SMBA 22 Connects Coursework to Event Experience with Week at Torrey Pines
SMBA ‘22 kicked off the week with the Farmers Insurance Open by volunteering at the Change the Game Luncheon, a panel featuring Sue Bird, basketball star and activist, among other great panelists, aimed at empowering individuals to be a positive force of change in their communities. “Volunteering for the Change the Game lunch was a great opportunity to gain a better understanding of how I can do my part in the sports industry,” said current Sports MBA student Mark Olson (SMBA ‘22), “Not only did the speakers give valuable insight on the struggles that underrepresented minorities face in the sports world, but also how allies can contribute towards progress.”
SMBA '22 at Torrey Pines
As the tournament kicked off, SMBA ‘22 started their Spring semester gaining hands-on event experience at the beautiful Torrey Pines Golf Course. Students assisted the Farmer Insurance Open and The Century Club of San Diego in a variety of tasks around Torrey Pines for the entirety of the tournament. From troubleshooting ticketing in the entrance areas to assisting in the social media coverage by showcasing fans and sponsors, the students had the opportunity to gain experience being part of this high-profile event. Current student Nolan Grebb (SMBA ‘22) helped organize all of the students with their responsibilities. Grebb reflected on his experience working the event, “Partnering with the Farmers Insurance Open was an amazing opportunity for our class to learn the inner workings on how a major sports event operates. Being placed in different roles throughout the tournament allowed us to see how different sections of the event operated and worked together for the overall success of the event. We had a great time getting to work for the event and be on the course to watch the exciting playoff finish. Hopefully the partnership between the SDSU Sports MBA and the Farmers Insurance Open continues to grow!”
Students will use data from tickets, concessions, and other sources to assist The Century Club of San Diego, hosts of the Farmers Insurance Open, to make strategic decisions to create a more fan-friendly event in the future. Throughout the week at Torrey Pines, students surveyed fans to collect data they will use in their MBA coursework.
SMBA '22 Sara and Astrid at Farmers Insurance Open
Current students Sara Johnsen (SMBA ‘22) and Astrid Enciso (SMBA ‘22), interned for the Farmers Insurance Open for several weeks leading up to the event and through the end of the championship. Johnsen served as the Volunteer Operations intern and helped coordinate over 1,000 volunteers over the 5 days of the tournament through recruitment, training, and support. During the tournament, Sara was able to experience the behind-the-scenes structure of event operations first-hand, making sure volunteers were enjoying their experience from a customer service perspective. Johnsen said, “The knowledge I gained from this internship will be very helpful in my future career. I’m so thankful I got to be a part of the 2022 Farmers Insurance Open team and I’d like to thank Erica Monzon for being such a great mentor and boss along the way!”
Enciso was a Ticket Service intern with the Ticketing and Tournament Support team. In this role, she assisted the manager by handling fans’ ticketing issues and inquiries that arose with the tournament’s move to all-digital ticketing. This year marked the first time that fans were allowed on the course at the Farmers Insurance Open since January 2020, and tournament staff needed extra help to ensure that the shift to digital tickets went seamlessly. Said Enciso, “I’m glad got to learn from the event staff and gain an insight into how a PGA tournament operates. I’m thankful that I got the chance to work with the wonderful team that puts it all together.”
SMBA ‘22 would like to thank Marty Gorsich and Jennifer Cota with The Century Club of San Diego for the hands-on experience working the event. Stay tuned for more updates on the SMBA ‘22 class project with the Farmers Insurance Open in Dr. Bruce Reinig’s Statistics course. Lastly, congratulations to the 2022 Farmers Insurance Open champion, Luke List!
