On this episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience “Alumni Takeover” series, host Arthur McKibben is joined by Chief Operating Officer for UNLV’s Sports Innovation Initiative, Jay Vickers. Vickers, is a senior leader with more than 20 years of experience in the areas of management, fundraising, sales, marketing, and customer service with a proven record of measurable outcomes. A graduate of Notre Dame, Vickers was a member of the Fighting Irish football team from 1996-2000 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration.In this episode, Arthur and Jay discuss:What Jay’s current role as Chief Operating Officer entailsAdvice for listeners looking to gain exposure to elite athletes, sports teams, and front-office opportunitiesWhat having awareness of good leadership looks likeThe biggest challenges a person could face trying to have a career in sportsBefore working in intercollegiate athletics, Vickers gained several years of experience as a marketing manager with an extensive background in customer service, sales, marketing, and management at numerous major corporations including Pfizer and Hershey’s. He is a founding member of Game Changers United, the U.S. Soccer Federation Board for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, and leads the Las Vegas Super Bowl Host Committee internship program partnership with UNLV. As a results-oriented leader, Vickers has had success at two Mountain West programs, Fresno State and UNLV, in the PAC-12 at Arizona, in the BIG 10 at Wisconsin, and in the MAC at Northern Illinois University. He has a comprehensive understanding of the role of higher education external divisions aligning with institutional priorities while increasing private philanthropy. We are thrilled to feature him on the podcast and can’t wait for you to hear the valuable insights he has to offer.

On this episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience “Alumni Takeover” series, host Arthur McKibben is joined by Financial Advisor & President of Victory Everyday, Rick Paulsen. Rick was a legendary student-athlete who made his mark as a star basketball and baseball player at St. Mary's High School, followed by a collegiate basketball career at the University of the Pacific. He was a three-time All-League and All-City player, leading the Rams to three consecutive Valley Oak League championships. Rick received many honors and accolades, including being named the MVP of the City of Stockton in his junior and senior years and making the All-Northern California team twice. In this episode, Arthur and Rick discuss:Rick’s transition from athlete to entrepreneurAdvice for listeners who are looking to work with professional athletesThe challenges of working in the sports industryRick’s 10 Steps of SuccessAfter his collegiate athletic career, Rick became a highly successful businessman, specializing in life insurance for families, athletes, and business owners; and has been a member of New York Life's Chairman's Council for 33 consecutive years. Rick's coaching style emphasizes teaching life lessons through sports, helping him have a positive impact on many young athletes. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Rick is a respected community leader and coach, donating his time and expertise to many local charities. Rick is also a board member of the University of the Pacific School of Business, Pacific Athletic Foundation, and Dameron Community Hospital. Rick's contagious unselfishness and positive attitude continue to inspire those around him to strive for greatness in all aspects of life. Follow SBC: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | FacebookFollow Arthur: LinkedIn | InstagramFollow Rick: LinkedIn

This episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience is from a previously recorded webinar on “How Stats Inform and Distort the NBA Awards Debate“ hosted by Howard Beck (previously with Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, NY Times) and Seth Partnow (Director of North American Sports for StatsBomb and contributor for The Athletic). Howard and Seth are also joined by SBC General Manager Larry Coon to discuss the upcoming Business of Basketball Immersive Experience and help navigate live questions from webinar attendees.In this episode, Howard and Seth discuss:Analytics vs eye test when evaluating playersUtility and validity of factoring all-in-one statsPoint of view from a reporter and award voterWhich advanced stats to take into accountQuestions from webinar attendeesFollow SBC: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | FacebookFollow Howard Beck: LinkedIn | TwitterFollow Seth Partnow: LinkedIn | Twitter

Welcome back to the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience! Our host for today is GM of Sports Business Classroom and CBA expert, Larry Coon. Larry is joined by NBA Front Office writer for ESPN, Bobby Marks. Join us today as we dive into the new possibilities of the NBA’s New CBA.In this episode, Bobby and Larry discuss:The latest information about the new dealReview the changes made to the NBA’s New CBAWhat do those changes mean for the league moving forwardSBC SPECIAL PROMO CODEThe new 7-year NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) will take effect in July, which means there are lots of changes to unpack. Follow SBC: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | FacebookFollow Bobby Marks: LinkedIn | Twitter Follow Larry Coon: Instagram | Twitter | CBA Mastery

In this episode of the SBC Audio Experience Arthur sits down with Darrell Miller: former MLB Player, current Vice President of Youth and Facility Development at the MLB, and the first African American Catholic Deacon in Orange County, CA. Darrell attended Cal Poly Tech for baseball and was later drafted to the California Angels. In this episode, Arthur and Darrell discuss:Important skills to have early on to succeed in the sports industryHow to stay motivated when you may be experiencing a lack of progressThe importance of who you surround yourself withAfter Darrell completed his professional career he worked for the California Angels as Director of Community Relations. Darrell then moved over to Scouting for 7 years and finally served as Minor League Director with the California Angels leaving them in 2001. Darrell now serves as VP of Facilities and Youth development and currently oversees all day to day operations at the MLB Compton Academy. Follow SBC: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | FacebookFollow Arthur: LinkedIn | InstagramFollow Darrell: LinkedIn

Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience is back with another "SBC Alumni Takeover" series, this time with our new host and SBC alum Arthur McKibben. Arthur attended the Business of Basketball Immersive Experience in 2022 as a Scouting, Video, and Analytics Major and is ready to deliver an impactful series. In this episode, Arthur sits down with Marni Colbert, Personal Manager at Colbert Sports Management, LLC and Director of Team Operations at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. In this episode, Arthur and Marni discuss:Marni's advice for those considering a career in sportsKnowing your strengthsMarni’s experience as a Personal Assistant to professional athletesMarni Colbert has nearly 20 years of experience in professional sports. Marcus Camby, Ty Lawson, Kenneth Faried, Al Wilson, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Carmelo Anthony are just a few of the athletes she has worked with or is currently working with. Marni's interests and experience are in assisting rookies and young players advance in their careers by helping them become more organized and prepared to succeed at the highest levels.Follow SBC: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | FacebookFollow Arthur: LinkedIn | InstagramFollow Marni: LinkedIn | Instagram

In this episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience: Women in Sports series, host Kate Foley sits down with Vegas Summer League (VSL) Alumni, Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, and DSW Candidate Talyah Polee. Talyah completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) in 2010. Her introduction to the sports industry was when she interned at the Las Vegas Summer League from 2012-2017. Soon after, Talyah landed her first role as a Client Services Coordinator at Wasserman.In this episode, Kate and Talyah discuss the following:Talyah’s experiences as a student-athleteTalyah’s path into the Las Vegas Summer League internship program & WassermanHow Talyah balances her personal & work lifeThe progression of normalizing mental health awarenessWhile a resident of Denver, Talyah Polee was crowned Miss Colorado USA in 2014 and represented Colorado at the Miss USA 2015 pageant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. During her years at UNLV, she competed three times at Miss Nevada USA while competing as a Track & Field athlete. Talyah earned her Master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from California Baptist University (CBU) and is currently pursuing her Doctoral of Social Work (DSW) at CBU.Follow SBC: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | FacebookFollow Kate Foley: LinkedIn | Instagram | TwitterFollow Talyah Polee: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter

We have a special episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience podcast, joined by guest host Dave DuFour, SBC alum and current Host/Producer at The Athletic. Dave sits with Larry Coon, SBC GM & CBA Expert, to dive in and discuss the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement. In this episode, Larry and Dave discuss: Changes to the NBA’s new CBAHow these changes might affect the leagueSBC SPECIAL PROMO CODEFollow SBC: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | FacebookFollow Dave Dufour: TwitterFollow Larry Coon: Instagram | Twitter | CBA Mastery

In this episode of the Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience: Women in Sports series, host Kate Foley sits down with the Director of Player Engagement for the Atlanta Hawks, Ericka Hill. Ericka has worked in various roles in the sports industry, including community relations manager for the Miami Heat and Director of Community Affairs/Braves Foundation for the Atlanta Braves. Hill is committed to giving back to the community and serves on the board of several local organizations. In this episode, Kate and Ericka discuss:Where Ericka gained her passion for giving back to the communityTips for students looking to follow Ericka’s career pathThe evolution of women joining NBA rolesWhat an average day looks like for ErickaEricka has over 20 years of experience as a Community Impact Executive, implementing fully-planned corporate-wide brand engagement programs and communications that drive impact within the business of professional sports. Ericka has a track record of increasing brand value and delivering positive outcomes via strategic business planning, cultivating long-term and mutually beneficial partnerships, and project execution. Her experience in community outreach, sustainability, stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, project management, and leveraging partnerships has led her to achieve demonstrable results.Follow SBC: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | FacebookFollow Kate Foley: LinkedIn | Instagram | TwitterFollow Ericka Hill: LinkedIn

Sports Business Classroom Audio Experience is back with another episode of our “SBC Alumni Takeover Series” with Andrew Crookes. In this episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Eric Hirshbein-Bodnar, Octagon Baseball agent & Owner/President/General Manager at Ocean State Waves, a team of the New England Collegiate Baseball League. Eric is the ultimate swiss army knife with over a decade’s worth of experience in the baseball industry.In this episode, Andrew and Eric discuss:The important lesson Eric learned from his mentorsThe transition from coaching to working as an agentHis time spent with the Ocean State WavesWhat separates good from great in sports historyThe future of baseballHirschbein-Bodnar graduated from the University of Rhode Island in 2014 with a degree in Political Science and History. During his years as an undergraduate, Eric interned with the school baseball team under Head Coach Jim Foster and specifically under Matt Finlayson, Director of Baseball Operations and former Wave’s President. Eric and Matt Finlayson have established a 7-year strong relationship and Eric considers Finlayson to be his personal and professional mentor.In addition to his undergraduate degree, Eric completed his Master’s program in Public Administration with a focus on Athletic Administration and Non-Profit Administration at the University of Rhode Island in 2017.Follow SBC: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter | FacebookFollow Andrew Crookes: LinkedIn | InstagramFollow Eric Hirschbein-Bodnar: LinkedIn Follow Ocean State Waves: LinkedIn | Instagram | Twitter