Partner with SMP
The University of Maryland’s Sports Management Program (SMP) invites you to join us in shaping the future of sports industry leaders. Whether you’re interested in sharing your expertise, mentoring students, or collaborating on real-world projects, we offer a variety of opportunities to match your time, talent, and goals.
Ways to get Involved
- Be a Guest Speaker: Share your insights and experiences in our courses or programs.
- Join the Sports Management Advisory Council: Help guide the program’s growth and strategic direction.
- Become a Capstone Partner: Collaborate with students on impactful, real-world projects tailored to your organization.
- Mentor Students: Provide one-on-one guidance to help students navigate their career paths in the sports industry.
We're committed to making your partnership meaningful and flexible, ensuring it aligns with your availability and interests. Together, we can create innovative opportunities and prepare the next generation of sports professionals. Let's make an impact!
What is a Sports Management Capstone Project?
The Sports Management Program (SMP) Capstone Project is a collaborative and hands-on opportunity for students to apply their knowledge and skills to real-world challenges in the sports industry. Working in interdisciplinary teams, students tackle projects designed to solve problems or improve processes for sports industry organizations and companies. Capstone projects emphasize innovation, creativity, and ethical decision-making.
Standard deliverables include:
- A final presentation and report to the client, tailored to project outcomes
- A professional pitch deck
Through collaboration with the client, SMP staff, and students, projects are customized to meet your organization’s needs while providing valuable learning experiences for our students.
SMP has significantly helped me develop my ability to lead group projects. In computer science courses, most projects are individual, offering little opportunity for collaboration. However, through two large-scale group projects with SMP, I learned to creatively develop solutions from scratch, evaluate their effectiveness through research, and work cohesively with a team. Since most major projects in industry and research are team-based, mastering when to lead and when to support others is a valuable skill that will directly benefit my career.
Archit Kambhamettu
SMP Cohort 1
What Makes a Good Capstone Project?
A successful Capstone Project is driven by:
- Engaged project champions passionate about mentoring future sports industry professionals.
- Real-world relevance that allows students to apply classroom knowledge to create meaningful organizational impact.
- Networking opportunities for students to interact with industry professionals.
- Dynamic experiences such as site visits or in-person work beyond the UMD campus.
Benefits to Your Company
Partnering with SMP offers:
- Fresh perspectives on your organization’s processes, informed by the latest trends in sports and entertainment.
- Actionable insights based on qualitative and quantitative data collected from key stakeholders.
- Tangible recommendations for improved efficiency, productivity, and cost savings.
- Access to top talent from one of the nation’s fastest-growing sports management programs.
- A lasting partnership with UMD’s emerging Sports Management Program.
Working with SMP students on a capstone project was incredibly valuable for our organization. Their insights significantly enhanced the Commanders' digital marketing and messaging strategies for reaching potential prospects through our website. The students excelled in presenting their market research, providing examples of how other teams approached the business challenges we were addressing. Our primary goal was to increase revenue by targeting organizations and businesses, and their work helped us identify blind spots and make effective changes. I only wish I had experienced this kind of hands-on opportunity when I was in college!
Sam Barlow
Director, Group & Inside Sales
Washington Commanders
Why Partner with the University of Maryland Sports Management Program?
Since launching in 2023, the Sports Management Program has achieved significant milestones, permanently launching a formal way for students to learn and explore the sports industry in an academic setting.
Our program’s interdisciplinary approach brings together students from multiple colleges and academic disciplines across campus, ensuring comprehensive and innovative solutions for your organization.
100% of last year’s Capstone clients reported they would partner with us again.
What Does Participation Require?
- 7–10 meetings with your Capstone Team (including kickoff, regular check-ins, and the final presentation).
- Providing data and support to assist the team’s research and solution development.
- Facilitating connections to relevant stakeholders within your organization.
- While not required, we encourage you and any other company stakeholders to attend the SMP Capstone Symposium at the end of the semester to review the team’s final presentation.
Pre-Semester: Meet with SMP staff to scope your project and prepare data.
Semester Begins: Join a kickoff meeting with students and SMP staff.
Throughout Semester: Engage in regular check-ins and facilitate site visits or interviews.
End of Semester: Assist the students in arranging the final client presentation and provide feedback.
Post-Semester: Participate in a follow-up call and survey.
Pre-Semester Preparation (0-2 months before kickoff):
Capstone partners should plan to spend about 3 hours gathering information and collaborating with staff to define the project scope before the semester begins.
Kickoff to Final Presentations:
During the semester (approximately 3 months), student teams will actively work on their capstone projects. Partners can expect to dedicate about 1 hour per week to supporting and advising their teams.
Post-Semester:
Capstone partners will spend about 1 hour on a follow-up call and completing a feedback survey.
Total Time Commitment: 16 hours
- Pre/Post Activities: 4 hours
- Project Implementation: 12 hours
In addition to your participation, your organization can support SMP's educational efforts through a donation:
| Organization Type | Suggested Donation |
| Nonprofit | $500 – $1,000 |
| Sole Proprietorship | $1,000 – $1,500 |
| Partnership | $1,500 – $2,000 |
| Corporation | $2,000 – $2,500 |
Your generosity helps us provide transformative experiences for students and grow the next generation of sports industry leaders.
Ready to Partner?
Let's build a meaningful collaboration! Contact Tori Shay, Associate Program Director at vshay@umd.edu to get started.