WORCESTER—Assumption University is expanding its academic offerings in the business of sports, announcing a new sport marketing major that will prepare students for careers ranging from professional athletics and collegiate sports to event promotion and marketing agencies.
The program, scheduled to launch in fall 2027, will be housed in the university’s Grenon School of Business and combine traditional business coursework with specialized training in the sports industry.
The new major builds on Assumption’s existing sports management minor and its relationships with Worcester’s professional sports organizations, including the Worcester Red Sox and Worcester Railers, which have provided internship and partnership opportunities for students.
“This new major reflects increasing interest in sports, athletics, and entertainment marketing,” Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Chad Rohman said in the university’s announcement. “It will provide students who care about sports with a rigorous and purposeful way to turn that passion into a profession, grounded in the Catholic liberal arts tradition that defines an Assumption education.”
The program will require students to complete core courses in accounting, economics, statistics, management and marketing research, along with specialized classes examining how sports organizations attract audiences, promote events and build relationships with fans.
New courses will include Sport Consumer Behavior and Sport Event Management and Promotion. Students will also select electives from subjects such as sports data analysis, sports psychology, social media marketing and sport media and communication.
Beyond the business fundamentals, the curriculum will examine ethical decision-making and the responsibilities sports organizations have to athletes, employees, sponsors, fans and their communities. The approach reflects a broader effort at Assumption to examine the role of sports beyond competition and commerce.
In October, the university established the Larry Lucchino Institute for the Study of Sports through a gift from the Lucchino Family Foundation. The institute, named for the late baseball executive, will use sports as a framework for exploring leadership, civic engagement and liberal arts education.
The new major will also place considerable weight on professional experience.
Students will be required to complete an internship and a senior seminar featuring an experiential project developed with an industry partner, giving graduates at least two opportunities to apply classroom lessons in professional settings.
Bridget Leonard, associate professor of marketing and chair of Assumption’s Department of Marketing, said the program is intended to bridge academic preparation and the practical demands of a competitive industry.
“The new sport marketing major responds to strong student interest in pursuing careers in the sports industry while building on our commitment to experiential learning. We’ve designed the program to give students opportunities to apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world challenges,” Leonard said in the announcement.
“Through a required internship and an experiential capstone project working with an industry partner, students will graduate with not only a strong foundation in marketing, but also meaningful professional experience that prepares them to enter this competitive and exciting field.”
The program’s launch will add another academic pathway connecting Assumption students with Worcester’s sports community, where professional teams offer opportunities in marketing, communications, event management and business operations.
Prospective students can find additional information through Assumption University’s sport marketing program page at assumption.edu/undergraduate/sport-marketing.
