RETIRED SOUTH KOREAN ELITE ATHLETES TO LEAVE UT AS GLOBAL SPORTS AMBASSADORS. - States News Service

KNOXVILLE, TN -- The following information was released by the University of Tennessee:

When South Korea hosts the 2018 Winter Olympics, Kyunsuk Kim hopes to be at the forefront of helping his country plan the international event.

Kim, 36, a retired competitive alpine skier, this fall studied at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, through the Next Generation Sports Talent (NEST) program, an initiative designed to prepare retired South Korean elite athletes to be coaches and international sports diplomats.

Sixteen people, from Asian Game champions to Olympic athletes, participated in the semester-long program and are wrapping up their time this week.

'We have to give back,' Kim said, noting that many of the athletes will likely work for various sports committees. He will seek an internship with the International Ski Federation, adding that he would like to help with the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia as well. He eventually would like to join the Korean Olympic Committee.

NEST, in its fourth year, is sponsored by the South Korean government in partnership with the UT College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the English Language Institute, and national/international sports governing bodies.

UT Knoxville competed against five other US institutions to house this program. To date, about seventy athletes have gone through NEST.

This semester, the athletes improved their English language skills, learned sports marketing, picked up coaching techniques, and worked in their area of athletic expertise. They also were matched with UT students who served as their peer mentors.

'The overall objective is to develop future, global leaders,' NEST program director Fritz Polite said. 'We want them to be part of the global concepts of sports, including governing bodies.'

For Eunhui 'Tina' An, 23, her time at UT through NEST gave her a deeper desire to study more about how to use sports as an agent of peace in developing countries.

Warnock Jnr joins the football family.(Sport) - Daily Mail (London)

Byline: Charles Sale SPORTS AGENDA

THE conflict of interests caused by a football manager father having an agent son, highlighted by the big fuss around Sir Alex and Jason Ferguson, is causing controversy again.

This time there is concern among rival agents that Queens Park Rangers boss Neil Warnock's son James works at HN Sports, who have done deals with the newly promoted Premier League club.

The agency in Leeds helped take Norwegian winger Petter Vaagan Moen to Loftus Road last January and make Shaun Derry from Crystal Palace Warnock's first signing as QPR boss.

However, HN Sports chief Hayden Evans says James, who has been with the company for nine years, plays no part in transfer negotiations but recruits young players and does admin work.

Evans said: 'Agents will point the finger, but we are very transparent in what we do and James, who is an invaluable member of the team, keeps well away from any dealings involving Neil's clubs.'

Braunecker Sports Counsel works the pitching count.(Business of Sports) - Arkansas Business

A 1994 SHOULDER INJURY ended Darek Braunecker's playing days as a major-league baseball pitcher. That didn't stop him from staying connected with the game he loves--as a sports agent.

His firm, Braunecker Sports Counsel of Little Rock, is touted as having the largest roster of professional athletes from Arkansas. More than half of the 25 players under contract with him are from the state.

Some of his better-known Arkansas clients include A.J. Burnett of North Little Rock, right-handed pitcher with the Florida Marlins; Cliff Lee of Benton, left-handed pitcher with the Cleveland Indians; Dan Wright of Batesville, right-handed pitcher with the Chicago Cubs; and Dustin Moseley of Texarkana, right-handed pitcher with the Cincinnati Reds.

Braunecker is in the midst of teaming up with two other sports agents, Jim Lindell of Seattle and Mark Rodgers of Palm City, Fla. The trio is contemplating Frontline Sports Management as a corporate name for the partnership, which informally began about 16 months ago.

The combined stable of talent represented by Lindell, Rodgers and Braunecker numbers about 60. The three held more than $18 million worth of negotiated contracts during 2003, $6.5 million of which were Braunecker's.

Three of the big-name players represented by Lindell or Rodgers are Mike Hampton, left-handed pitcher with the Atlanta Braves; Adam Eaton, right-handed pitcher with the San Diego Padres; and Scott Proctor, right-handed pitcher with the New York Yankees.

Other Braunecker clients include Jason Davis, right-handed pitcher with the Cleveland Indians; Chad Harville, right-handed pitcher with the Houston Astros; and Scott Dohmann, right-handed pitcher with the Colorado Rockies.

Braunecker, who works exclusively with pro baseball players, got his start representing athletes with Stephens Sports Management Inc.

'I am very grateful to Warren Stephens,' the 34-year-old businessman said. 'I wouldn't be in the business if it wasn't for him.'

Braunecker got into sports management in the pre-Jerry 'Show Me The Money' MaGuire era.

He joined Stephens Sports Management in 1996 to develop the baseball side of the firm's business. When Stephens Inc. exited the sports management business in February 2000, Braunecker decided to make a go of it on his own.

Braunecker typically collects a fee based on 5 percent of his client's gross salary for negotiating contracts. There can be additional rewards for negotiating signing bonuses and incentive bonuses for the players as well.

'My clients felt good about staying with me when I went out on my own,' Braunecker said. 'I could've joined a bigger firm if things didn't work out, but failure really wasn't an option at that point.'

He is in the process of moving into his new Little Rock office at 1123 W. Third St. His career path to Arkansas began as a star high school pitcher in Effingham, Ill.

Braunecker was drafted by the Kansas City Royals out of high school in 1987 but opted to play junior college ball at Vincennes University in Indiana.

Recruited by Gary Hogan, the right-hander transferred in 1989 to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where he was converted to a relief pitcher.

In 1991, Braunecker signed with the Montreal Expos and was moved back to a starting pitcher. His stint in the major leagues ended with a shoulder injury after joining the Cleveland Indians in 1994.

He returned to finish his bachelor's degree in psychology at UALR and worked as a pitching coach for the Trojans 1994-95.

Braunecker returned home to Effingham to work with his dad's auto dealership. He had started a cellular phone company when the call from Stephens came.

NEW FUND ESTABLISHES SPORTS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AT UA. - States News Service

Tucson, AZ -- The following information was released by the University of Arizona:

By Liz Warren-Pederson, Eller College of Management

On Monday, the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona held an official launch party for the sports management minor, a student-driven academic option designed for non-business students. The program, administered through the College's department of management and organizations, or MandO, is one of the few such programs in the country housed in a collegiate school of business.

In conjunction with the launch, MandO department head Stephen Gilliland announced that the program has received a multi-year gift commitment from Brent A. Seebohm, former UA associate athletic director and past president of the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators. The amount of the gift is confidential.

'Given the current financial challenges in the state and the UA, I made a commitment that this program would not require any funding from the University,' said Gilliland. 'Brent's gift provides the critical new venture funding to get this program successfully launched.'

The contribution establishes the Seebohm Fund for Sports Management Educational Excellence, which will support the program's goal to become a nationally recognized center of excellence for sports management education.

Seebohm, currently CEO of his own sports/marketing consulting company, bAlpha.com, connected with the Eller College while he was with UA Athletics. Gilliland worked closely with then-UA athletics director Jim Livengood to garner support for the sports minor program in its critical developmental phase.

'I was motivated by the Eller College's prestige to create this fund and spark the full complement of year-round courses,' said Seebohm. 'My best inspiration to donate came from Dr. Stephen Gilliland's perserverance and professionalism. The assembled faculty and adjunct instructors team is impressive.'

Seebohm has a bachelor's degree in marketing from Colorado State University and a master's degree in sports management from Wichita State University. He has worked in college athletics at six universities and became an assistant athletics director by the age of 22. Seebohm currently serves as the marketing agent for 25 National Football League players.

'This is an exciting phase for UA students who are passionate about sports business,' he said. 'The industry is so much more competitive today than when I started as a football manager 18 years ago. The expanded practical experiences that our students will gain this fall and beyond will be a definite resume and job placement differentiator.'

The Seebohm Fund for Sports Management Educational Excellence will support faculty instruction, education enrichment, internship and placement activities, promotion, and competitions and networking events.

The sports management minor was approved by the Arizona Board of Regents in fall 2008, and the first year of pilot classes concluded last semester. The program is a result of a student-supported initiative to house a sports-oriented business management program for UA students who are not enrolled in the business college; business students may take courses to add a sports management certificate to their degree.

Gilliland says that faculty in his department began discussing the program in early 2008. Finance major Chris Moran was seated with MandO faculty during an Eller College event where he caught wind of the plan. 'I told them that I was in the Sports Marketing Association and that my goal was to someday run the finances for a professional sports team,' said Moran. 'Someone mentioned that the sports management minor was in the works, but it wasn't ready to be promoted. I thought to myself, no way! We should spread the word!'

Moran approached Gilliland and asked how he could be of assistance. 'I suggested he write a letter of support and ask some friends to sign it as well,' Gilliland said. 'Chris came back two weeks later with 500 signatures.'

Moran was among the approximately 150 students who braved the rain on Monday to attend the official launch at McClelland Hall, which included lunch provided by Seebohm and a display of the U.S. Army Top Fuel Dragster.

NEW FUND ESTABLISHES SPORTS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AT UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA - US Fed News Service, Including US State News

TUCSON, Ariz., Feb. 24 -- The University of Arizona issued the following press release:

The Seebohm Fund for Sports Management Educational Excellence will support growth and development of a new sports management minor at the Eller College. By Liz Warren-Pederson, Eller College of Management February 24, 2010

On Monday, the Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona held an official launch party for the sports management minor, a student-driven academic option designed for non-business students. The program, administered through the College's department of management and organizations, or M&O, is one of the few such programs in the country housed in a collegiate school of business.

In conjunction with the launch, M&O department head Stephen Gilliland announced that the program has received a multi-year gift commitment from Brent A. Seebohm, former UA associate athletic director and past president of the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators. The amount of the gift is confidential.

'Given the current financial challenges in the state and the UA, I made a commitment that this program would not require any funding from the University,' said Gilliland. 'Brent's gift provides the critical new venture funding to get this program successfully launched.'

The contribution establishes the Seebohm Fund for Sports Management Educational Excellence, which will support the program's goal to become a nationally recognized center of excellence for sports management education.

Seebohm, currently CEO of his own sports/marketing consulting company, bAlpha.com, connected with the Eller College while he was with UA Athletics. Gilliland worked closely with then-UA athletics director Jim Livengood to garner support for the sports minor program in its critical developmental phase.

'I was motivated by the Eller College's prestige to create this fund and spark the full complement of year-round courses,' said Seebohm. 'My best inspiration to donate came from Dr. Stephen Gilliland's perserverance and professionalism. The assembled faculty and adjunct instructors team is impressive.'

Seebohm has a bachelor's degree in marketing from Colorado State University and a master's degree in sports management from Wichita State University. He has worked in college athletics at six universities and became an assistant athletics director by the age of 22. Seebohm currently serves as the marketing agent for 25 National Football League players.

'This is an exciting phase for UA students who are passionate about sports business,' he said. 'The industry is so much more competitive today than when I started as a football manager 18 years ago. The expanded practical experiences that our students will gain this fall and beyond will be a definite resume and job placement differentiator.'

The Seebohm Fund for Sports Management Educational Excellence will support faculty instruction, education enrichment, internship and placement activities, promotion, and competitions and networking events.

The sports management minor was approved by the Arizona Board of Regents in fall 2008, and the first year of pilot classes concluded last semester. The program is a result of a student-supported initiative to house a sports-oriented business management program for UA students who are not enrolled in the business college; business students may take courses to add a sports management certificate to their degree.

Gilliland says that faculty in his department began discussing the program in early 2008. Finance major Chris Moran was seated with M&O faculty during an Eller College event where he caught wind of the plan. 'I told them that I was in the Sports Marketing Association and that my goal was to someday run the finances for a professional sports team,' said Moran. 'Someone mentioned that the sports management minor was in the works, but it wasn't ready to be promoted. I thought to myself, no way! We should spread the word!'

Moran approached Gilliland and asked how he could be of assistance. 'I suggested he write a letter of support and ask some friends to sign it as well,' Gilliland said. 'Chris came back two weeks later with 500 signatures.'

Moran was among the approximately 150 students who braved the rain on Monday to attend the official launch at McClelland Hall, which included lunch provided by Seebohm and a display of the U.S. Army Top Fuel Dragster.

TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-KINGSVILLE KICKS OFF SPORT MANAGEMENT DEGREE - US Fed News Service, Including US State News

KINGSVILLE, Texas, May 21 -- Texas A&M University at Kingsville issued the following news release:

Sport promoter. Camp and recreation director. Marketer for the sporting goods industry. High school or collegiate athletic director. Sports agent.

These are a few of the occupations Texas A&M University-Kingsville hopes to be filled by students of its new sport management degree plan, offered for the first time this fall through the health and kinesiology department as a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Sport Management.

Sport management is the application of business management and democratic leadership skills in the culture of applied and community sport experiences.

According to Dr. Christopher Hearon, associate professor and chair of the health and kinesiology department, a variety of career paths emerged in sport over the last four decades that require directors, managers and entrepreneurs to possess unique skills in sport and business management.

'The addition of the sport management degree program in the department of health and kinesiology reflects the overall growth of the sports industry,' said Hearon. 'Sport is both a major industry in Western economies and a robust component of American culture.'

Hearon said that the A&M-Kingsville sport management program has a distinct element that sets itself apart from other programs. 'We have a unique focus on community engagement, sport governance and public relations.

'The program is a hands-on program, requiring students to complete a minimum of one internship experience. Our students will receive hands-on training and leadership experiences they will be using in the sport industry.'

To make sure the new program was tied to today's changing sport industry, the department worked closely with A&M-Kingsville athletics director Scott Gines, who emphasized why Texas A&M-Kingsville is an ideal location for the program. 'Javelina athletics leads the Lone Star Conference and NCAA II in community engagement 'Ideas that Work,' hosts the Valero Cactus Bowl, and annually administers over 120 home events.

'University alumni also include a legacy of sport industry professionals, such as Jim Hill of CBS Sports, the late Gene Upshaw of the NFL Players Association and Darrell Green, head of the Darrell Green Foundation,' said Gines.

Hearon said he anticipated that the department of athletics will continue working closely with the department of health and kinesiology to ensure the program's growth. Sport management degree requirements

The A&M-Kingsville sport management program consists of four fundamental components: a kinesiology core, adding up to 19 credit hours; a sport management core of 21 credit hours; a business core of 21 credit hours of courses from the College of Business Administration; and a professional emphasis of 15 credit hours. For the professional emphasis, students may select from marketing and promotions, labor relations or journalism and media relations, which require coursework from the College of Business Administration and/or the College of Arts & Sciences. Other degrees offered by the department of health and kinesiology

The sport management program joins a number of other kinesiology options at A&M-Kingsville, including EC-12 physical education (teacher certification), exercise science, exercise science/pre-physical therapy and sport & leisure studies. In addition, the department of health and kinesiology also offers a bachelor's of science in community health and a master's of science in kinesiology.

More information on sport management and the other degree plans is available online at http://www.tamuk.edu/edu/hkn/.For more information please contact: Sarabjit Jagirdar, Email:- htsyndication@hindustantimes.com.

San Diego State University, Baseball Team Offer Sports-Business MBA. - Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

By Lisa Petrillo, The San Diego Union-Tribune Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News

Feb. 25--Talk about major league education.

San Diego State University is offering what administrators say is the first MBA degree program with a major league baseball team.

That does not mean people can get a San Diego Padres degree. The official title will be: master's of business administration in sports-business management.

The program is scheduled to start in spring 2005, with an inaugural class of 30 students. The students will take specially designed classes on campus and at the Padres' soon-to-be-opened Petco Park downtown. Padres executives will be guest lecturers.

'The idea of bringing in people who want to be leaders in their field and bringing in the practical side to their education is important, said Katie Pothier, Padres vice president and general counsel.'

The specialized MBA is part of a national trend toward tailoring degrees to business and industry, according to educational experts.

'There are master's degrees in almost anything, but this is the first I've seen with a major league team,' said Peter Syverson of the Council of Graduate Schools, a nonprofit group. 'There's an increased awareness of building programs with employers in mind.'

SDSU offers 160 degrees and 67 master's degrees, including an MBA in athletics and fitness management, and about 6,000 students are enrolled in the College of Business.

The pitch for this specialized degree came from the Padres last August.

Although team owner John Moores is a University of California regent, he has a close relationship with San Diego State. Moores has donated more than $30 million to university sports programs and stadiums at SDSU.

The Padres have agreed to offer six of the students internships for six months and to help place the other students with sports-related organizations for their required internships.

What the university gets out of the deal is the connection to major league baseball, job placement assistance and a big-name draw to help recruit top students to the 34,000-student university.

The College of Business has always adapted to meet the needs of the business world, said Dean Gail Naughton. Training students to meet a current need runs the risk, however, of having a degree lose its popularity when the job market weakens, such as in aerospace engineering. But Naughton notes that this degree is trend proof, saying, 'It's not like the business of sports is going away.

Sports go all the way back to the cave man days.'

Designing the program is business professor and sports junkie Jim Lackritz, who said each class will offer basic business subjects but with a sports spin.

The plan is to teach students all aspects of operating a sports franchise, including human resources, sports law, marketing and customer service.

Depending on the number of classes taken, a student could earn the degree in 18 months.

'Our graduates will not only be well-versed in the high profile aspects of running a sports organization, such as negotiating with players and agents, but in the day-to-day operations,' said Lackritz.

To see more of The San Diego Union-Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.uniontrib.com

(c) 2004, The San Diego Union-Tribune. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.