Sports MBA Students Join Historic Wave FC Crowd
by Liam Shaw (SMBA ‘23)
Students from SMBA ‘23 were on-site to help with pregame operations
On September 17th, San Diego Wave FC played in a record-setting inaugural home game at Snapdragon Stadium. Jaedyn Shaw, the rookie 17-year-old phenom, scored the game’s lone goal on a cross from Sofia Jakobsson in the first half. San Diego defeated Angel City FC in front of 32,000 fans, the largest ever in attendance for a NWSL soccer match. Students from SMBA ‘23 were on-site from the time the gates opened at 3:00 p.m. to help with pregame operations, ensuring fans enjoyed their first “Fanfest” at Snapdragon Stadium.
Under the direction of Erin Mooney, the Wave’s Director of Fan Engagement, and Efrain Rojas, Wave FC’s Operations Coordinator, students helped direct pregame festivities at Fanfest by entertaining fans of all ages with booths and games to make sure all enjoyed the team’s unprecedented night. From handing out memorabilia to helping fans create signs supporting their favorite Wave FC stars, SMBA ‘23 had all hands on deck to create a memorable experience for Wave FC fans of all ages. The cohort also helped with gameday operations by ensuring Wave loyalty members were aware of the facilities and activities that were taking place on the day of the match. On the pregame festivities, current student Jack Lyon (SMBA ‘23) said “It was an honor being part of a historic night for Wave FC and to see firsthand the buzz around the team in their first year. Being able to help make this a memorable experience for the fans, especially the younger ones, was a pleasure.”
The air in and around the stadium was filled with entertainment and community all
day long. The SDSU Sports MBA program was proud to help Wave FC fans enjoy this historic
and monumental night. SMBA ‘23 looks forward to collaborating with Wave FC at future
events and creating many more memorable gameday experiences at Snapdragon Stadium
for years to come.
Students helped direct pregame festivities at Fanfest
SMBA ‘23 had all hands on deck to create a memorable experience for Wave FC fans of
all ages
