Many eyes fixate on athletes during sporting events, but there is a completely different game going on behind the scenes. From operations to management, it takes a lot of people with different skill sets to help an athletic event go on without a hitch. Part of that team for the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, the single-A affiliate of Major League Baseball’s Houston Astros, are Methodist University alumnus Jackson Bingham ’19 and current students Sean Ebersbach ’25 and Garrett Brouwer ’26. All three rely on their Sport Management education from MU to excel in their careers.
Many eyes fixate on athletes during sporting events, but there is a completely different game going on behind the scenes. From operations to management, it takes a lot of people with different skill sets to help an athletic event go on without a hitch.
Part of that team for the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, the single-A affiliate of Major League Baseball’s Houston Astros, are Methodist University alumnus Jackson Bingham ’19 and current students Sean Ebersbach ’25 and Garrett Brouwer ’26. All three rely on their Sport Management education from MU to excel in their careers.
Bingham, account executive of sponsorships for the Woodpeckers, leads both season ticket sales and sponsorship with local businesses like Methodist University, an annual partner of the Woodpeckers that honors military and first-responders at every game with its “Hometown Heroes” promotion.
Bingham started as a marketing intern and then promotions director for the Holly Springs Salamanders (an amateur baseball team in the Coastal Plain League) in 2018, all while as a student at MU. While graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Sport Management, Bingham became a ballpark entertainment intern with the Woodpeckers and has quickly risen the ranks over the past five years.
“When I was in Methodist University’s Sport Management program, it encouraged me to do the internship at the ballpark,” said Bingham. “It helped me figure out what I didn’t like and what I did like, and that I wanted to work in sports. It helped me find my niche, and it made me feel like I belonged.”
Bingham is an example of why Methodist University’s on-campus bachelor’s degree in Sport Management is changing the game for anyone willing to put in the work.
Hands-On Experience
Handing out giveaways, helping fans to their seats, and organizing ballpark entertainment are just some of the tasks you can find MU students Ebersbach and Brouwer completing before the first pitch even takes place at a Woodpeckers game at Segra Stadium. During the game, you can find them running the entertainment between innings and fulfilling any tasks as deemed necessary by team leadership.
Both balance their part-time jobs for the Woodpeckers – gameday ambassador and ballpark entertainment associate, respectively – while prioritizing their full-time academic responsibilities at MU. For Ebersbach, the opportunity would not be possible without the help he received from Tom Inczauskis, director and associate professor of Sport Management at Methodist University.
“I was looking for a job in sports in the summer and he helped find me this job opening with the Woodpeckers,” said Ebersbach, who hails from Irwin, North Carolina, and is majoring in Marketing with a concentration in Sport Management. “He helped me apply, and I got the job.”
The ability for one-on-one discussions with instructors is one reason Brouwer selected Methodist University in the first place.
“I knew I wanted to work in the sports industry coming out of high school, and I knew MU had a great Sport Management program,” added Brouwer, who is from Charlotte and majoring in Business Management with a minor in Sport Management. “I’ve learned a lot from the classes, and it’s helped me learn about all of the different opportunities in the industry.”
What is Sport Management?
The on-campus, bachelor’s degree program is housed in MU’s Reeves School of Business – which is internationally accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) – and prepares students for the various careers available to a booming sports industry.
“All of the jobs in the business world that you think about like accounting, operations, and marketing all exist in the sports world,” said Inczauskis, who has been a head professional at three different golf facilities, assistant director of MU’s highly successful PGA Golf Management program (2005-22), and the head women’s golf coach from 2009 to 2022 – which included four Division III National Championships. “Our program finds out what sport(s) the students are interested in, explains to them what careers are available, and then shows them how they can find success in the field they choose.”
Although many jobs are included in sports – football, basketball, baseball, softball, soccer, golf, etc. – there is also a rise of non-traditional sports like adventure sports and e-sports.
“This program prepares students for the dynamic shifts in the sports industry while allowing them to gain the skill sets needed to secure jobs with teams, leagues, organizations, sports marketing firms, and media outlets.”
Proven Success
While Bingham, Brouwer, and Ebersbach are current cases of success for Methodist University’s Sport Management program, recent alumni have also worked for professional sports franchises like the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, NHL’s New Jersey Devils, USA Baseball, and more.
Inczauskis said one of the reasons many recent graduates and alumni find success in the professional sports industry is due to their experience before walking the graduation stage. Each Sport Management student is required to complete a semester-long internship that enables them to build connections with sports industry professionals.
Classes like Event Management allow students to learn the ins-and-outs of operating an event from DeeDee Jarman, MU’s deputy director of athletics and senior woman administrator.
“We have learning opportunities on and off campus each semester,” Inczauskis added. “Since we have athletic programs at the University, students are able to work with our athletics department to help run dozens of athletic events while earning academic credit.”
In-Classroom Growth
While the program’s staple is hands-on learning, it also prides itself on success in the classroom. Since the program sits in the Reeves School of Business, students have access to faculty with a wide range of expertise.
The program’s curriculum teaches important skills like accounting, management, economics, marketing, business law, facility management and operations, sales, administration, negotiation, human resources, and more.
“Billions of dollars are out there in the sports industry. People need to run these events and organizations. People need to operate them. People need to sell them,” said Inczuaskis. “While this prepares you for the sports business world, it also prepares you for any job in business – even outside of sports.”
A Lifelong Journey
Most of all, graduates of Sport Management end up walking with both a degree and a sense of belonging as they head into the post-college world.
“It’s been a great experience,” said Ebersbach. “Since this University is small, you’re able to build connections with all of your classmates and instructors. I feel like as I head into the workforce, there’s a good chance I’ll know somebody no matter where I go next.”
For Bingham, his years as a Monarch continue to fuel him as he makes his way up in the industry.
“Looking back at it, I’ve done a lot, and I’ve learned a lot during my time at Methodist University,” Bingham said. “It has been some of the best four years of my life and there’s a lot to be thankful for. It has really prepared me for the future and what is to come.”
To learn more or apply, visit the Sport Management program landing page.
