Gathering for a group photo in the Rocket Areana are (from left) Christian Dingee, Ethan Drummond, Dr. Sungick Min and Anthony Misencik.
Watching a live NBA game in an arena is a far different experience than watching the game on television.
That was a key takeaway for students on a field trip arranged by Associate Professor Sungick Min to the Rocket Arena to see the Cleveland Cavaliers host the Charlotte Hornets game on Dec. 14.
“The atmosphere in the arena was exciting, and watching a live NBA game felt completely different from seeing one on TV because of the energy from the crowd,” said Christian Dingee, a first-year student from Brooklyn, NY.
This field trip enhances understanding of sport marketing and revenue generation, as students directly experience sponsorship activation, in-arena advertising, merchandise sales and premium seating concepts. These elements help bridge theory and practice.” - Dr. Sungick Min
From their seats just a few rows from the floor, the students and Dr. Min, who also serves as internship coordinator in Sport Management and Coaching, were ideally positioned to assess key aspects of the NBA game experience. Anthony Misencik, a first-year Sport Management student from Spotsylvania, VA, succinctly described their seats as “amazing.”
The crowd of around 19,000, was initially “not into the game,” Mr. Misencik recalled, “but towards the end of the game the crowd got very loud.” Going into overtime, no doubt, raised the decibel level, as the Cavaliers outscored the Hornets, 32-23, in the fourth quarter, before losing in overtime, 119-111.
Ethan Drummond, a sophomore Social Work major from the Bronx, NY, had a great time witnessing his first-ever NBA game. He agreed with Mr. Dingee’s assessment of the value of the live-game experience. “I’m very happy that I was able to go and experience the game in person rather than on TV; it’s a different perspective seeing the athletes in person, it was a lot of fun.”
As part of game promotions, challenges were issued to fans during timeouts and between quarters. Promotions included t-shirt tosses, mini basketballs tossed into the stands and the giveaway of pairs of white tubes fans could strike together to make noise to distract the other team during free throws, Misencik said.
“This field trip enhances understanding of sport marketing and revenue generation, as students directly experience sponsorship activation, in-arena advertising, merchandise sales and premium seating concepts. These elements help bridge theory and practice,” Min said.
Other observations? Parking – right across the street from the arena – could not have been better or more convenient. Food and drinks were both unlimited.
“Attending the Cleveland vs. Hornets game with Dr. Min and two other students was a really enjoyable and memorable experience,” Dingee said. “Overall, the experience left me feeling positive and reflective at the end, as it reminded me how much I had grown and how rewarding the semester ultimately felt,” he added.
The students are enrolled in SPMG 100: Pathway to Success or SPMG: Principles of Sport Management taught by Min, who organizes a field trip to a professional sports arena each semester. It was a great experience, the students agreed.
“The field trip increases student engagement and motivation, reinforcing classroom concepts through immersive learning while fostering reflection, discussion and critical thinking about best practices in the global sport industry,” he said. “Attending a field trip promotes career awareness and professional socialization, allowing students to visualize potential career paths in professional sport organizations and understand the scale and complexity of the sport industry,” Min added.
