What happens when college life meets the real world? Well, thanks to a rather unprecedented partnership between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Minnesota State’s sport management program, a large number of students are finding out.
The Wolves will be in Mankato on Sept. 29 for the start of their annual training camp. The preseason workouts will culminate with an exhibition game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday, Oct. 4, at Bresnan Arena.
Last April, the sport management program held its annual golf outing/dinner, and the event included Timberwolves president Chris Wright along with keynote speaker Glen Taylor. Travis Smith, a graduate student in the sport management program, along with a few others, pitched an idea to the duo about working with the Wolves to help stage and sell tickets for the exhibition game.
The Wolves were apparently intrigued by the idea and, after a few follow-up meetings, a partnership was established.
“We probably have about 50 students from the program working on the project,” Smith said this week. “We provide the Wolves with labor here in Mankato and, at the same time, we’re getting hands on experience working with an NBA franchise.”
The Wolves-MSU sport management connection is part of the internship branch of the team’s front office. The team held some training sessions with the students to help with marketing and sales, and now the members of the MSU sports management team are busy trying to promote the event.
“It’s a unique partnership,” Smith said. “It might be the biggest in the Midwest between a college and a professional team.”
For the complete Jim Rueda column, go to http://www.mankatofreepress.com/sportscolumnists/local_story_260002649.html
For more Free Press news go to www.mankatofreepress.com
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