Sports Industry Leaders And Students Will Convene At Annual Sports Symposium At Princeton

Sports business professionals, marketing executives, college athletic leaders and students will come together for the 2009 Princeton Sports Symposium in the Friend Center on the Princeton University campus.

The event is open to the public, though advance registration is required by visiting the symposium website at: www.sportssymposium.org. The event is free for current college students and $50 for non-students and sports industry professionals. News media should RSVP by Dec. 2.

Now in its fourth year, the Princeton Sports Symposium will bring together more than 60 executives in the sports and entertainment industry to discuss such topics as social media and technology, public relations, television and programming, international sports, and athlete marketing and representation.

The annual symposium, which was founded in 2006 by then Princeton senior Chris Chaney, is intended to help students and sports professionals learn more about the sports industry, while providing a forum for industry executives to attract potential future leaders. The event is organized by a group of Princeton students forming the Princeton Sports Symposium Planning Committee with support from an advisory committee of sports business executives and Princeton alumni.

"Not only will the event shed light on the University's efforts to discover and transmit unique career paths to students, but the symposium also will help develop students' and sports professionals' understanding of the diverse opportunities and latest trends in an exciting industry," said planning committee student co-chair Richard Zhang, a Princeton senior. Zhang organized this year's event with committee co-chair and Princeton junior Miheer Mhatre.

The day-long event will begin with a roundtable discussion featuring former Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox general manager Roland Hemond and Sports Illustrated senior writer Tom Verducci. The conversation will be followed by a keynote address by Tony Ponturo, president of Ponturo Management and chairman of the Leverage Agency sports marketing firm. Afterwards, there will be 11 panel discussions that address topics such as building a brand with social media, Olympic Games and international sports, digital media and technology, and athlete marketing and representation.

Several other sports industry leaders are scheduled to participate in the symposium, including: Greg Avioli, Breeders' Cup president and chief executive officer; Randy Bernard, Professional Bull Riders chief executive officer; Barry Frank, IMG executive vice president of sports programming; Lindsay Kagawa, director of women's sports for Wasserman Media Group; Greg Shaheen, NCAA senior vice president of basketball and business strategies; Mark Wilf, owner and president of the Minnesota Vikings and a Princeton class of 1984 graduate; and Michelle Wilson, World Wrestling Entertainment executive vice president of marketing.  

Ben Sturner, founder and chief executive officer of the Leverage Agency, which is the primary independent sponsor of the symposium, said the Princeton Sports Symposium takes a comprehensive look at the sports industry and is a valuable educational event for both college students and sports professionals.

For a full agenda, visit the Princeton Sports Symposium website at: http://www.sportssymposium.org./2009_Princeton_Sports_Symposium_Agenda.pdf.  

University sponsors of the event are: the Office of Career Services, Office of the Vice President for Campus Life, Undergraduate Student Government Projects Board and Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students.

Outside sponsors of the event are: the Leverage Agency, Chaney Sports Group, Partnership Activation and the Princeton Varsity Club.

Date: Friday, Dec. 4, 2009.

Time: 10 a.m.

Location: The Friend Center on the Princeton University campus.