Sport Management Department
What is Sport Management?
The rapidly growing sport industry and field of sport management is very broad, with jobs available in marketing, sales, and event management, as well as in segments of the business, from professional and intercollegiate athletics, to recreational facilities, and non-profit organizations.
Sport management programs provide business lessons specific to sport, offering a distinct advantage in a very competitive industry. Classes blending theory with practical examples and required field experiences provide the tools needed for successful careers in sport.
Why Study Sport Management?
Based on its blending of liberal arts and professional education, our Sport Management program produces graduates with the leadership, team-building, critical-thinking, and ethical decision-making skills needed to shape the future of the sport industry.
The program has been approved by the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) Program Review Council. Only one-quarter of all programs in North America have been approved by this group, demonstrating the quality of the Fisher experience.
As a top minor league sports market in the country, Rochester, has a range of practical opportunities for students right down the road from campus. In addition, Fisher is the summer home of the Buffalo Bills Training Camp, and in the summer of 2012, the Yankees AAA team played 37 games at Rochester's Frontier Field. With such varied and plentiful opportunities, you'll have experiences not afforded to other Sport Management programs.
If you have any questions or would like to request more information please contact any member of our department faculty or fill out our online Sport Management Question Form.
Life as a Sport Management Major
Still unsure if the Sport Management program at Fisher is right for you? Check out the videos below showing how the major has impacted two current students.
Special thanks to Dr. Todd Sodano and his Introduction to Video Production class for creating these videos.
Mission
The Sport Studies Department seeks to develop in students the knowledge, skills and experience that will enable them to obtain leadership positions in the sport management field. Serving students directly and the sport management industry indirectly, the department provides a broad-based curriculum that is grounded in the liberal arts and encourages critical analysis of the cultural and social significance of sport, the need for ethical and moral decision-making and the role of sport as business.
Sport Management Gallery
Danae Donatello '14, working the concession table for the Rochester Lancers, a professional indoor soccer team that plays at the Blue Cross Arena located 10 minutes from campus.
Carrie Schuller '10, Store Manager at Olympia Sports with Buffalo Bills WR David Nelson before his mission trip to Haiti.
Shanshan Feng, the 2012 Wegmans LPGA Champion with Director of Operations Jim Garvey '04 and Alyssa Dray '09 Tournament Office Manager (far right).
Jeff LeFevre '12, completing his 400-hour internship with the Boston Celtics during the fall 2012 semester.
Will Commisso '15, volunteering with the Syracuse Chiefs this summer and hanging out with one of the Nationals mascots, Mr. George Washington.
Members of the Class of '12 attending this year’s Sport Management dinner held at Oak Hill Country Club.
At PNC Park are members of the Pittsburgh Pirates front office. From left to right: Brian Bean '12, Adam Vogel '11, Andrew Dobyna '11 and Andy Giambroni '07.
Joelle Kearns '11 in her role as a Stage Manager with the Florida Panthers.
Erin Cameron '10, posing with the Wanamaker Trophy at tournament headquarters. She is serving as Championship Manager of Administration for the 95th PGA Championship to be played at Oak Hill Country Club in 2013.
Production associate Anthony Valle '09, on the set of the Golf Channel's morning talk show, "Morning Drive."
Carly Szydlowski '14 before the unveiling of the Rochester Knighthawks 2012 Championship rings.
Derek Swanson and Carrie Schuller studying in London during the Spring of '09.
Mike Donofrio '12 with professional golfer Paula Creamer at the 2012 Wegman's LPGA Championship.
From left to right, Seniors Dave Malerk, Dan Lippa and Anthony Laurendi while attending the Winter Baseball Meetings in Nashville.
Members of the Rochester Red Wings front office at Frontier Field. From left to right are Eric Friedman ’10, Bob Craig ’06, and Derek Swanson ’10.
Alex Rohloff '14 organizing the Greece Lightening youth lacrosse team minutes before the Rochester Knighthawks were introduced. Hawks are No. 1!
"May I help you?" Danae Donatello '14 (left) in a position as a merchandise seller at the USA Women's Soccer game against Costa Rica this past summer.
Joe McAvoy '14 supporting his favorite team, the Chelsea Football Club, while studying abroad this spring in London.
Half of the '12 senior class following their Capstone presentation entitled "A Playbook for Success."
Travis Larner '13 (right) and Knighthawks captain Pat McCready holding the 2012 NLL Champion’s Cup and the key to the City of Rochester. Travis has served as a beat writer for NLL.com since 2010.
Ryan Sweet '14 with the 2011 Stanley Cup that he was able to get up close to while interning with Delaware North.
Charlie Ragusa '14, on the sideline with the Rochester Rattlers of the MLL.
Then Marketing & Events Coordinator for Syracuse University Athletics Mike Markinson '07, going over the Midnight Madness script with ESPN Commentator Bill Raftery back in 2007.
Danae Donatello '14 (second from the left) and Mike Carroll '14 (first on the right) stand with Pittsford native Abby Wambach, 2012 FIFA World Player of the Year.
Members of the Buffalo Bills Ticket office. From left to right: Sara Beth Fisher '07, Ricky Ferrell '04, Matt Patrone '05, Mike Ernst '07, and Amanda Shevchuk '09.
SEME Conference 2009 in Washington, D.C. From left to right are Ben Aman, Christine Isselhard, Brandon Rosenthal, Ally Pawarski and Erin Cameron.
Ted Black, President of the Buffalo Sabres & Rochester Americans standing with members of the Sport Management Club E-board.
Ben Cerow '09, Account Executive for the Rochester Knighthawks, winner of the 2012 NLL Championship.
Standing in front of a display of soccer footwear is Sarah Femec '09, store manager at The Soccer Post, a soccer-specific sports store located in Annapolis, Maryland.
Steve Moscaritolo '08, Program Manager for Mach 2 outside "Good Morning America" in New York City's Time Square.
Andrea Keane '12, interning with the Amateur Athletic Union at their headquarters in Florida. Here she is at the AAU Tackle Football National Championship being held at the Orlando Citrus Bowl this fall.
Members of Travel Team USA. From left to right - Laura Dermody '07, Karrie Mastrella '10 and Josh Schroeder '12.
DJ MacKinnon '11 on court with the Atlanta Hawks.
Servicing the winners of the Zweigles Lucky Seats promotion was just one of Matt Butler's '13 responsibilities with the Rochester Red Wings.
Kara Kellett-Williams '05 and a member of the front office for the AHL Binghamton Senators holds the Calder Cup which the team won in 2011.
One step closer to Under Armour. Kyle Anthony '14 with president and owner Vic Ciaccia of AVS Activewear. Kyle completed his 120-hour Practicum learning the ins and outs of the apparel industry.
Carly Szydlowski '14, sporting her media credentials while working as a reporter for ProPlayersInsiders.com at this summer's Bills Training Camp.
Octagon Account Manager for Sprint, Matt Jonak '03 (far right) and Tony Stewart, 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion.
Bryan Schnell '14 (left) and Ryan Sweet '14 (right) minutes before a SJFC football recruitment presentation.
Katie Simmons '12, enjoying the surroundings of her new "office" in Yankee Stadium.
Dave Heberger '08, looking over the stats sheet after a women's basketball game while the Sports Information assistant at Union College. He is now the Assistant Sports Information Director at Hartwick College.
In clockwise order: Kayla Kent '12 (center, wearing blue shirt - Rochester Lancers), Chrissy Lucas '10 (Total Sports Experience) and Karrie Mastrella '10 (Travel Team USA) surrounded by majors attending this fall's Alumni Roundtable function.
Kristi Bradley '09 (second from left), Media Relations Coordinator for the AJGA with National Chairman, Hunter Mahan at Karsten Creek Golf Club.
Dan Lippa '12, interning as a Media Assistant for the Rochester Red Wings, the AAA affiliate of the Minnesota Twins.
Students in the Sport Industry Seminar course being treated to a talk on dining etiquette from Beth Jeffries, Assistant Director of the Career Center.
Travis Tiernan '09, Account Executive for the Miami Marlins on Opening Night 2012; the first at the team's new facility.
Floor Manager Charlie Ragusa '14, confers with an AHL official before the start of an Rochester Americans game.
Katie Simmons '12 presenting her research findings at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.
Brandon Harrison '13, working the scorer’s table at the Palestra located on the campus of the University of Rochester.
The 2013 PGA Championship is in town! Members of the organizing team pose with the Sport Management Club's Executive Board. Fisher graduate Erin Cameron '10 is fourth from the left.
Brandan Jason '14 busy preparing for the start of a Rochester Americans home game.
Lisa Havas-Carlock '03, Director of Finance and Operation for the US Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, with members of the USA 1 "Night Train" 4-man bobsled team at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Students at the 2013 SEME Conference at the Washington Nationals Park. L to R: Matt Mika, Kyle Semrau, Dr. Harrison, Mike Moran, AJ Corcoran, Mr. Bryson, Amira Sarkis and Laura Fien.
Sport Management News
Rochester Area Colleges Continuing Education Association Honors Three Fisher Students
05/01/2013
The Rochester Area Colleges Continuing Education Association (RACCE) recently presented three St. John Fisher College students with Outstanding Adult Student Awards. Jaime Berthold, Matthew DiGiambattista, and Shawna Hicks were formally recognized by the RACCE at a banquet on April 23. Read MoreSteve Pignata '11
The Sport Management program at St. John Fisher College not only gave me much of the knowledge I needed to succeed in the hockey world but it provided me with my first connections. Looking back to sophomore year, my first year at Fisher after transferring from SUNY Brockport, it was a simple email from Professor Bryson asking if I was interested in pursuing an internship with the Rochester Americans that began my journey. Now, after making a tremendous investment of time and energy, I am "officially" employed by the Buffalo Sabres, my "dream team" and a team that I have been obsessed with for much of my life.
When I first started the program at Fisher, the biggest thing all of the professors preached was networking. I cannot emphasize how much they were right about this aspect of the sport business. Doing my practicum and internship with the Amerks got me in front of a number of prominent names in the game of hockey and afforded me the opportunity to develop personal relationships that were critical to my success. After committing myself to the Amerks for five seasons and never losing sight of my goals and dreams, I got the call from the Buffalo Sabres that I was waiting for since first embarking on my journey at Fisher.
The Sport Management program and all its professors were very encouraging of my chosen career path and did everything they could to help me realize my dream. They provided all of us with the necessary tools to be successful and were available, providing support, every step of the way in what can be a very intimidating industry.
I owe much of my professional success to Professor Pogroszewski and Professor Bryson. Their knowledge of the "real" sport world was invaluable and I thank them for sharing it with me. Choosing to transfer to Fisher was the best decision I've ever made in my life. Today, I'm in a job that I love and can't imagine being without.
Steve is the Hockey Technologies Assistant with the Buffalo Sabres organization.