The new major of Sports and Events Management is making an impact at Wilkes University.
Approved last October and beginning this semester, Sports and Events Management intends to teach students athletics and entertainment organization.
Dr. Marianne Rexer, one of those responsible for bringing this program to the university, stated that “It started with coaches coming to me and asking about a potential athletics management program, and then we quickly realized by adding events onto it, it would have a bigger draw and larger chance for success.”
The connection between sports management and event management is easy to see. In order for any public entertainment to happen, there is an intense amount of planning involved. There will always have to be people behind the scenes, organizing concessions, maintaining the particular arena and hiring security guards to try and keep the chances of violent incidents at a minimum.
Not to mention, the industry involving these professions is growing rapidly.
“Events management in particular is something the United States government expects to rise in the next few years.” Rexer said.
“And with the promising forecast of jobs for that, we also have the number of sports agents and arena managers that are predicted to grow. Not only because they have the same understandings of a lot of the material but because they work in conjunction with one another. For every sports manager, you’ll need an events manager.”
Erin Ryan, a freshman who is majoring in the new program, shares a similar optimism about it.
“Originally, I wanted to get into education, but I wasn’t comfortable with the chances of me finding a job doing that. And even if you find a job, the salary isn’t going to be great.”
Ryan, who is a Wilkes softball player and has had a lifelong fascination with sports, further said, “I’m excited about it! I’m really interested in becoming a sports agent.”
Interest in the program itself is growing steadily.
“Even though it was only officially approved last October, by that December, we had students putting deposits down with that major declared.” Rexer explained excitedly.
With the future bright for the students in Wilkes’ newest major, which can even involve potential internships in the RailRiders and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins organizations, the sky is seemingly the limit.