Before he was working in the NFL, Jack O’Connell was a Husker exploring the business side of sports.
Today, the 2024 graduate serves as ticket operations coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams — and he credits a sports management course he took at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln with helping him better understand how professional organizations operate.
“The class provided a comprehensive look at the sports industry, covering partnerships, financial operations, ticketing and other core business functions that drive an organization’s success,” O’Connell said. “It gave me a much broader understanding of how departments work together behind the scenes to support a team.”
As the global sports industry continues to grow — valued at roughly $500 billion and expanding each year — demand is increasing for professionals who understand both competition and commerce.
Beginning in fall 2026, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Business will launch a Sports Management and Business minor designed to prepare students for careers across the business side of sports.
“This minor is intentionally grounded in business,” said Amy Bartels, associate professor of management, who leads the program. “Students learn strategy, marketing, leadership and decision-making in a sports context. That business focus helps them understand how sports organizations operate and how to build careers within them.”
Open to both business and non-business majors, the minor features a competitive admissions process that selects up to 50 students each year. Students must have sophomore standing and submit an application including a resume, transcript and personal statement.
Bartels said the program fills a regional gap by offering a sports-focused minor rooted in core business disciplines while incorporating coursework from across the university.
“Many sports programs focus heavily on kinesiology or athletics training coursework,” she said. “Our approach emphasizes strategic decision making, fan engagement, leadership and organizational management while still incorporating interdisciplinary coursework that reflects the complexity of sports organizations.”
Students complete coursework in sports marketing, sports economics, leadership, negotiations and event management. All students in the minor must complete an approved internship or practicum in the sports industry.
“The path isn’t easy and may involve submitting hundreds of applications, taking on internships and steadily working your way up within an organization,” O’Connell said. “But if you’re willing to put in the effort, the experience is incredibly rewarding. For those who are driven and committed, it’s an unmatched environment that rewards hard work, resilience and initiative.”
Chris Timm, director of the Business Career Center, said business skills help students stand out in what is a demanding field.
“We are already strengthening relationships with employers in the sports industry to expand internship opportunities,” Timm said. “We work closely with students to support their successful placements.”
The minor supports career pathways in collegiate and professional athletics, sports marketing and communications, event and facility management, operations and nonprofit or community sports organizations.
Applications for the Sports Management and Business minor open in the summer and close Sept. 15.
