Over 75 percent of the Notre Dame student body participated in a high school varsity sport. The University boasts one of the greatest collegiate athletic programs in the country, its football team is ranked No. 4 in the nation and the interhall football program is one-of-a-kind.
Yet, the University offers no majors related to the business side of sports for a student population generally interested in athletic competition.
Sponsored by the Marketing Club, the annual Sports Marketing Forum offers students a chance to discover opportunities in the industry and network with established professionals.
"We have a lot of kids interested in sports but we don't have the resources here for students interested in sports," Marketing Club president Ally Schneider said. "The purpose of the forum is to give interested students an idea of the opportunities available in the industry and for them to hear from people successful in the sports marketing."
Schneider, a senior, said the event is growing bigger and bigger each year.
"This is the fourth year we've done it," she said. "It has become one of the signature events of the Marketing Club."
The forum will be held Thursday at 7 p.m. at Giovanini Commons inside the Mendoza College of Business. The event is open to students of all majors.
"It's a really great opportunity to network with some high figures within the sports industry," Schneider said. "All of our speakers are very high up in their companies and all interested in meeting Notre Dame students."
Schneider said four speakers will share their experiences will students at the event.
The speakers include: Mary O'Connor, vice president of the Olympic Marketing and Global Platforms of Omnicon's The Marketing Arm; Julie Souza, vice president of business development for "Sports Illustrated;" Frank Murtha, president of Professional Sports Consultants Inc. and Theodore Loehrke, vice president of team business development for the National Basketball Association.
Schneider said students' attendance at past events helped them land a job after graduation.
Regardless of whether students are seeking career opportunities right away, Schneider said the event has a lot to offer.
"It will be really interesting to hear from some careers in the sports marketing industry," she said.
