Recently, I was able to join a group from our Sports Management Department as they spent a weekend in Atlanta working at the college football national championship. The first part of the trip was focused on networking, along with touring different sports venues around the city. The first day, we were able to tour Bobby Dodd Stadium, where the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets play, and see a lot of the VIP areas and suites.
Photo taken by Michaela Kourmoulis
While at Georgia Tech, we were also able to connect with the ticket sales department and hear from the director of ticket sales. It was nice hearing from industry professionals who had real life experience in collegiate ticket sales.
After GA Tech, all of us got the chance to go to the Atlanta Hawks’ corporate headquarters. There, we were able to get a tour of their offices, which was pretty incredible because it was on the 19th floor of a skyscraper downtown. After the tour, the Hawks hosted a panel discussion with employees from various parts of their business and sales departments. They gave us a lot of insight into the professional world of ticket sales, as well as tips on how to break into the industry.
After the first day the real work started. Our first volunteer shift was at the Georgia World Congress Center. There, we helped fans find their favorite players around media day. It was fun being so close to the action as both teams interacted with reporters and fans. Later that same day, we were back in action. Our next shift involved educating fans on the importance of being green and reducing waste while attending a concert at State Farm Arena. It was quite the experience trying to get people to recycle while listening to Lil Wayne.
The next day was Sunday, so we had a bit of a rest day. We attended church before heading to Mercedes Benz Stadium for pageantry team rehearsals. There, we practiced for our big shift the next day.
The next day was gameday. In the morning, we were able to take a tour of the Atlanta Braves’ stadium. It was great to see the different ticket options, and it tied in well with what we learned on the first day.
After the tour, we headed back downtown. Our first shift of the day included directing fans to various tailgate areas and answering any questions they might have about the day’s events. After that concluded, we headed into the bowels of Mercedes Benz Stadium for our final shift of the weekend. We were going to hold the giant American flag on the field for the National Anthem.
Walking onto the field was almost everyone’s favorite moment of the trip. One student, Blythe Jelley ’27, described standing on the field as “chilling, it was so cool to see thousands upon thousands of people joining together in support of one big game.” She was not alone in this opinion; we all will never forget that moment.
The trip was a tremendous success. Not only did we gain valuable work experience, but we also connected with industry professionals who can help us as we move forward in our careers. Overall, everyone had a fantastic time, and we are all deeply grateful for getting the opportunity.
Thumbnail photo taken by Michaela Kourmoulis.
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