By Jake Kauderer

The 2024 Maryland Sports Business Conference, or the MSBC, took place Friday, accruing an abundance of students, well-respected professionals and alumni. 

The conference, which takes place annually, featured high-profiled figures in the sports industry. The event began back in 2021, making this the fourth one to take place. 

Noah Rabinovich, a junior finance and management major and the president of the MSBC executive board, was one of four people tasked with planning the event. 

“My biggest goal was not only to create a successful conference but also grow the community and culture within it,” Rabinovich said. “We are building something beyond a conference at College Park, and it is special.”

Students purchased tickets for around $15 and then could enter and leave the conference as they pleased. 

The morning kicked off at Gossett Hall with some opening remarks and a keynote session held by Dionne Koller, a professor at the University of Baltimore School of Law. 

“I thought the keynote speaker was solid in terms of speaking on sports and law and how they affect one another,” said Ryan Martin, a freshman journalism major. “It immediately got our brains thinking about sports in a different way, which was useful for the conference.”

The first recruiting exposition took place after the keynote session ended. Numerous professional sports organizations such as the Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees and Washington Commanders tabled, giving students the opportunity to engage with them.

“It was cool to have so many pro sports teams represented. I thought it was one of the best parts of the conference overall,” Martin said.

Professionals from various fields such as ticket sales and marketing also assisted students interested in working in different facets of sports.

“For me, with journalism, it was great that the sales and marketing representatives were able to put me in touch with their communication departments,” Martin added. 

The first panel included notable professionals such as Mike Morrison, the vice president of ESPN BET and ESPN Fantasy and DeAná Tyler, a senior marketing manager for the Commanders.

The panelists discussed the evolution of fan engagement, from the widespread utilization of social media to the critical role that analytics play. They also discussed the profound impact that gambling is having on sports.

“The variety of panelists did a great job discussing the angles in which their job relates to fan engagement,” said Jack McNeirney, a sophomore marketing major. “The discussion was also more relatable since Morrison, Shank and Kimmel are all University of Maryland graduates who are now thriving in the sports business world.”

There was also a panel focused on the new NCAA rules surrounding Name, Image and Likeness, or NIL, featuring speaker Roy Hibbert, former NBA player turned analyst for CBS Sports. 

“Hibbert being able to talk from the perspective of a former basketball player really added to the discussion,” McNeirney said. “It was interesting to hear how financial problems are such a stress for players and how NIL can help alleviate that burden.”

There was also a panel on international marketing strategies and the challenges that leagues face globally. 

The speakers went in-depth on different strategies for global integration of sports, including conversations about bringing soccer to the United States and the NBA game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers in France this past season. 

“I thought the third panel was interesting because it showed there are many different markets than the U.S.,” said Seth Kaufman, a freshman business major. “Hearing from these high-profile sports figures was definitely a great learning experience.”

The closing keynote and remarks came from Rabinovich and Rand Sacks, president at The Sacks Group, a legal services firm located in Washington that specializes in sports and entertainment law. 

“Through continuing to create more relationships with industry professionals and alumni, we are determined to make the MSBC the premier sports event in the DMV,” Rabinovich said.

Featured Image: One of the conference’s three panels of the day, titled the “Evolution of Fan Engagement,” the panel featured, from left to right: Wayne Kimmel, DeAná Tyler, Amanda Shank, and Mike Morrison, taken on April 12, 2024. Photo by Noah Rabinovich.