In October, the M.S. in Sports Management program hosted its fifth annual Columbia University Sports Management Conference, the largest and most ambitious conference the program has ever held. The sold-out daylong event featured sports industry leaders, thought-makers, and business disruptors, along with Sports Management faculty, discussing critical topics in the business of sports today and in the future.
Keynote speakers were only one aspect of the conference’s numerous and varied sessions. Featured panel discussions included “On the Upswing: Emerging Properties Share Their Paths Forward,” moderated by Mary Wittenberg, lecturer in the Discipline of Sports Management; “Traditional Sport, New Field: The Emergence of Flag Football on a Global Stage,” moderated by Mary Scott, senior associate director of Career Services; “Big Game, Big Opportunity: How the Landscape of Soccer Is Evolving in the US Market,” moderated by Sunil Gulati, senior lecturer in the Discipline of Economics; “College Athletics: The Tumultuous Present and the Uncertain Future,” moderated by Len Elmore, senior lecturer in the Discipline of Sports Management; and “Grabbing the Rings: Lessons from Paris and the Road to LA,” moderated by Lj Holmgren, deputy director of the M.S. in Sports Management program.
“The 2024 Columbia University Sports Management Conference was another success, showcasing insights from some of the top leaders in the sports industry,” said Scott Rosner, professor of professional practice and director of the M.S. in Sports Management program. “The event and the networking opportunities it provided to students highlighted Columbia’s unique advantage of hands-on learning in New York City, the global sports business capital.”
Pictured (l to r): Mary Wittenberg, Adjunct Professor, Columbia's Sports Management program; Mark Fine, Chief Marketing Officer, PBR; Micky Lawler, Commissioner, Unrivaled Basketball; Amy Scheer, SVP, Business Operations, PWHL; Shana Stephenson, Chief Brand Officer, NY Liberty
Speakers on the “On the Upswing: Emerging Properties Share Their Paths Forward” panel.
The annual conference gives students in the program access to professionals in all sports industry sectors, allowing them to network and learn from leading industry executives. Keynote speakers included Adam Silver, commissioner of the NBA, and Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN. Neal Pilson, founder of Pilson Communications, and Val Ackerman, commissioner of the Big East Conference, also joined in a keynote conversation. In addition to listening to moderated expert discussions, students were given the opportunity to engage with the panelists through question-and-answer periods following each discussion. Some of the topics covered included the growth of professional soccer in America, the challenges faced in college athletics, the emergence of new leagues, and a look at the Olympics in the approach to the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Sports Management program director Scott Rosner interviewed the first keynote speaker, Adam Silver. This 30-minute session broke news that was then featured in a number of outlets, including The New York Times, ESPN.com, and The Athletic, as Silver spoke about the NBA potentially staging games in China again. “I think we will bring games back to China at some point,” said Silver. “China’s government took us off the air for a period of time. We accepted that. We stood by our values. ... Anybody in our league has the right to speak out on political matters.”
The second keynote speaker, Jimmy Pitaro, was interviewed by Sports Management lecturer Tom Richardson, SVP of Strategy and Business Development at Mercury Intermedia and host of The CUSP Show. Pitaro addressed the rapidly changing world of sports business, laid out the future of streaming for ESPN, and offered up his views on fandom and the importance of evolving in the turbulent world of media. “When we do this, it will come with significant product enhancements,” said Pitaro. “Yes, you’ll be able to get all of our networks. But the shoulder experience around the video will be much more interactive, and it will be much more personalized.”
Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN, with Tom Richardson, a lecturer in the M.S. in Sports Management program
He was also asked what advice he had for students in Sports Management. “Just get going,” said Pitaro. “You don’t have to hold out for that perfect job. Just be engaged, work hard, do things the right way, treat people well, give your boss or manager clarity on where you want to go, and probably as important as anything, continue to network and continue to build relationships.”
The 2025 Sports Management Conference is already being planned for next fall. More information will be available on our conference website in spring 2025.
About the Program
The Columbia University M.S. in Sports Management provides students with a comprehensive curriculum and access to sports industry practitioners and influencers. Students acquire skills in areas such as entrepreneurship and innovation, global sports management, facility and event management, and sports law and ethics.
