For 32 graduate students, the Harlem Globetrotters' upcoming visit to Athens isn't just fun ' it's a class project.
The students in the Sports and Consumers course taught by David Ridpath are organizing the event and have a number of jobs for the event such as marketing, ticket sales and sponsorship.
Instead of reading about it in a book and hearing a professor speak about it
we're actually going out and doing group sales talking to sponsors and creating relationships in the area said graduate student Michael Jacobs, who is serving as ticket manager for the event.
Ticket sales will aid funding for future grad student initiatives in the Center for Sports Administration. Pending the success of this event, the center hopes to continue the project by bringing the Globetrotters back to Athens every three or four years, said Jim Kahler, executive director of the center.
It's a wonderful experience for students before they head out into the real world
he said. They'll be able to look back in 20 years and say
'We're the class that brought the Globetrotters to Athens.'
Graduate student Whitney Byrd said the project will help her work with everyone and help them understand their jobs better.
It has been a great experience
she said. We learn a lot about event management. It is nice to have experience in every little aspect of it.
The Globetrotters will perform at the Convo at 7 p.m. Jan. 16. Tickets range from $13 to $51 and can be purchased by calling 1-866-MY-TICKET or visiting www.ticketreturn.com. There will be walk-up ticket sales at Baker University Center and the Convo at the beginning of Winter Quarter.
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Caitlin Bowling
