UNOH Students take on Super Bowl LIX

Posted on Wednesday, February 19, 2025

UNOH Students at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Louisiana

Written by Contributing Columnist Anika Burke

This February, ten UNOH Sport Marketing and Management students set off to New Orleans, Louisiana to work and take part in one of the largest sporting events of the year, Super Bowl LIX. They took the knowledge they had been learning in the classroom and were able to put it to use during their time spent in the Bayou.

The students worked for External Fans Services (EFS), a branch of the NFL that works as a large unit, ensuring guests easily enter the game and ancillary events. This meant that on gameday, UNOH students were the first faces many fans encountered. Students facilitated fans through queue lines, answered any questions, and were able to make fans’ Super Bowl experience unlike anything else.

“The opportunity to be hands-on and up close at one of the largest sporting events is something few students in my grade can say they’ve done,” said Kylie Drazil, a Junior at UNOH.

While spending time in New Orleans, the group also attended a networking event where they connected with students from over 10 schools nationwide. The event also hosted a panel where students got the opportunity to listen and talk with professionals in the field.

That was one of senior Tess Denning’s favorite parts of the trip. She said being part of Super Bowl LIX and events like it is extremely valuable to student development. Students can see behind-the-scenes operations, soak in knowledge from professionals around them, and prepare for a future career in the sports industry.

Opportunities like these are hard to get in the competitive and fast-paced world of sports, and the students are extremely grateful to Sport Marketing and Management professors Julia Etzkorn and Phil Gunder. Both contributed time and energy to make experiences like this a reality.

“Seeing students all take ownership of the experience and representing our program and UNOH so well is my favorite part of this event,” said Professor Gunder.

New Orleans now ties the record for the number of Super Bowls hosted by a city. The students will never forget the opportunity to be a part of such a historic event.

For information about the Sport Marketing and Management program at UNOH visit: https://www.unoh.edu/academics/college-of-occupational-professions/sport-marketing-management.html 

Category: Campus & Community, Business, Health, and Occupational Professions

Keywords: Super Bowl, Sport Marketing and Management