Colorado State University has announced plans to offer a newly developed interdisciplinary minor in sports management for undergraduate students. The program will be coupled with the creation of a public-private partnership known as the Denver Broncos Sports Management Institute.
Albert Bimper, senior associate athletic director at CSU, said the program will be unique.
“There’s no other partnership that I’m aware of that will look like this and be developed in the way that we’re trying to do it," he said.
Starting in the spring 2015 semester, CSU will offer three new courses: Foundations of Sport Management, Inclusive Sport Organizations and Sports Marketing.
Bimper said there’s a demand for the focus at CSU—and nationally at other universities.
“I’m around a lot of students each and every day as I’m teaching my sports courses, and they’re always asking for something of this sort,” he said. “It’s pretty clear that there’s a demand.”
In addition to courses, students will be able to take advantage of "hands-on experiences and opportunities with the Denver Broncos organization," according to a press release. Students in the program will take part in "internships with the Broncos, guest lecturers from management and case studies developed in coordination with the team."
The College of Business' Department of Management will initially house the program, but other schools will offer classes for the program including the College of Liberal Arts, College of Health and Human Sciences, and College of Agricultural Sciences.
The announcement comes just 10 days after CSU's Board of Governors gave President Tony Frank the go-ahead to work up a plan for financing and construction of a new on-campus stadium.
