A Florida victory in the Outback Bowl and a visit to
Tropicana Field and The Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame are
complete and a Tampa Bay Lightning game is on the schedule for the evening as
the Baldwin Wallace University Sport Management students check off events on
their 10-day experiential learning trip to Tampa, FL.
The day began with a tour of Tropicana Field led by Tampa
Bay Rays Manager, Stadium Operations Kelsey Smith and Coordinator, Stadium
Operations Troy Dailey that was organized by BW Sport Management alum Evan
Helgesen ('10).
Smith & Dailey shared their stories of internships and entry
into the sport management field with the students before escorting them onto
the field of Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays. However, the baseball
field looked starkly different from how it does when the Rays play, as it was
lined for the recently completed St. Petersburg Bowl and upcoming East/West Shrine
Game. The Rays Stadium Operations staffers explained that it took their team
about a week to 10 days to convert the stadium from a baseball field to a football
field.
“We could have done it quicker,” said Smith, “but we didn’t
have any events on the schedule before the bowl game and this allowed us to
take our time and make sure everything was perfect.”
Following the tour of the field and explanations of the
conversion process and issues with playing baseball in a domed stadium, Smith
& Dailey escorted the students to the Press Box for a robust session of
Q&A. The students asked about the duo about the Rays in the aquarium on
game days, the challenges of working in sport, their best and worst
experiences, and countless other sport management-related questions.
The pair shared their experiences and knowledge with the
students and provided useful advice in regards to managing staff, taking notes,
volunteering, becoming the go-to person, and resumes and cover letters. They
even shared some insider information about potential renovations to the stadium
for the upcoming season, which we are not at liberty to share.
After the tour of the field and press box were complete, the students were taken back to the field to get a picture in the dugout and with the goalposts, something that is a rare occasion.
Helgesen then took the students on tour of the lower concourse area of the stadium
and into The Ted Williams Museum and Hitters Hall of Fame, which is housed in
Tropicana Field. At the Museum & Hall of Fame, the students explored the
various exhibits and met with Executive Director Dave McCarthy and Director of
Florida Operations Tony Penna, who shared the experiences with the museum and
some great behind-the-scenes stories of their experiences in the sport
management world. Additionally, McCarthy & Penna let the students get
pictures with the Gold Glove won by Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier in 2016.
An experience they won’t soon forget.
“It was a great experience for us,” said senior BW Sport
Management student Mackenzie Nelsen. “It allowed us to gain a greater understanding
of various elements of the sport business industry and helped us increase our
networks outside of the Northeast Ohio corridor, which is always a goal on the
experiential trips we’ve done.”
This evening the students will attend a Tampa Bay Lightning
game and see what Fans rank as the #1 in-game experience in professional sports
(http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/17816613/espn-magazine-2016-ultimate-standings).
Tomorrow the students will visit with the staff of the Tampa Bay Lightning who
make that experience possible.
For more information on the Baldwin Wallace University Sport
Management program, please contact Asst. Professor Dr. Charles Campisi at ccampisi@bw.edu or visit https://www.bw.edu/academics/undergraduate/sport-management/.
Baldwin Wallace University Sport Management: Experiential
Learning from Day One!
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