming” at ESPN. In doing so, you might learn that according to the organization’s website, the Programming Department’s mission is to create, acquire, and schedule premier content to engage fans and maximize audiences on all platforms that ESPN delivers on – they lead the development of sport strategies across the company and manage constructive relationships with league partners and organizers. What does that mean in practical day to day terms? Thanks to Brent Colborne, attendees of the “Career Night in Sports” and in Dr. Cooper’s classes not only know the answer to that question, they have a richer understanding of the role – and even more valuable than that, they now have a great contact in the industry to help guide them should they wish to pursue a similar career in the field.

Faculty Focus: Dr. Joseph Cooper speaks at SIAC Black College Sports Lecture Series

Posted on March 25, 2015 by

Faculty Focus: Dr. Joseph Cooper speaks at SIAC Black College Sports Lecture Series

UConn’s Dr. Joseph Cooper was among the noted scholars in the field of race, gender and sport who headlined the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Black College Sports Lecture Series on March 5 at Miles College.

SIAC Commissioner Gregory Moore remarked “During the past several months, seminal court cases, congressional hearings and legislative policy shifts which now provide increased autonomy to the so called “Power Five” NCAA conferences have pushed intercollegiate sports into areas that can best be described as uncharted territory. The purpose of this lecture series was to facilitate conversations and dialogue with respect to the impact these shift could have on HBCU sports from the standpoint of both challenges and, most importantly – the opportunities.”

In addition to Dr. Cooper, the discussions were led by J. Kenyatta Cavil, Ed. D., M. B. A., Texas Southern University Assistant Professor and Sports Studies and Leadership Program Coordinator, as well as Geremy Cheeks, BA, MBA, Florida A&M University, Ph. D Candidate (Sport Science), Texas A&M University.

Recent publications by these scholars include:

• THE STATE OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS AT HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES (HBCUS): PAST, PRESENT, & PERSISTENCE. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 7, 307-332

• THE TRANSFER EFFECT: A CRITICAL RACE THEORY EXAMINATION OF BLACK MALE TRANSFER STUDENT ATHLETES’ EXPERIENCES. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 7, 80-104.

• A CULTURE OF COLLECTIVE UPLIFT: THE INFLUENCE OF A HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY ON BLACK MALE STUDENT ATHLETES’ EXPERIENCES. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 6, 306-331.

• A PLACE OF OPPORTUNITY: BLACK MALE STUDENT ATHLETES’ EXPERIENCES AT A HISTORICALLY BLACK UNIVERSITY. Journal of Intercollegiate Sport, 5, 170-188.

ABOUT THE SIAC:

The SIAC is a NCAA athletic conference consisting primarily of historically black colleges and universities with headquarters in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. The primary mission and purpose of the SIAC is “to leverage intercollegiate athletics to the benefit of our student-athletes and to advance the overarching strategic interests of SIAC member institutions.” The SIAC includes 15 member institutions (Albany State University, Benedict College, Central State University Claflin University, Clark Atlanta University, Fort Valley State University, Kentucky State University, Lane College, LeMoyne-Owen College, Miles College, Morehouse College, Paine College, Spring Hill College, Stillman College, Tuskegee University) which are located within a contiguous six-state footprint (Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee and Ohio). The SIAC sponsors seven men’s and six women’s sports and is a proud member of the NCAA Division II.

Alumni Focus: Allison Cantor – ESPN Legal Department

Posted on March 17, 2015 by

Alumni Focus: Allison Cantor – ESPN Legal Department

“I love the fact that here’s no such thing as a ‘typical day’ when working within the legal department at ESPN,” said UConn alumna Allison Cantor during a recent visit to UConn’s campus to speak to Dr. Joseph Cooper’s Sport Marketing class. “One day it’s cable and satellite affiliate contracts, and the next it’s a consumer product licensing deal,” she continued, “I learn something new every day and get to work with all sorts of different people through a broad array of projects.”

February was a very good month for sport management students interested in an insider’s view of legal work at one of the world’s leading sport and entertainment broadcasters around the world. Allison has made several trips back to Storrs throughout the month to share her insights and experiences from her career at ESPN, most recently at the “Career Night in Sports”, hosted at the UConn Alumni center on February 26.

What key skill does she highlight to current students looking to break into the industry? Networking. It is a skill that can take time to develop and requires practice – so she encourages students should be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to network when they can. To Allison, networking was a skill that was as important during her role as the UConn women’s basketball team manager as it was when she was completing her law degree… and it continues to be extremely valuable today in her job at ESPN.

Sport Administration Focus – Debbie Corum

Posted on March 12, 2015 by

Sport Administration Focus – Debbie Corum

The UConn Sport Business Association was recently treated to a speaking engagement with Debbie Corum, UConn’s Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Sport Administration and Senior Woman Administrator.

With more than 20 years of experience in the administration of intercollegiate athletics, Corum told a myriad of stories of the challenges she faced, successes she achieved, and shared some insider’s tips on how the students might break in to the sport industry.

In her role at UConn, Corum serves as the sports administrator for women’s basketball, volleyball, softball, field hockey and golf. She serves as chair of the Sports Administrators Group and responsible for gender equity, athletic training, strength and conditioning, sports performance and strategic planning.

Corum’s career in the industry also had highlights as the Associate Commissioner of Championships at the SEC – developing promotional plans, coordinating television schedules and managing event staff – and working as the Assistant Athletic Director of Intercollegiate Sports at Stanford, where she was the Tournament Director for NCAA and conference events that were held on campus.

But how did she start? After the former athlete earned her bachelor of science degree from Vanderbilt in psychology and education, she had trouble finding work in education – so she took an entry-level job as a receptionist at the SEC. She performed her job so well, in six months she was promoted. Six months later she was promoted again. Six months after that… promoted yet again.

Her top three recommendations to students?

1 – “Do whatever you can to expose yourself to sports, particularly volunteering whenever the opportunity presents itself.”
2 – “When you get that foot in the door, do every job you have to the best of your abilities and you will get noticed.”
3 – “Be careful of whose hands you step on as you climb the ladder. Everybody falls at one point or another, but how far you fall depends on how many hands are there to catch you.”

Wise suggestions, indeed!

Sport Marketing Focus – Scott Zuffelato & the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Posted on March 9, 2015March 9, 2015 by

Sport Marketing Focus – Scott Zuffelato and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Dr. Joseph Cooper’s Sport Marketing classes were recently treated to a visit from Scott Zuffelato, Vice President of Marketing Partnerships and Development at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

A former Assistant Director of Athletics at UConn responsible for all corporate partner relationships, marketing programs and advertising efforts for the Division of Athletics, Zuffelato returned to Storrs to speak to students about his experiences in the sporting industry.

After sharing some details of his career path and background, he emphasized how decisions during the early part of his career had an important impact on where he is today. Zuffelato highlighted the importance of networking and differentiating oneself in sports, and then provided the students with the inside story of what’s behind the success of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Alumni Focus: UConn to ESPN – Three Alumni Pay It Forward

Posted on March 6, 2015 by

Alumni Focus: UConn to ESPN – Three Alumni Pay It Forward

As a part of a new series, we turn the spotlight on members of the UConn Sport Management Program (SMP) Alumni Community, focusing on the diversity of experience and breadth of knowledge they have gained within the industry. Designed to help current and future SMP students learn to navigate and understand the real-world intricacies of sport management, we thank SMP alumni for their valuable contributions and insight. This week, we highlight three UConn alumni currently working at ESPN’s headquarters in Bristol, CT who came back to Storrs to speak to students about their experiences in the sport industry: Allison Cantor (B.A. in Political Science, 2004, J.D. in Law, 2010), Brent Colborne (B.S. in Business Administration, a Major in Business Management, Minor in Sport Management, 2005) and Leigh Michaud (B.A. in Sociology, 2009, M.S. in Sport Management, 2012).

ESPN’s tagline says it all: “The Worldwide Leader in Sports” – and for any sport management student, it would be a dream come true to be able to work there. For Allison Cantor, Brent Colborne and Leigh Michaud, that dream is a daily reality and recently the three UConn alumni returned to Storrs to visit Dr. Joseph Cooper’s undergraduate and graduate sport marketing classes to share stories with current Sport Management students about how they made the jump from UConn’s campus to ESPN’s campus in Bristol, CT.

Each plays a unique role in the organization – Allison is a lawyer responsible for licensing and affiliate contract drafting and negotiation, Brent works in programming, negotiating the broadcast deals that put intercollegiate sports on the air, and Leigh holds a key role in planning the logistical and technical operations of ESPN College Football. Despite the different kinds of work they do for ESPN, they all share three important characteristics: a love for sports, a UConn education and a desire to “pay it forward”, to help current UConn students pursue their sporting dreams.

The ESPN crew took turns telling the students about their backgrounds, what they studied at UConn, what challenges they faced entering the sport industry workforce, all about the internships and jobs they held prior to their current positions – and shared their own personal recommendations and strategies for students hoping to break into the sports industry.

For Colborne, visiting Dr. Cooper’s classes was a little like coming full circle – when he was a student, three alumni who worked at ESPN visited one of his classes to share their experiences at the organization. The connections he made in that class inspired him to pursue a job at ESPN – and guess what? The position he holds today is virtually the same as those who visited his class years ago. Now he stands on the other side of the classroom, and the time and insight he, Allison and Leigh share with current students will no doubt give a helping hand to the next generation of UConn students on their way to a career in sports. It is a great illustration of how the UConn experience connects all Huskies – past, present and future.

A Career in Sports Night

Posted on March 4, 2015March 4, 2015 by

More than 150 Students Attend “A Career in Sports Night” at UConn Alumni Center

Seeking advice, stories of inspiration and the opportunity to network with industry professionals, more than 150 UConn students flocked to “A Career in Sports Night” on February 26, an event featuring breakout sessions and interactive discussions with 16 UConn alumni currently working in the sports industry.

Organized and hosted jointly by UConn’s Center for Career Development, Alumni Association and Sport Management Program, the event was opened by UConn’s Director of Major Gifts, Meg Culmo (’92), who encouraged the students to not ever put limits on what they might do in the future.

Screen Shot 2015-03-04 at 8.29.02 AM — UConn’s “A Career in Sports Night”, Feb. 26, 2015

Speaking from experience, the UConn communications major, UConn women’s basketball captain and NCAA championship-winning assistant coach never thought her career in broadcasting could lead to a job as a political lobbyist or her current position at UConn focusing on fundraising efforts for capital projects and engaging former UConn student-athletes. Doing her best in each of the roles she performed opened up unexpected doors and networking opportunities with a people in a wide array of industries over the years that has led her to her current job, which she loves passionately as it is full of great people, challenges, and great reward in supporting the institution that helped provide much of the infrastructure of her own success.

Screen Shot 2015-03-04 at 8.29.29 AM — UConn’s “A Career in Sports Night”, Feb. 26, 2015

After introductions, student divided into four breakout sessions – Finding a Career in Sports, Sports in Education & the Community, Broadcasting & Journalism, and Women Working in Sports. Each breakout session featured 3-4 UConn alumni who are experts in the session topic and shared their personal stories of how they got their jobs, what challenges they faced as they tried to break into the sports industry workforce, how the job has changed since they were students and what recommendations or advice they would give to students as they enter the market.

UConn's "A Career in Sports Night", Feb. 26, 2015 — UConn’s “A Career in Sports Night”, Feb. 26, 2015

Rotating to a second group session at the evening’s halfway point, students had the opportunity to learn from a whole new group of alumni. At the end of the evening, all students and alumni participated in an open networking session – giving the opportunity for personal exchanges of information and laying the groundwork for future contact between current students and the alumni team.

A huge thanks to all of our UConn alumni who participated in the event!

Meg Culmo, Brent Colborne, Alyssa Davanzo, Billy Haubrich, Allison Cantor, Paul Gagnon, Kristen Hargis, David Longo, Kirsten Britton, Chris Stasaitis, Danielle DeRosa, Dennis Moynihan, Alexandra Badalucco, Kate Mainelli and Julie Purcell.

Student Focus – UConn Students Attend Mark H. McCormack Sport Management Future Industry Leaders Conference

Posted on March 1, 2015February 22, 2025 by

(L-R: Johnny Giovannucci ’15, Christos Schwarz ’18, Theus McBee ’16, Angela Altamura ’16, Charles Lin ’16, Javier Barragan ’15, Paul Wettemann, III ’18)

UConn Students Attend Mark H. McCormack Sport Management Future Industry Leaders Conference

On February 21, 2015, seven UConn Sport Business Association members made their way to the University of Massachusetts Amherst to attend the Mark H. McCormack Sport Management Future Industry Leaders Conference (FILC), which focused on bridging the gap between sport management classroom learning and real world experience. Today, Javier Barragan (UConn ’15) shares his experiences attending the conference with the rest of the UConn Sport Management community:

My senior year spring semester, I finally met with the trio of UMass Amherst students I had been in contact with since fall semester junior year. Ronnell DeNegre, Brody Mankus and Tony Dombrowski, three students of the UMass Future Industry Leaders team, had been in contact with Theus McBee (’16), me and the rest of the UConn Sport Business Association as references for advice and feedback from an outside perspective as this was going to be its inaugural year. Through our numerous phone calls, e-mails and text messages, a working relationship of trust and reciprocity developed between UConn SBA and UMass, one that I hope to see continue moving forward.

In its inaugural year the event itself was put on very successfully. Through snowy Amherst roads, we arrived to catered breakfast snacks and a fraternity of sport industry minded students and professionals. After checking in our coats and brief networking, the event started with the keynote speaker, AEG’s Chuck Steedman. He stressed three major points: networking, following up and a strong work ethic – none were novel ideas, and all points that as a senior who has attended many conferences like UMass’s has heard before. That being said, I certainly understand why he stressed networking and following up: students do not do it enough. Steedman, an UMass Alum and former Director of Athletic Marketing at UConn, framed it as developing a relationship by checking in every few months. These words were then echoed verbatim in the next section by UMass Sport Management Lecturer Ryan Spalding in the next portion of the day. Following the keynote speech, roughly 100 students separated into five industry sections, where we were tasked with a case study focused on that particular industry segment. My industry segment, finance, was led by Spalding and Michael Moran, VP of Chaney Group Holdings, where they each discussed their past and parlayed it into disseminating knowledge onto each of the groups in the finance segment.

This section of the conference was the crux of it and the separator from other conferences. Each student had signed up weeks prior indicating what industry segment – Finance, Sales, Facility and Event Management, Athlete Representation, and Marketing – he or she was interested in. We were to be then placed in that section with other students whom had selected the same industry to then read, discuss and present a solution to a case study, all in about two hours. Throughout this portion I learned more about myself when it comes to working in a group and more about the sports finance industry (and facilities as there was some overlap), all while developing a foundation of networks with both my group members and finance industry representatives.

After all groups presented, there was an hour to network in the Isenberg Atrium followed by the “Young Guns” panel, a foursome of UMass Sport Management Alums who are a few years into their careers. They answered a few questions, such as best advice received, what they would change if they had a second chance at UMass, and the importance of mentors. Closing remarks followed as well as more networking.

Would I attend this event next year? Yes. For one, the opportunity to network with both people who can help me as well as people I can help is priceless. Though I do not know what tomorrow has in store for me, I am sure networks made at this event can provide fruitful contributions then. Additionally, there was definitely an educational aspect. I learned more about sport finance in terms of debt structure, time value of money, interests of debtors and lenders and general industry metrics. Setting the bar high, I commend Ronnell, Brody and Tony and the rest of the UMass FILC team for putting on this great event