Sport Management & Leadership Academy
The Sport Management & Leadership Academy provides a platform for talented high school students to learn practical sport business applications and industry insights from our world renowned faculty and industry-leading alumni.
The program is hosted by the Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management, currently the #1-ranked program in the world, and the second oldest such program in the United States (2025 marked its 55th anniversary). The Department is housed in a business school – the Isenberg School of Management – and boasts over 4,000 alumni working in the commercial sports industry, from segments such as college athletics, media/journalism, coaching & player development, sales, sponsorship, marketing, agency representation, venue and event management, and more.
The Sport Management & Leadership Academy gives students a sneak peek into a variety of important industry segments and access to our full-time faculty members, to accomplish the following strategic learning objectives:
- Facilitate student comprehension of the sport management industry at large: at the end of the program, students will be able to identify key industry segments, stakeholders, careers, and management themes
- Educate students on what functional skills are important to pursuing careers in sport management, and how they can best prepare themselves to acquire and develop such skills
- Empower students to be well-rounded, critical thinkers! Students will analyze, communicate and present insights specific to the sport management industry, to help clarify what pathways may best support their college and career success.
Guest Speakers
Industry experts and alumni of the McCormack Department’s top-ranked sport management program.
Field Trips
Students will visit 2-3 local sport area landmarks such as the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, the UMass Amherst Mullins Center, and the Hartford Yard Goats Stadium.
Students may attend this course either in person or online.
In Person Schedule: M - F, 9am - 4pm. This course is offered at the UMass Amherst campus as a residential program. Local students may apply to attend as a commuter.
Online Schedule: Live, synchronous sessions will meet M - F 1:00 - 3:00pm (EST). Plus additional asynchronous work as assigned.
Attendance
Students attending the online program are expected to attend all class sessions live in real time. In order to prioritize the health and well-being of participants, eligibility is restricted to applicants residing in time zones where class hours do not extend beyond midnight. Please use a time zone converter to check when class sessions will meet in your time zone.
Scholarships
The Mark H. McCormack Department is dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment in the classroom, and the sports industry. Young women and students of color who cannot meet the financial obligations of the Sport Management & Leadership Academy are encouraged to apply for a scholarship. Please see Tuition & Fees to learn how to apply.
The modularized course structure breaks up the discipline’s key subject matter into one-day lessons. Subjects such as event management, college athletics, sport marketing, sport agency, sport law, sport economics, sport analytics, sport and digital media, and sport sponsorship are presented by subject matter experts and McCormack Department full-time faculty. Career opportunities in the field of sport management will be also discussed. and alumni of the McCormack Department’s top-ranked sport management program will come to class to speak.
Students will give multiple presentations on sports management topics to the class, and receive 10 days of immersive content from full-time faculty. We integrate case studies and experiential learning projects into the curriculum, and ensure students have ample time for peer-to-peer learning, and an inside look at what it takes to be successful in a leading sport management college program.
Pre-Requisites
There are no pre-requisites for this program.
Materials
Students will need:
- A notebook and pens/pencils
- Personal laptop or tablet
Students who are not able to bring their own device will be provided with a free loaner device by the department.
Facilitate student comprehension of the sport management industry at large:
- At the end of the program, students will be able to identify key industry segments, stakeholders, careers, and management themes
- Educate students on what functional skills are important to pursue careers in sport management, and how they can best prepare themselves to acquire and develop such skills
- Empower students to be well-rounded, critical thinkers! Students will analyze, communicate and present insights specific to the sport management industry, to help clarify what pathways may best support their college and career success
Sample Schedule for In-Person Students
Class time is Monday-Friday from 9am - 4pm for in-person students.
|
Time |
Activity |
|
9:00-10:00am |
Faculty lecture |
|
10:00-10:15am |
Break |
|
10:15-11:00am |
Faculty lecture and workshop |
|
11:00am-12:00pm |
Group work |
|
12:00-1:00pm |
Lunch break |
|
1:00-2:30pm |
Work on group presentation |
|
2:30-4:00pm |
Groups present their work in front of the class, professors, and teaching assistants, with feedback and scoring rubric for daily improvement |
In the evenings and on weekends resident counselors will run a series of social activities. Students are encouraged to join in, relax and have fun with new friends! With social events on campus and in the surrounding Amherst area, and access to the UMass Recreation & Wellness Center, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
Learn more about student life at UMass Amherst Summer Pre-College
Sample Schedule for Online Students
Online students: Live, synchronous sessions will meet M - F 1:00 - 3:00pm (EST). Plus additional asynchronous work as assigned.
|
Time |
Activity |
|
12:55pm |
Log in to Zoom |
|
1:00pm |
Faculty lecture |
|
1:45pm |
Break |
|
1:55pm |
Wrap-up of lecture material |
|
2:25pm |
Distribution of prompt/assignment for the day, students break up into groups via breakout rooms |
|
2:45pm |
Discussion and Q&A on assignment. On some days, alums of the program will join for the workshop portion of the day and be present for Q&A at the end of the session |
|
3:00pm |
Class ends |
Meet the Faculty
Will Norton, Lecturer, Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management
Graduate Program Director
Professor Norton is a seasoned, award-winning sports management professional with 20 years of experience in the sports and entertainment industry across agency, property and academic industry segments. An integrated sports marketing specialist, he excels at fostering mentorship and professional development opportunities, and his work has helped educate the next generation of sport industry leaders at UMass and around the world. Prior to joining the McCormack faculty, Will held marketing and data analytics roles at Epsilon, the NBA’s Boston Celtics, and data and technology firm STATS Perform, bringing him in touch with premier sports clients, cutting-edge performance technology, and a wide-variety of fan engagement projects.
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Brett Albert, Senior Lecturer, Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management
Professor Albert is an experienced, award-winning instructor focused on sport finance and economics. A former regional economist for various government agencies, he helps students understand the intersection of sport and quantitative modeling. His work has helped make previously challenging subjects accessible to students as they continue their early professional development in the sport industry. Throughout his consulting career, he realized the value in being able to translate arcane concepts into actionable insights for decision makers, and he continues to bring this framework into his undergraduate and graduate courses. He has been recognized with the College Outstanding Teaching Award (COTA), an award from students and faculty that recognizes excellence in pedagogy and mentorship.
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