A Special Visit From An All-Star Alumni Team from Golden State

During their visit, the alumni led an insightful session on Corporate Partnerships 101, providing a comprehensive look at how sports organizations and brands create value together. They explored the dynamics of the partnership ecosystem, comprised of brands & agencies, athletes, IP rights holders, and events & venues. Students gained insight into why brands pursue sports partnerships: to build brand awareness, drive engagement and action among target audiences, and create meaningful brand affinity. They also learned about the wide range of assets used in partnership deals that help bring sponsorships to life, including naming rights, jersey sponsorships, broadcast and digital media, experiential activations, retail collaborations, and community engagement initiative to name a few.

The session concluded with speed networking, where students met individually with each alum to ask questions and gain insights about careers in partnerships and the sports industry. The visit not only helped contribute to students’ understanding of corporate partnerships but also emphasized the strength of the Sports MBA alumni network.

Thank you to the Golden State team, Mike Kitts, Dom Lucq, Sean Bell, and Angelica Gamez, for the incredible class visit! We are lucky to have such generous and committed alumni that continue to give back, open doors, and offer mentorship to the Sports MBA program.