Sport Management Students Claim National Rankings at NCSSC
Thu, 12/14/2023 - 09:46am | By: Van Arnold
Three Southern Miss Sport Management students in the College of Business and Economic Development (CBED) and the School of Marketing at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) recently earned high rankings in the National Collegiate Sports Sales Championship and Conference (NCSSC) Virtual First Round.
NCSSC, affiliated with Baylor University's Center for Sports Strategy and Sales and the Atlanta Hawks, presents opportunities for students in their final year of school to highlight their skills in a competitive sports sales environment. Students pitch a product to the buyer, and recruiters (typically inside sales managers) serve as buyers in a role-play competition.
Southern Miss Sport Management competed in the NCSSS Competition and the Tickets Sales Division against 55 universities and 240 students. After the virtual first round, the USM team claimed an overall No.15 team ranking. This marks the third consecutive year the team has competed in the event and the highest-ever team national ranking.
“NCSSC is an unbelievable opportunity for our students to participate in a national sports sales conference,” said Dr. Chris Croft, Professor of Sport Management at USM. “Our students learn professional sports sales techniques from the Atlanta Hawks staff. Additionally, we have incorporated a training program with recent Southern Miss Sport Management ticket sales alumni to assist in additional training. Both of these areas have greatly assisted our students in competing nationally against their peers in a real-world setting. We are very appreciative to the BaylorS3E staff for this opportunity.”
Glennie Viverette
Individual rankings from the USM team included: Glennie Viverette (graduate student from Moss Point, Miss.) ranked No.15; Madison Moucheron (undergraduate student from Purvis, Miss.) ranked No. 53, and Drazen Moratzka (graduate student from Cheyenne, Wy.) ranked No. 89 nationally.
For preparation, the students worked with Croft and Kevin Buckley, Professor of Practice in Marketing. Training sessions included NCSSC presentations from the Atlanta Hawks staff, training sessions with Southern Miss Sport Management alumni in the sport industry, and individualized training sessions.
Madison Moucheron
Southern Miss Sport Management alumni assisting with training sessions included Ryan Theriot (current NCS4 Graduate Assistant, and NCSSC participant last year), Rachel Bronson (Tickets For Less Manager in Omaha Office (Sport Management 2020 Masters alumna), Jerica Galloway, Memphis Grizzlies Account Executive, Ticket Sales (NCSSC 2022 alumni & Sport Management 2022 alumna), and Jacorey Brown, New Orleans Pelicans Inside Sales Consultant (Sport Management 2023 alumni).
These sessions included how to connect to the buyer, highlight your product, and close the sale. Galloway, a recent USM sport management graduate who was a participant in the NCSSC program in the past landed a position with Memphis Grizzlies from the conference.
Drazen Moratzka
Viverette’s ranking is the highest-ever score for Southern Miss Sport Management. She noted, “It's an honor to be recognized among such talented individuals. I'm deeply grateful for this achievement, which wouldn't have been possible without the incredible support and guidance from my mentor, Professor Chris Croft. This accomplishment has motivated me to continue pursuing excellence in my field, and I'm excited for the opportunities that lie ahead."
The virtual first-round competition allowed students to make their presentations to sport industry professionals while also initiating networking and job opportunities. Students will now advance to the NCSSC Championship in Atlanta on Feb. 26-27, 2024, at State Farm Arena.
The NCSSC Championship round will include the opportunity to display sports sales skills in a competitive face-to-face format, speed selling competition, interact with sports business industry professionals in job interviews, networking opportunities, and attend an Atlanta Hawks game.
To learn more, please visit:
BaylorS3E (Center for Sales Strategy in Sports & Entertainment