When interviewing for a job in the sports industry it’s crucial that candidates have a broad understanding of business. The sports marketing concentration, which can be added onto one of six business majors (accounting, finance, economics, marketing, management or entrepreneurship) allows students to develop sports industry specific skills that differentiate them in the eyes of executives.

Oftentimes students find their perfect niche at the intersection of their major within the sports industry. For example, entrepreneurship majors with a sports marketing concentration have gone on to start sports-oriented businesses, and accounting majors graduate and go to work as chief operating officers in college athletics. Our economics majors have gone to work in sports analytics, and marketing majors have gone to work for ESPN sports marketing.

The concentration presents a rigorous curriculum with courses focused on areas such as sponsorship, international sports marketing, advertising, social media and analytics.

View Curriculum

Class Projects

Students will complete two consulting projects for major sports properties.

The first project, which is part of the Marketing Research class during the junior or senior year, involves the collection of survey data for teams and brands. The second project is completed in the Advanced Theory & Practice in Sports Marketing class in May of a student’s senior year. The intensive nature of this capstone course requires students to dedicate several weeks of full-time effort to it. Once the project is complete, students travel to the sports property headquarters to present to executives. Our students have presented to executives at prestigious sports properties including Coca-Cola, Nike, the NBA, the Miami Dolphins, the Southeastern Conference, and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, just to name a few

Recent Student Projects

Internships and Mentorships

Students complete two internships, one with the NCAA D1 athletic department on campus and one with an external sports entity. Recent internships have included the NFL, Nashville Predators, Adidas and the Coca-Cola sports marketing department.

Additionally, students participate in an exclusive mentorship program with executives from the Atlanta Braves organization.

Students in our sports marketing concentration have had the opportunity to travel with classmates and faculty to study sports business abroad. These trips offer cultural and intellectual excursions and take students behind the scenes of some of the most famous sporting organizations in the world. Through these opportunities, students learn how successful sporting events on the field are intricately tied to success in the front office and boardroom.

A key part of the program is the chance to visit renowned events and venues during active periods. Recent trips have included access to the Wimbledon Championships, London Summer Olympic Games, Manchester United Football Club and Harlequins Rugby Union.

Brock School of Business attracts dozens of senior-level sports industry executives to speak on campus each year. Many of our students have made valuable industry connections during these events. Recent speakers have included the vice president of analytics for the Atlanta Hawks, the former president of Aston Villa F.C. and the commissioner of the Southeastern Conference.

Additionally, our Sports Industry Advisory Board is a key asset to our program. In addition to providing regular feedback about the curriculum, advisory board members serve as mentors, connections to industry-related internships or jobs, and help build relationships with organizations in the industry. Additionally, board members often support the financial means for students to travel for class projects.

Meet the Board

Program Coordinator

Professor Darin White, PhD, is the Margaret Gage Bush Distinguished Professor and the founder of the sports industry program in the Brock School of Business. He also serves as the executive director of the Andrews-White-Cooney Center for Sports Analytics.

In his career, White has crafted business relationships with some of the most prestigious sports organizations and corporate sponsors including the NFL, MLB, MLS, NBA, Dallas Cowboys, Bayern Munich, Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, Atlanta United, Adidas, SEC, ACC, Nike, NASCAR, Atlanta Braves, Harlequins Rugby, Indy Car, Peach Bowl, PGA, Tampa Bay Lightning, MiLB, IFL, Coca Cola, Honda, BCBS, & Manchester United’s sponsor AON.

Meet Professor Darin White

To prepare individuals for a career in sports marketing, Samford's Brock School of Business offers a rigorous sports business curricula for academically gifted and highly motivated candidates paired with a real-world sports business internship in the sports industry.

Current Samford students should download and read the application carefully before completing. Current students are selected annually through a rigorous application process in the spring of their sophomore year. The program seeks students who have demonstrated high standards of scholarship, outstanding personal character, and serious educational aims. Admission to the program involves a careful analysis of (1) academic records, (2) character references, (3) clarity of educational purpose, and (4) extracurricular activities which reflect the applicant’s potential for success in the highly competitive sports industry.

GPA Requirement and Application Deadline

Current Samford students may apply for admission to the program during their sophomore year if they have an overall Samford GPA of 3.0 or above. Spots in the program are limited. In order to receive full consideration, applicants must have their application and recommendation letters completed no later than Feb. 1. However, the Admission Committee prefers students to complete the application early in the fall semester to give them time to get to know the candidates before the Feb. 1 deadline. Students that apply after Feb. 1 will be placed on a waiting list and only admitted if a spot comes open in the subsequent year.

Applicants with an overall Samford GPA below 3.0 should turn in an application before the Feb. 1 deadline and then plan to take MARK 301 during the summer or fall of their junior year. On rare occasions students with an overall Samford GPA below 3.0 have been admitted if a spot is open and they perform well in MARK 301.

Application

Recommendation form

The Sports Industry Program offers a rigorous curriculum paired with real-world sports business experiences, preparing you for a successful career in the highly competitive sports industry. Current Samford students can apply to join this exclusive program at any time after completing one semester at Samford if spots are available. However, with enrollment capped at 20 students per class, early application is strongly encouraged.

Eligibility and Application Timeline

• While there's no strict deadline, applications are reviewed on a rolling basis until all spots are filled.
• Early application is highly recommended to secure your place in this limited-enrollment program.

Application Requirements

1. Academic Excellence: Maintain an overall Samford GPA of 3.0 or above.
2. Character References: Provide references that speak to your personal character and potential.
3. Statement of Purpose: Clearly articulate your educational and career goals in sports business.
4. Extracurricular Activities: Highlight experiences in the sports industry that demonstrate your potential for success.

Applicants should demonstrate high standards of scholarship, outstanding personal character, and serious educational aims. Your application will be carefully analyzed based on your academic records, character references, clarity of educational purpose and relevant extracurricular activities.

Ready to Apply?

To request an application and begin your journey in the Brock School of Business Sports Industry Program, please email Marshal Smith, Assistant Director for the Sports Industry Program, at msmith60@samford.edu.

Entering freshmen and transfers are invited to apply for early assurance into the Sports Industry Program in Samford University’s Brock School of Business. In order to apply for early assurance, students must apply to Samford University through the Office of Admission and have declared a major within Brock School of Business. Follow these steps and timeline to ensure that you submit the required materials and meet appropriate deadlines:

1. Submit The Common Application or Samford University Application declaring a major within the Brock School of Business. Any major within the Brock School of Business is sufficient.
2. Submit the Sports Industry Program application which will appear on your Application Status Page checklist once you have been accepted to Samford University and have declared a major in the Brock School of Business.

Application Timeline and Rolling Admissions

• Application Opens: November 1, 2023
• Priority Deadline: February 15, 2024
• Final Deadline: April 1, 2024 (if spots remain available)

We strongly encourage students to apply as early as possible after November 1st. This is a rolling admissions process, which means we will review and decide on applications as they are completed. The sooner you apply, the better your chances of securing a spot in your preferred program.

Important: While applications will be accepted through April 1st, once the programs are filled, the application will close. Given our rolling admissions process and limited spots, we strongly recommend not waiting until the priority deadline to apply. Many qualified candidates are turned away each year simply because they applied after the program was full.

For students who either do not apply during their senior year of high school or are not accepted, the next opportunity to apply will be during the second semester of their freshman year at Samford

Students that do not apply for early assurance or that are not accepted into the early assurance program during their senior year in high school must wait until their sophomore year at Samford to apply.