Sport Management News
Two Falk sport analytics teams win at SABR Diamond Dollars competition
For the sixth straight year, members of the Department of Sport Management’s Sabermetrics Club participated in the Society of American Baseball Research (SABR) Analytics’ Spring Diamond Dollars Case Competition. Due to Covid-19, the SU students did not travel last month to Phoenix, Arizona, but instead presented virtually from SU’s campus on March 13, 2020.
The competition is for undergraduate and graduate students from universities across the country to compete against each other by researching and presenting on a baseball analytics topic.
Four SU teams competed in the research-based case competition, with two SU teams winning their respective divisions. Students on SU’s winning teams were: Steven DiMaria, Hughston Preston, Ben Ayers, Joey Deaton and Cameron Mitchell; as well as Joe Pickering, Sean Kenney, Brendan McKeown, Cooper Shawver and Drake Mills.
Their assignment was to analyze the factors that contribute to a starting pitcher’s effectiveness when navigating a lineup for the third time in a game. Teams made their presentations by using programs such as R, Excel, and Tableau. They virtually presented their analysis and recommendations to a panel of judges in Phoenix that included Major League Baseball executives T.J. Barra (MLB), Paul Bien (San Francisco Giants), Cody Callahan (Arizona Diamondbacks), Tani Cohen (MLB), Evan Eshleman (Colorado Rockies), Ben Jedlovec (MLB), Katie Krall (Cincinnati Reds), Travis Petersen (MLB), Joe Rosales (Baseball Info Solutions), Kevin Tenenbaum (Cleveland Indians), Max Weinstein (Los Angeles Dodgers), and Keith Woolner (Cleveland Indians).
With the help of gifts from Falk College donors Jeff and Andrea Lomasky and Andrew Berlin, 20 Syracuse University sport analytics students were able to compete in this prestigious event.
Read more about the competition
Teams are pictured above. On the left is Team 1 (left to right): Steven DiMaria, Hughston Preston, Samual (Ben) Ayers, Joey Deaton, Cameron Mitchell. On the right is Team 3 (left to right): Joe Pickering, Sean Kenney, Brendan McKeown, Cooper Shawver, Drake Mills.
Sport Management Club raises $57,021 at 15th Charity Auction
The SPM Club is a student-run organization in the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics’ Sport Management Department. Since its founding in 2005, the club has now raised $524,000 for local charities. Previous beneficiaries of the club’s annual charity auction have included Meals on Wheels, Boys & Girls Clubs, Golisano Children’s Hospital at Upstate, the Ronald McDonald House Charities of CNY, the Central New York SPCA, the Upstate Cancer Center, Special Olympics New York, Food Bank of CNY, the Salvation Army, Rescue Mission Alliance, American Diabetes Association, and McMahon/Ryan Child Advocacy Center.
“Once again, the outstanding Syracuse University Sport Management students have exceeded our expectations,” said Diane Kuppermann, president, and CEO of Make-A-Wish Central New York. “Their energy, effort, and passion for our mission was evident throughout the process. Their professionalism and drive resulted in this extraordinary gift that will benefit local kids battling a critical illness. Their contributions to the most vulnerable in our community will have a lasting impact.”
Make-A-Wish serves 15 counties around Central New York, granting wishes and helping strengthen and empower children battling critical illnesses.
“Our Sport Management Club was founded on the principles of teaching our members the value of civic engagement, community service, and social responsibility through sports,” said Michael Veley, Rhonda S. Falk endowed professor and director of Sport Management, who also serves as the organization’s faculty advisor. “The countless hours of dedication by these students to ensure that the charity auction would make wishes come true for local children and their families is extremely gratifying. Collectively, we are honored to support our community.”
The Sport Management Club meets at 7 p.m. Tuesdays during the academic year in Falk 200. For more information, contact SPM Club president Sam Marteka, svmartek@syr.edu.
For more information about the annual Charity Auction, visit Twitter @SPMAuction, Facebook and Instagram @spm_auction.
SPM alumnus Matt Samost ’13 selected for Sports Business Journal’s ‘New Voices Under 30’
Sports Business Journal’s (SBJ) New Voices Under 30 inaugural list announced in January 2020 recognizes 30 accomplished professionals who, as today’s young influencers, embody the skillsets needed to lead the next generation in sports business.
Two Syracuse University alumni are featured in this select group of 30 under 30. Matt Samost, a graduate of Falk College’s sport management program, is currently vice president of new ventures for Tampa Bay Sports & Entertainment. Megan Rand, an alumna of the School of Architecture, is an architect/associate at Populous architectural and design practice specializing in sports facilities.
The New Voices Under 30 selection process was announced by SBJ and founding partners Anheuser-Busch and Turnkey Search in 2019. After convening a select group of industry executives, the review process began. Applicants were evaluated for achievements, influence and individual impact on the organization or the sports industry, and their blueprint for the future.
“We have always wanted to spot the ‘new influencers,’ those fresh voices representing generation next. That’s why we’re introducing a new platform that will recognize potentially the next generation of leaders in sports business,” writes Abe Madkour, publisher and executive editor of SBJ.
In his role as vice president of new ventures for Tampa Bay Sports & Entertainment (TBSE), the parent company for the Tampa Bay Lightning and Amalie Arena, Samost oversees emerging properties such as digital network internal start-up The Identity Tampa Bay and esports internal start-up Bolts Gaming. He previously served as a business analyst for the organization. He also worked as the senior business intelligence and data warehouse developer for the Kraft Analytics Group, an entity of the Kraft Group that also includes the New England Patriots and New England Revolution.
“I entered Syracuse University needing to push myself outside my comfort zone,” says Samost. “I needed opportunities to grow as a leader and public speaker and was fortunate the SPM program afforded me so many chances to grow and improve, both in the classroom and through extracurricular activities and experiential learning.”
Samost graduated summa cum laude from the sport management program in 2013, where he also completed his senior thesis as part of the University’s Honors Program. On social responsibility and giving back to the local community, the values instilled in Samost through Falk College’s sport management program, he notes the TBSE organization has a strong commitment to the community, where each employee participates in volunteer opportunities throughout the year.
“Matt exemplified excellence in every sense as an undergraduate student,” says Michael Veley, Rhonda S. Falk endowed professor, and director and chair of sport management. “He was extremely intelligent and exuded strong leadership qualities, motivation, and civic engagement. Matt was visionary and an analytical thinker. He has parlayed all of these attributes into a distinguished career, and while we’re very proud of his accomplishments to date, I assure you, he’s only getting started!”
Read more on Syracuse University’s Alumni Association website
Sport Management’s Emerging Leaders Council to support next generation of industry leaders
Current and future students in Falk College’s Department of Sport Management will be the true beneficiaries of its newly announced Emerging Leaders Council (ELC). This core group of 31 influential Syracuse University alumni is committed to supporting the next generation of sport professionals with the tools necessary to be successful leaders and practitioners.
In partnership with sport management faculty and staff, as well as other Falk College and campus partners, the ELC will participate on the department’s strategic areas of interest to support students as well as alumni, including alumni relations and mentorship, professional and career development, events, curriculum, and fundraising.
The Emerging Leaders Council will assist with capstone, practicum, and internship placements and other professional opportunities while serving as ambassadors and advocates for sport management programs in their workplaces and communities. Council members will be involved with classroom lectures and assignments in SPM 201—Professional Development in Sport Management and participate in regional networking events. The group’s first meeting was held in October 2019 in conjunction with the Third Annual SPM Alumni in #SportsBiz event aimed at enhancing professional development and networking opportunities.
Since its inception in 2005, the Department of Sport Management has offered students unparalleled access to industry leaders and practitioners through guest lectures, experiential class projects, and immersion trips to Los Angeles, Boston, and New York, among others. One-on-one networking opportunities for students include regular interaction with Falk College’s 31-member Sport Management Advisory Council, a ‘who’s who’ in the sport industry that consists of company presidents, founders, CEOs and other top-level executives including Falk College benefactor, David B. Falk.
“We always strive to make a life-long connection with our students—not only while completing their undergraduate or graduate degree—but once they become alumni,” says Michael Veley, Rhonda S. Falk endowed professor, department chair and founding director. “Engagement is one of the cornerstones of our success, and it is terrific to witness the current wisdom and leadership of our senior-level Advisory Council being passed on to the new generation of leaders in our ELC.”
Falk College’s sport management, sport analytics and sport venue and event management programs are well-known throughout the industry for their comprehensive, experiential-based course offerings and the prominent faculty leading them, both of which are critical in helping to graduate job-ready change-makers in the field. Principles of social justice and social responsibility are embedded in sport management classes and sport-focused student organizations, including the Sport Management Club, whose annual Charity Sports Auction has benefitted area not-for-profit organizations for the past 15 years.
“One of the many significant success indicators of our sport management program includes growing numbers of alumni with leadership roles in the sport industry,” says Falk College Dean, Diane Lyden Murphy. “In addition to the skillsets our alumni bring to their workplaces, their commitment to social responsibility in the communities they call home illustrates what sport management faculty and staff mentors instill in our students throughout their degree programs.”
“Having a leadership group like this as a pipeline between students and the SPM Advisory Council will keep alumni connected in all stages of their careers all over the world,” notes ELC member Nicole Cost, an SPM internship placement coordinator who manages alumni engagement efforts for the Department of Sport Management. “As one of the newest programs in Falk, many SPM alumni are just getting into senior-level roles and will be the next leaders in the sport industry.”
For more information about academic programs in sport management (BS), sport analytics (BS) and sport venue and event management (MS), visit the Sport Management Academic Programs page.
Sport management students job-shadow alumni during S.P.M. Week
Sport Analytics senior Gareth Jobling ’20 spent three days job-shadowing at Teamwork Online in Cleveland, Ohio, and one day with the Cleveland Indians.
“I learned much more than I hoped for in both experiences and was able to demonstrate how analytics could be helpful to both organizations,” Jobling said. “TeamWork Online offered me a part-time remote internship for the spring that I was eager to accept.”
Alumni hosts introduced the students to their industry and organization, providing an opportunity for the students to observe their daily responsibilities and ask questions. S.P.M. Week is designed to be flexible, so each shadowing experience fits the interests of the student and their alumni host.
“I had the incredible opportunity to shadow Christina Myers at Lehigh University Athletics,” said Devan Dachisen ’22. “I really enjoyed seeing the day-to-day operations of their marketing department and working with her at a women’s basketball game.”
P.J. Davidson ’13, assistant manager of group sales for the New York Yankees, stressed the importance of giving students opportunities outside of a general internship, capstone or everyday classes.
“It gives them a glimpse into the professional world and if a specific role is something they would be interested in pursuing without having to make a larger commitment,” Davidson said. “It is also a great chance for us to recruit from the program and mentor current students.”
SU event organizer Lisa Liparulo, a Sport Management internship placement coordinator, gave alumni the liberty to create the day’s agenda. Students gained first-hand industry insight, as well as network with professionals throughout the day.
“I am thrilled with the number of SPM alumni who agreed to host our students over winter break,” Liparulo said. “We are grateful so many alums want to stay connected to our program by mentoring our students.”
| Student | Host Site | Alumni |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Blutig | The Montag Group | Kate Ruben ’15 |
| Alexander Chillemi | Prudencial Center | Sam Spector ’16 |
| Devan Dachisen | Lehigh University Athletics | Christina Myers ’18 |
| Karis Fenton | Loyola University Maryland | Stephanie Ann ’15 |
| Connor Howard | New York Yanakees | P.J. Davidson ’13 |
| Gareth Jobling | TeamWork Online & Cleveland Indians | Alex Wood ’18 and Olivia Lavelle ’19 |
| Caroline Johnson | MKTG | Caitlin Burke ’19 and Alyssa Wood ’15 |
| Max Josef | Lime | Ben Rubenstein ’18 |
| Melissa Kerner | Precision Events Group | Jim Zissler ’01 |
| Ethan Letwat | New York Yanakees | P.J. Davidson ’13 |
| Jordan Lucero | The Austen Everett Foundation | Hanna Sanford ’16 |
| Jenna Parker | MKTG | Caitlin Burke ’19 and Alyssa Wood ’15 |
| Danielle Parr | Soldier Field | Anna Zorn ’18 |
| Matthew Pignatella | FanDuel | Jeremy Philipson ’14 |
| Xin Ren | Westwood One | Howard Deneroff ’89 |
| Andrew Schiffer | Atlanta Hawks & State Farm Arena | Jack Wentzell ’14 |
| Blake Taub | BSE Global | Ben Rosenwald ’16 |
| Noah Wagner | MKTG | Caitlin Burke ’19 and Alyssa Wood ’15 |
Fifth Annual Ann Selkowitz Litt Distinguished Speaker Series features Rob Skinner
Falk College is pleased to welcome Rob Skinner, MS, RD, CSSD, CSCS as the featured speaker of the Fifth Annual Ann Selkowitz Litt Distinguished Speaker Series. We invite you to join us Tuesday, February 25, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. in Grant Auditorium, Falk Complex for his lecture, “From the Military to the Olympics: Nutrition for Sport Performance Enhancement.” The event is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served prior to the lecture at 5:30 p.m.
Skinner is the Senior Sports Dietitian at the United State Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He brings 22 years of experience working as a dietitian and exercise physiologist with athletes at all levels, including positions with the Washington Redskins as a Sports Dietitian/Nutritionist, the U.S. Navy SEALs as a Performance Dietitian, the University of Virginia as Director of Sports Nutrition, and several positions with Georgia Tech.
In his lecture, Skinner will share about his role preparing athletes to compete at the highest level with the United States Olympic Team in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, as well as insights from his career experiences preparing professional and collegiate athletes for competition and military forces for combat.
“Rob’s extensive experience in nutrition and sports intersects numerous disciplines and interests. He has worked with many different populations, particularly with the military and with professional and collegiate athletes,” says Kay Stearns Bruening, PhD, RDN, FAND, Falk College associate professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies. “We are thrilled he will share his insights with us for this year’s Litt Lecture.”
Skinner holds a master’s degree in exercise science from Georgia State University, as well as bachelor’s degrees in education and nutrition from the University of Georgia and Georgia State University, respectively. He is a registered dietitian with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) and holds certifications with AND, the National Strength and Conditioning Association, and the American College of Sports Medicine. Skinner is author and co-author of several publications, including chapters in AND publications, Sports Nutrition: A Guide for the Professional Working with Active People and Working with the Collegiate Athlete and Weight and Body-Focused Sports.
Now in its fifth year, the Ann Selkowitz Litt Distinguished Speaker Series is named after Falk College nutrition alumna Ann Selkowitz Litt ’75, a nationally known nutritionist who helped children and adolescents with eating disorders and assisted developing athletes in reaching their full potential. The nutrition consultant to CosmoGirl magazine, Litt was the author of “The College Students’ Guide to Eating Well on Campus,” “Fuel for Young Athletes” and “The ADA Guide to Private Practice.” She was the nutritionist for the NFL’s Washington Redskins and served as spokesperson for several media campaigns during her career, including the “Got Milk” campaign. After her death, the Ann S. Litt Foundation, Inc., was created to support nutrition education.
For information about the Ann Litt Lecture and for accommodations requests, please contact Annette Hodgens at ahodgens@syr.edu or 315.443.9816.
Dean Murphy welcomes Falk students to campus
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Dear Falk College Students,
Welcome back to campus, returning Falk students. And welcome to new and transfer students joining us this spring. We are so glad to have you join our Falk family. I hope that your winter break was filled with family, friends, and loved ones, and plenty of time for both restful and exciting activities.
As the Spring 2020 semester begins, I would like to offer you a few reminders and updates:
Falk faculty, staff, and I as your Dean, are here to support each of you on your journey here as students, as people, and as citizens. Our doors are always open to you.
In addition, you were invited to an open house with me and Falk College faculty and staff on January 14. It was great to see many of you there for the first in a series of regularly scheduled events that we will continue this semester and into future semesters. I welcome your feedback for future College activities.
As we face challenges on our campus, and as our students advocate for a better Syracuse University, you have my assurance as Dean that Falk College is fully committed to playing a critical role in these efforts, doing what we can to strengthen and build the campus community we know we can be.
Some of you are actively involved in the Falk College Dean’s Committee on Diversity and Inclusion, established in 2018. We are so grateful for the action and positive change resulting from the efforts of our members, which include faculty, staff, graduate students and undergraduate students from all academic programs in Falk College. There is much work yet to do, and we strongly encourage you to be part of it. Committee meetings are held monthly throughout the academic year. Students interested in being involved in the Committee should contact Professor Chandice Haste-Jackson at cmhaste@syr.edu or the Falk College Dean’s Office at tbattist@syr.edu.
I’d like to remind all students that Falk College Student Services is your dedicated support system. Student Services counselors are here to provide you with private academic advising and help you meet your requirements and goals. In addition, they are your resource for private consultation related to student social and emotional concerns. If you have any concerns throughout your academic career, please contact Student Services or visit 330 Barclay Hall in the Falk Complex.
Particularly for new students, I encourage you review my Fall 2019 welcome message, which contains helpful information about other important resources like Falk Career Services, the Falk Student Lounge, Falk Café, and our computer labs. You’ll also find information about campus resources, such as health and counseling services in the Barnes Center at the Arch, spiritual life through Hendricks Chapel.
To those of you who will be graduating in May, I give you a special word of encouragement to make the most of this semester to maximize your academic and personal growth, and of course, enjoy it! To all our students in Falk College, I wish each of you an excellent Spring 2020 semester.
Go Orange!
Diane Lyden Murphy, M.A., M.S.W., Ph.D.
Dean
Falk College
Sport Analytics students pitch research at national competition
The competition is for undergraduate students from universities across the country to compete against each other by preparing an analysis and presentation of a baseball operations decision. Presentations were made to a panel of judges consisting of Major League Baseball executives. Teams were given six days to collect data, make projections, and prepare a 30-minute presentation for the competition in New York City.
This year, the teams were asked to project performances for Major League Baseball players Aaron Judge and Pete Alonso, or Luis Severino and Noah Syndergaard, over the next five seasons. Students also had to predict the likelihood that one player will outperform the other.
“For most of us, this was our first time competing at NYU,” said Sport Analytics major Ben Ayers ’22. “We learned a lot, and with the growth of our major over the past two years, I am excited to see what our experienced teams will be able to do next year.”
Twenty Sport Analytics students competed in the competition: Dan Goetz ’20, Joey Sabel ’20, Bailie Brown ’21, Steven DiMaria ’21, Brendan McKeown ’21, Cameron Mitchell ’21, Ben Ayers ’22, Zach Crowe ’22, Drake Mills ’22, Wes Schatten ’22, Cooper Shawver ’22, Aaron Patashnik ’22, Daniel Beim ’23, Eli Buto ’23, Shane Halpin ’23, Gabe Herz ’23, Mackenzie Mangos ’23, Connor Meissner ’23, Chase Seibold ’23, and Ben Wachtel ’23.
“It was an amazing opportunity for everyone, from freshmen to seniors, to compete at this conference” Sabel said. “The underclassmen gained confidence in their presentation skills, and the seniors now have research to add to their resumes as they look for jobs in the coming months.”
The Sport Analytics students competed against teams from Columbia, Tufts, and NYU, among others. Judges included Cameron Barwick (MLB) and Marc Appleman (MLB). The judges picked a winning presentation at the conclusion of the competition and offered suggestions on how the presentations could be improved.
“Having our students continually be able to present research at national competitions is vital to their education and expands upon what we teach them in the classroom,” said Dr. Rodney Paul, director of the Sport Analytics program at SU.
Falk College offers graduate program scholarships for 2020
Alumni admitted to one of Falk College eligible master’s program for 2020: All Syracuse University alumni can apply for a scholarship equivalent to 25% of tuition for one of Falk College’s eligible residential master’s degree (listed below). In addition, GRE tests and application fees waived.
Scholarship is for residential programs, only.
All students who are full or part-time Syracuse University alumni and do not qualify for the 50% Forever Orange discount are eligible for this scholarship; this includes students already admitted to a Falk master’s program for 2021.
Falk graduate programs include:
- Exercise Science M.S.
- Food Studies M.S.
- Food Studies C.A.S.
- Applied Human Development & Family Science M.A.
- Human Development & Family Science M.S.
- Marriage and Family Therapy M.A.
- Child Therapy C.A.S.
- Trauma Informed Practice C.A.S.
- Nutrition Science M.A., M.S.
- Dietetic Internship C.A.S.
- Integrative and Functional Nutrition C.A.S.
- Public Health MPH
- Addiction Studies C.A.S.
- Global Health C.A.S.
- Sport Venue & Event Management M.S.
Interested students should contact Falk Admissions, submit their application, and must formally matriculate. For more information, please contact the Falk College Office of Admissions at 315.443.5555 or email falk@syr.edu. Award is subject to change.
Sport Management hosts third annual alumni event
As part of its ongoing commitment to enhancing students’ professional growth and networking opportunities, Sport Management hosted the third annual “SPM Alumni in #SportsBiz” event on October 18, 2019 in Falk College. More than 30 alumni and 150 sport management, sport analytics, and sport venue and event management students attended the event.
“It’s impressive and humbling to see the amount of alumni that look forward to coming back to campus to engage with current and prospective students annually,” said Sport Management Internship Placement Coordinator Nicole Cost ’08, who organized the event. “I’ve always found the Sport Management program to be more than just an academic department; it’s a family. Faculty and staff are dedicated to the success of our students, while alumni want to give back to ensure that the program continues to thrive.”
The 2019 event kicked off with a luncheon for alumni with Sport Management Director Michael Veley and department faculty and staff before SPM Advisory Council member and marketing industry veteran Kelly Downing opened the afternoon program as the keynote speaker.
A panel of SPM alumni – Casey Miller ’08, Ari Moskowitz ’18, Danielle Berman ’12 and Jeff Petrino ’08 – then discussed their current roles in emerging areas of the industry, from drone racing, to starting your own non-profit and the digital age of sport. Alumni and students then moved into classrooms to take part in multiple panel sessions covering topics like transitioning from Capstone to career and navigating the changing landscape of the industry as well as working directly with alumni to brainstorm and pitch ideas with a crisis scenario prompt. The day concluded with a networking session for alumni and students, as this was also an opportunity for connect/reconnect with classmates, faculty, and staff.
“It was an honor to deliver the keynote speech for my alma mater,” Downing said. “I enjoy every opportunity to be on campus and connect with students. I shared stories and learnings from my life and career, and I hope the students were able to connect with one element of my speech to apply to their academic and professional careers to propel their success.”
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