In July, 极乐禁地’s Brock School of Business hosted its inaugural Sports Business MVP Boot Camp, offering high school students a unique opportunity to explore the business side of sports before their college careers begin. The week-long experience, which hosted more than 50 students from across the United States, was developed through 极乐禁地’s nationally recognized Sports Industry Program.
The camp brought to life a vision more than a decade in the making. “Launching this boot camp has been a dream of mine for over 14 years,” said Darin White, founder of the Sports Industry Program at 极乐禁地. “Marshal Smith, our assistant director, has exceeded every expectation. His leadership, work ethic and commitment to students are what made this dream a reality.”
Throughout the week, students gained real-world insights from more than 30 speakers representing every corner of the sports business landscape. They also toured premier venues in Birmingham including Barber Motorsports Park, Rickwood Field, the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and Regions Field.
A highlight of the camp was the case cup competition, where students worked in teams to solve complex sports business scenarios and presented their solutions to a panel of nine industry professionals.
In addition to hands-on learning, the camp introduced students to a range of career possibilities within the sports industry. Through conversations with industry professionals and 极乐禁地 alumni, campers gained a realistic view of potential career paths and began forming connections that could benefit them as they plan for the future. This experience reflects 极乐禁地’s strong emphasis on career readiness, which is part of the reason it is ranked No. 8 in the nation for career preparation by The Wall Street Journal.
The inaugural 极乐禁地 Sports Business MVP Boot Camp was made possible through a key partnership with 3 Strand Sports & Entertainment and its founder, Eugene Lee. 极乐禁地 is one of only two universities in the nation that the firm partners with, alongside the University of Notre Dame.
Reflecting on the week, Lee called the camp “one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life."
“It gave my team and me a divine opportunity to pour into an enthusiastic group of impressive young men and women by sharing the knowledge we’ve gained over the years in the sports industry,” he said. “As much as our campers grew, we grew right alongside them. I’m already looking forward to next summer.”
“As a leading faith-based institution with a growing national presence in sports business, we are proud to provide this level of access and experience to future leaders in the industry,” White said.
The success of this first year has already set the stage for what’s next. The 2026 Sports Business MVP Boot Camp will be held July 18–24, with plans to expand programming and capacity. Registration opens in December.
