Industry to Instruction: Bringing Sports Industry Experience to Immaculata Students

For Mark McFadden, Ed.D., being part of Major League Baseball (MLB) All-Star Week this past summer in his hometown was more than an opportunity for a baseball fan to participate in a major sporting event. As a faculty member in Immaculata University’s Major-Payton School of Business, the experience gave McFadden firsthand insight into the sports industry — perspective he can bring to the classroom as he prepares students for careers in the field.

In the fall, he is teaching Sport Facility and Event Management for the first time, and his experience at All-Star Week gave him new insight into how he will approach the course.

Beginning with a process he compared to trying to get concert tickets when they first go on sale, All-Star Week Experience Team registration opened with more than 1,000 spaces available for event volunteers. Within a couple of minutes, however, the number of available slots had dropped dramatically.

McFadden secured three placements during the week. At the Legends Hospitality Suite, he helped former MLB players get from the suite to their transportation and stay on schedule for appearances at the All-Star Village, including former Phillies John Kruk and Juan Samuel and Hall of Famers Ferguson Jenkins and Rollie Fingers. At the All-Star Village, he helped Home Run Derby mascots get into the derby area and assisted with crowd control. He also served as an MLB Draft stand-in, helping create the enthusiastic crowd atmosphere MLB wanted to highlight during the televised first round of the MLB Draft.

“It was a really neat experience, and as a baseball fan, it was just cool to be involved,” he said. “I learned a lot about working at major sporting events.”

The experience also gave McFadden an opportunity to learn more about the career paths available within the sports industry. He met people from across the country who had traveled to participate in All-Star Week and who frequently worked major sporting events. One person he worked with had attended about 10 All-Star Games and volunteered to work the halftime show of the Super Bowl, the NFL Draft and other similar events.

Some of the event’s supervisors were recent graduates of sport management programs whom MLB hires on a contract basis to run events like these. McFadden also spoke with people who shared information about how to search for positions and what to consider when pursuing similar roles.

Those conversations are among the insights McFadden plans to bring to Immaculata students as they consider their own careers in sports. He also made professional connections with people who he hopes to invite to speak with his classes in the future. McFadden believes these new contacts could benefit Immaculata students by helping them find internship placements and jobs.

While at All-Star Week, McFadden also encountered another member of the Immaculata community, Nadia Bhuiyan, a senior majoring in both business and sport management and business and marketing management and a current Phillies ballgirl. Bhuiyan was also working the event, with assignments that included serving on the foul lines as a member of the MLB All-Star Game Ball Crew and volunteering at the All-Star Village.

At the village, Bhuiyan helped at the Phillies Charities booth, raising funds through raffle ticket sales in support of Phillies Charities, including selling 50/50 raffle tickets during the Home Run Derby.

“As one of only five Major League Baseball organizations with an all-ballgirl crew, the Phillies continue to create meaningful opportunities for women in sports while helping inspire the next generation of female athletes. Having the opportunity to represent the Phillies on one of baseball’s biggest stages was an incredible honor and an experience I will always cherish,” Bhuiyan said.

For McFadden, experiences such as All-Star Week reinforce the importance of preparing students for the realities of working in the sports industry. He said students in Immaculata’s business and sport management major need to understand what the work can require and believes experiences like All-Star Week can help them gain exposure to the industry while building professional networks.

“Growing a network is essential in finding a career in sports… so anyone who is willing to work hard and put in the time will benefit from this type of experience,” he said.

McFadden emphasized the importance of being reliable and having a strong work ethic, particularly early in a career, as well as gaining experience and building a resume. He noted that early jobs in sports can involve low pay, long days and sporadic shifts.

McFadden plans to continue bringing those valuable lessons and insights into the classroom at Immaculata, giving students a perspective shaped by his own experience and connections within the sports industry.

“If sports are a passion, and this is what students want to do for a career, it is important to gain the necessary exposure and build a resume …. Gaining real world industry experience is critical, regardless of your major,” he said.