Capital Sport Business Students Gain Hands-On Experience at Super Bowl LIX

As millions watched the Philadelphia Eagles take home the Vince Lombardi Trophy at Super Bowl LIX, two Capital students were behind the scenes at one of the biggest sporting events in the world. For the sport business students, the big game wasn’t just about football, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to network, build skills, and be part of sports history.

Abby Brunner and Trevor Shook worked inside Caesars Superdome as part of the NFL’s Teammates Program, gaining invaluable experience working events during Super Bowl week and having a unique opportunity to see firsthand the immense coordination and effort it takes to execute North America’s biggest sporting event.

Abby Brunner ‘26
Accounting, Sport Business 

My Superbowl experience was one to remember. The first two days we got to work the Super Bowl Fan Experience that featured interactive games and autograph signings from players. Many players stopped by the Experience, such as Chris Olave and Tyreek Hill. At the Experience, I got to interact with fans at some of the games and helped scan them into the lines. While doing this and chatting to some of the people in line, I was able to gain connections and hopefully help enhance the experience for the fans. It really made me appreciate the magnitude of this singular sporting event and what impact it has on the sports fan community. This is an experience that football fans in general will remember for the rest of their lives. I know I will! 

On Sunday, we got to work the Super Bowl game and were located inside the Caesars Superdome on the fifth floor. Our job was to help direct people to their sections as quickly and efficiently as possible and answer any questions they may have. I was stationed by the wall that also led down to the VIP suites. There was also a section right next to us where we could walk out and peek to check on the game every now and again. I also got a brief view of the halftime show, as well. Working next to the suites I was able to help direct people such as Guy Fieri, Hoda Kotb, and Safiya Nygaard so they got to see all of the planned events. When standing at my post I also saw someone with a Columbus Blue Jackets jacket on and told them I liked their jacket. It actually turned out to be the president of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Don Waddell! We got to talk for a bit, and he was super nice. I enjoyed the hometown connection, and I hope he did as well. Toward the end of the game, we were able to walk out and watch some of the game and stop at the NFL store on the way back to HQ. Overall, this was a great experience with lots of customer interface and opportunities to build relationships, as well as an appreciation for the complexity of a sporting event of this size. 

Trevor Shook ‘26
Business Management, Sport Business 

Being part of the sport business minor program here at Capital, I was presented with the opportunity to take a deep dive into the sport business word by working at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Louisiana. The trip was five days long, with Thursday and Monday being travel days, and three days of working events in between. Friday consisted of an in-person training at Caesars Superdome for the game day shift, followed by the Super Bowl Experience at the convention center. The Super Bowl Experience is an event where fans can experience everything NFL from viewing players jerseys, cleats, helmets, to taking a picture with the Vince Lombardi Trophy, to getting autographs from players, to participating in events like the 40-yard dash, bench press, catching punts, running back drills, throwing drills, etc. I had no idea something like this even existed, let alone was a major multiday event in which over 65,000 fans attended. I worked in the activities both days and while the job was simple and very repetitive, being able to talk to the joyous fans about football all afternoon and evening made the job rewarding.

The highlight of the trip was definitely game day. I was privileged with the position of stadium fan services on the 500 level. Before the game, we were able to hang out in the stadium for about two hours to just take it all in. Being inside Caesars Superdome at such a major event was breathtaking and the atmosphere was amazing to say the least. When the fans started entering, we were busy wayfinding, which is directing fans to find their seat sections, restrooms, concessions, the NFL shop, and just around the stadium in general. This is such a simple task yet one that takes hundreds of employees to do to ensure a positive experience for the fans and to manage crowd control. Again, being able to talk to so many excited fans was very rewarding. It was very eye opening seeing everything that goes into putting on one of the biggest sporting events in the world, and being able to be part of it was such a phenomenal experience which I am extremely grateful for.

Sport Business at Capital 

Starting in fall 2025, Capital University will launch a new Sport Business major. Through the project-based curriculum, students will work with live-client projects with experiences in Columbus, Ohio, a city with many professional sports opportunities. Home to the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, MLS’s Columbus Crew, and a strong collegiate and minor league presence, Columbus offers students unparalleled access to real-world opportunities in the sports industry.

“Capital University’s new B.A. in Sport Business program is designed to meet the demands of a $600 billion global industry by offering a curriculum that blends business fundamentals with the unique challenges of sport management,” said Justin Kozubal, assistant professor and program chair of sport business. “With faculty who bring decades of professional experience, we’re providing students with unparalleled opportunities to engage in hands-on learning and build the skills they need to stand out in this competitive field.”