The Sport and Event Management Department hosted its spring 2016 Project Palooza, displaying student work conducted during the semester.
Despite a torrential downpour leading up to the April 28 event – not exactly the best conditions to transport poster projects – the third floor of the Powell Building was bustling with activity during the two-hour showcase.
Students shared presentations, displayed posters and discussed research projects and event analyses highlighting a variety of topics, ranging from the media’s sexualization of female athletes to the psychological factors that motivate fans to attend events.
A Project Palooza photo gallery is available on the School of Communications’ Flickr page.
In Powell 304, the department hosted nearly two hours of oral presentations, reviewing senior capstone experiences, marketing pitches and financial plans. Rachel Garrity ’16 and Jack Kelly ’16, two members of Associate Professor Tony Weaver’s “Sport Leadership and Ethics” course, shared their capstone projects, which investigate the relationship between religion and collegiate athletics, and ESPN and the role of sport media, respectively.
The financial plan presentations examined the effect of alcohol on NCAA Division I attendance and revenue, the NBA’s decision to incorporate jersey sponsorships, and Elon’s athletic department’s use of technology, among other topics. Under Armour, ESPN’s X Games, the Boston Celtics and the Carolina Hurricanes were among the recognizable athletic properties and organizations discussed during the evening’s marketing pitches and plans.
