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In summer 2018, three Syracuse University students came together to bring a sports business conference to central New York. In an attempt to improve SU’s networking within Falk College, Ben Alon, Ryan First and Evan Weinberg planned to invite well-known and influential guest speakers to give insight to students aspiring to work in the sports industry.
The three students were supposed to host their inaugural conference in 2020, but it was moved to Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, the Syracuse Sport Business Conference held weekly virtual sessions before it fell apart and came to a halt.
Now, three years since its last event, the Syracuse Sport Business Conference is back. On Friday, Sept. 20, the conference held its inaugural forum, this time in person.
Held in SU’s Grant Auditorium, three speakers came to give insight to an audience of over 150 students. Jonathan Duncan, the NCAA vice president of enforcement, Nick Carparelli, the executive director at Bowl Season and John Wildhack, SU’s director of athletics, spoke in a 90-minute panel moderated by Professor Sue Edson, the former chief communications officer for SU Athletics.
Numerous questions were answered on Name, Image, and Likeness deals, revenue in sports, the new 12-team College Football Playoff, sports gambling and more. With each answer, students received insight into what it’s like to work in the sports industry.
“We felt there was a gap that could be filled. It’s a great opportunity for students to meet professionals and for our team to get real industry experience,” Nate Gross, SSBC’s president, said. “Our attendees can listen to these professionals, gain industry insight and create relationships.”
Sue Edson (left), John Wildhack (middle) and Nick Carparelli (right) speaking during the Syracuse Sports Business Panel on Sept. 20. Photo courtesy of Nate Gross
Andrew Sender, SSBC’s senior vice president, was inspired to revive the conference when he attended the University of Maryland’s Sport Business Conference about a year and a half ago. He saw the idea, witnessed how it worked and knew that there had to be something similar at SU.
“I thought, ‘How does Syracuse not have something like this?’ We are the premier sports management program,” Sender said. “I talked to (Gross), and he talked to (SSBC executive vice president) Jeremy Scott and the three of us just wanted to empower the students.”
The planning process — which started in October 2023 — for Gross, Scott and Sender was long. Now that the first event is complete, though, the plan is for the SSBC to hold more events on a regular basis.
“A lot of the connections, speaker-wise, sponsorship-wise, bringing in more alumni from all over the country will (help) with the bigger events. They’ll be easier now that we got this first event under our feet,” Gross said.
Wildhack, SU’s most prominent athletic leader, was honored to give advice to students so they could potentially follow in his footsteps someday. Some of his key points to end the panel included extending oneself to people, not being overly concerned about where one starts their career, asking questions and networking oneself.
“I really give tremendous credit to the students who organized this; they worked so hard,” Wildhack said. “When I can participate in something like this and give back and maybe share a bit of my personal story, my career with students here at Syracuse. Hopefully, it benefits them.”
While the SSBC aims to impact the audience of students at SU, the role that comes with creating the conference can also leave a mark. Currently, 27 students make up its team, all holding different roles to make each event as best as possible.
“Getting that experience with the conference is the best experience you can get. There’s no manager above you. Every single person has to do the exact same work that I’m doing. We all (get) to do the work that professionals are doing every day,” Sender said.
Jeremy Scott (left) and Nate Gross (right) introduce the new-look Syracuse Sports Business Conference on Sept. 20. Photo courtesy of Nate Gross
The mission for the SSBC is that students can find professionals in the sports industry to network, learn from and discuss topics with. Sitting at panel discussions with familiar names such as Wildhack, Carparelli and Duncan can influence someone’s career in the future.
“I hope they gain an understanding of the (sports) industry,” Wildhack said. “It’s a really dynamic time in college sports. As (the students) look at starting their careers, hopefully there is some career guidance in there that the students can take to be beneficial to them.”
Even though most who attended the conference were students within Falk, the SSBC is meant for anyone interested in the sports industry to network. The conference hopes to attract students from all Syracuse-area colleges to connect through their interest in sports.
“We think we are able to bring in some very high-level speakers as (seen) today and also some great networkers that are looking to hire students that want to get involved in the sports industry,” Scott said. “It’s a win-win for both sides. Recruiters are here to bring in interns, and students are wanting to get involved.”
The conference intends to be around for a long time, but it will take immense work from Gross, Scott and Sender to ensure it can keep producing meaningful events. Their focus will be on getting sponsors, maintaining interested attendees and adjusting to industry changes to ensure that the event retains its value.
The SSBC plans to hold its next big event in the spring, which will feature multiple panels, more networking opportunities and an increased number of speakers. Along with the in-person events, the SSBC will release its own podcast this month.
“We just want to keep growing off of (our success) every semester,” Gross said.
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