Arthur H. Hertz Endowed Professorship in Sports Tourism at St. Thomas University: Changing the Local Sports Industry

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Oct 28, 2014, 04:29 ET

MIAMI, Oct. 28, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This Sunday, November 2, 2014, at the annual Bobcat Athletics Stone Crab Dinner, St. Thomas University (www.stu.edu) will be recognizing two extraordinary individuals who have changed our sports industry: Arthur Hertz and Dr. Jan Bell.

Hertz, the Chairman and CEO of Wometco Enterprises, has generously donated $500,000 to establish the Arthur H. Hertz Endowed Professorship in Sports Tourism at St. Thomas University. A long-time business and civic leader, Hertz has been President of the Orange Bowl Committee, Chair of Visit Florida and Chairman of the Dade County Public Health Trust. His donation and vision allows St. Thomas to expand its Sports Administration Program internationally – widening to events such as the FIFA Cup and the Olympics. "I am very pleased to help St. Thomas University reach another level in their expertise in the field of Sports Administration," said Mr. Hertz.

According to Street and Smith's Sports Business Journal, the sports industry is the sixth largest in the nation. Sports Tourism is the fastest growing sector in the global travel and tourism industry, accounting in 2010 for +14% of overall travel and tourism receipts (World Sport Destination Expo statistic). The South Florida sports environment provides a natural laboratory setting for students to obtain valuable experience while pursuing their degrees. South Florida has one of the largest and most diverse sports industry clusters in the United States. There are four national sports franchises (NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL); NASCAR; PGA and LPGA; Sony Ericsson Tennis; and more than ten University athletic programs. Additionally, there are major sporting events/institutions ranging from the Orange Bowl Committee to the Bacardi Cup Regatta to the ING Miami Marathon. The annual economic impact is in the billions – a cross section sampling includes $200 million generated by the Orange Bowl; $463 million by the Super Bowl; and $165 million by the Miami-Dade Sports Commission.

The escalating prominence of sports in society is prompting a seismic shift in world tourism patterns. Sports Tourism is transformative to a country's economy and image. At this juncture, the St. Thomas University School of Business is in the process of launching the Institute for Sports Administration (IFSA). Because of the Spo Ad Program's long history of success, exceptional alumni base and strong areas of competencies, St. Thomas University is developing the Program into an Institute. The IFSA will offer undergraduate and graduate degrees as well as certificate and non-credit courses. It will also expand to meet the continuing instructional needs of sports industry professionals. There will be a strong research component and ongoing educational forums with national experts in the field.

As sports industry major league team players join the South Florida business elite, St. Thomas University President, Trustees, and academic leadership this Sunday for an "All You Can Eat" feast, Dr. Jan Bell will be inducted to the Bobcat Sports Hall of Fame. Dr. Bell has led St. Thomas' Sports Administration Program for 30 years and has made it one of the top programs in the nation. With close to 1700 successful alumni, St. Thomas's Sports Administration Program counts amongst its graduates 150 top level sports industry executives and more than 50 university athletic directors.

The Bobcat Athletics Stone Crab Dinner is the annual fundraiser for St. Thomas's Athletics Department. The wait staff will be the University's student-athletes – more than half of them are undergraduate Sports Administration majors. They are outstanding young men and women both athletically and academically. These young leaders have the highest average GPA at the University. The atmosphere is fun and casual, with a "tropical" dress code, not chic. Attendees will get the complete "Joe Stone Crab" experience, except it's in the University's Fernandez Family Athletic Center. To purchase tables/tickets interested party can go online: www.stu.edu/stonecrabdinner.

About St. Thomas University Sports Administration Program:

In 1973 St. Thomas University pioneered the first undergraduate Sports Administration (Spo Ad) Program, which received program approval by the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM). Developed by a group of nationally known sports executives, the Sports Administration program blends liberal arts, business and sports administration courses in a curriculum designed to prepare graduates for management positions with college and school athletic programs, professional sports organizations, community and private fitness and recreation programs, and multipurpose facilities.

Presently, the Spo Ad Program offers both a B.A. and a B.B.A. in Sports Administration and on the graduate level an M.S. in Sports Administration; an M.B.A. with a specialization in Sports Administration; and the joint degrees of a J.D./M.B.A. or a J.D./M.S. Additionally, the SPOAD Program offers a 12-hour graduate certificate for those with bachelor's degrees who wish to acquire specific skills in the area of sports management.

St. Thomas University's Spo Ad Program is considered one of the top programs in the nation. Many of the 1500 successful STU Spo Ad Alumni work in the sports industry throughout the nation and the world, with over 50 Athletic Directors at Universities and more than 100 top level executives with sports franchises. STU alumni sports industry leaders include top executives in professional and college sports, stadium operations, sports marketing, sports journalism and athlete representation.

The Institute for Sports Administration aspires to become the national leader in the development of sports professionals who are transformative in their approach to their industry. Integral to this vision is the globalization of sports. With the development of the Institute, key areas of study will be introduced. Expanded majors/specializations will include fields such as Sports Tourism, Sports Marketing (emphasizing the new social media) and Sports Analytics. To implement these areas of study, the IFSA will recruit part-time and full-time faculty who are outstanding experts in their disciplines. They will be supported in their research and publishing by the IFSA.

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