MSBA - Manhattan Sports Business Academy

Manhattan Sports Business Academy was a life-changing experience for me. The access you receive to top professionals in the sports industry is invaluable. I would recommend this program to any young professional who wants to get a head start in his or her career.

No doubt MSBA was a catalyst for my professional development. Not only did MSBA allow me to uncover new skill sets and push me professionally, it paved the road that landed me in my current job. Aside from playing a key role in my summer experience, MSBA's network is full of professionals willing to put in the time to help you jumpstart your career even after the program is over. As the quality of the program continues to flourish, and as we all grow collectively in the business together, I'm proud to call myself an MSBA alum.

MSBA displays and produces excellence; from the website you're on right now, to the fine-tuned eight week itinerary, no detail is overlooked. Each participant is given a customized experience designed to strengthen his or her skills. I am forever indebted to this organization for kick-starting my career, and I feel beyond fortunate knowing I always have this community to lean on.

MSBA gives you an opportunity to develop the genuine relationships necessary to excel in this business. I can honestly say I would not still be in the sports industry if it wasn’t for the connections I made during my summer in New York. Combining that with the personal interest this program has in your success, you cannot go wrong.

MSBA is a chance to live in New York City, meet the best of the best in sports business and to establish a professional foundation that will ultimately ensure long, successful careers in our field. MSBA is not an 8-week crash course - it's a career springboard into an incredibly exciting and competitive industry.

MSBA provided an experience both invaluable and game-changing. In just eight weeks, the close relationships I made - and continue to maintain to this day - with my classmates are unique and unparalleled, and it's extremely rewarding to see most of us getting our sports careers underway. No doubt we have the MSBA program, its staff, and our mentors to thank for giving us exposure to one another and to some of the industry's best. I can confidently say that MSBA is one of the smartest professional decisions I've ever made.

Throughout our eight-week journey with MSBA, we learned, networked, shared best practices, experienced New York, and most importantly, created an incredible bond that we can eternally thank this program for. The ability to both work hard and play hard with this group of young professionals provided a dynamic that was unique to any of my previous experiences.

If you’d like one tip of advice going into a summer at MSBA, just toss expectations out the window because however high you want to set the bar, MSBA’s always a mile above it. My summer with MSBA cannot be described in words. I have never been more confident and prepared to take on this industry. I don’t know where my career path will go from this point forward, but the one thing I do know is that I will forever thank MSBA.

In a matter of just eight weeks with MSBA, we received invaluable advice from countless industry professionals, experienced everything New York City has to offer, and most importantly made 24 new friends with similar aspirations. MSBA continues to cultivate a community of brilliant young professionals year in and year out, and I can honestly say I would not be where I am today without everyone involved.

MSBA not only offers you direct access to professionals from all aspects of the sports industry, but also connects you with a group of like-minded peers who are just as hungry to begin their careers as you are. Being able to use this network as the foundation for my career in sports has been invaluable, and I know it will only continue to benefit me in the future.

When I participated in MSBA 2013, I was exposed to countless sports business professionals, companies, and overall experiences that propelled me into my current position at Thuzio. Given MSBA's impact, I introduced it to my company and since then we've had the fortune of hosting three amazing MSBA participants. Having a firsthand understanding of the professional growth that MSBA students get throughout their summer, Thuzio and I are thrilled to participate in MSBA and host some exceptional summer interns.

Landing my former position with Major League Baseball would not have been possible without the experiences and resources I acquired through my summer with MSBA.

There’s nothing like being surrounded by people that share that passion and drive you have — it only pushes you harder and gets you more excited. I have the confidence now that I will thrive and succeed in this industry. This is where I want to be, and I have MSBA to thank for it.

My MSBA summer was filled with amazing networking opportunities, invaluable professional learnings, and a new group of friends that I maintain to this day.The community of professionals that MSBA has cultivated is unparalleled and I am honored to be a part of it. As I look back on my own summer experiences, there is no doubt MSBA was the jumpstart that my career needed. I would implore all young sports business professionals to take a serious look at this program and get ready for the summer of their lives.

The PGA TOUR has partnered with MSBA over the past three summers and continues to secure some of the program’s top talent. Working with MSBA has allowed us to find interns who are not only excited to work in the sports industry, but who have the necessary skill set to handle every responsibility and task given to them. Running a professional golf tournament is an exciting, yet daunting task, but I know we can always count on our MSBA interns to maintain a positive attitude and get the job done!

MSBA's ability to find hungry and impressive students is second to none. Their interns are always extremely ambitious, well-coached and a pleasure to be around. Having been involved with the program since its inception in 2012, I can confidently say that MSBA produces some of the most well-respected young professionals in our industry.

Joining MSBA as a Mentor has been one of the greatest experiences in my career as the rewards are two-fold. As part of a Mentorship Collective, you work closely with your student to help them navigate this fast-paced and demanding industry where relationships last long after summer ends. At the same time, you have the opportunity to lean on your collective team for guidance and support. I wish this program had existed when I was graduating college, as it’s an amazing network of professionals that quickly become family. I look forward to continuing to grow with MSBA.

We trust MSBA's thorough selection process to deliver strong candidates and have experienced the value that comes from introducing their students into our internship program. MSBA students elevate the program's success with their passion and are always among the most engaged and highest-potential within the group. Most importantly, we've had success converting MSBA interns into full time associates upon graduation, where they continue to add value to the Foot Locker team.

MSBA is a tremendous resource for all those trying to break into sports and grow their careers. Whether you’re just starting out or more established, MSBA provides the opportunity to join a special community of sports professionals who genuinely care about paying it forward (and having some fun in the process). Every year I’m impressed by the crop of talent that makes its way through the rigorous application process and feel lucky to be involved with such a great organization.

MSBA does such a fantastic job identifying and cultivating young talent - it’s like a top-rate recruiting service for your business. So many former MSBA students are now ascending to leadership roles around the industry; it’s really a testament to the program’s effectiveness.

The MSBA program is not only extremely valuable for its mentee participants, it is also valuable for the Mentors in the program as well. Through this program I not only have been able to guide a young college graduate through their start in the sports world, but I’ve grown professionally in my own career through meeting new people in the industry and expanding my network. It’s not all about who you know, it’s who knows you, and MSBA provides everyone involved the opportunity to expand upon this notion.

This is a strong program that continues to get better and better over the years – from the emphasis placed on strong internship placement to the stellar speakers and mentors they recruit – MSBA is doing great work.

MSBA is a game-changing opportunity for serious young professionals seeking a competitive advantage in our demanding and evolving industry. I wish this type of program existed when I was looking for a way to break in.