JOHN E. SIMON SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Maryville University | St. Louis, MO | 2020 PARTNERING TO CREATE A NEW CLASS OF THE FINEST IN THE FIELD™ IN THE BIG NET GOALS: DEVELOPING ESPORTS COMPETITIONS LEAGUES: FOR THE ST. LOUIS BLUES Providing opportunities for students and individuals, ultimately exceeding work goes into creating something from PROVIDING to work directly with sport business participation goals. nothing and trying to get people to adopt professionals is a vital feature of the “In cooperation with the St. Louis Blues, a new and innovative idea.” Maryville University Rawlings Sport Maryville students were responsible Haley Akihiro, sophomore, served as Business Management program. for complete execution of the athletic a tournament manager and worked with The innovative Blues Gaming NHL20 competitions,” says Larry Albus, instructor. high school team representatives. She Showdown, held last spring, is no “Our sport business management hopes to leverage her experience in the INDUSTRY- exception. Students were highly involved classes have always involved content areas of corporate sponsorship or finance with Blues executives throughout the supported by group work on outside after graduation. esports competitions, from initial viability projects. This is a clear example of the “We worked closely with the Blues research to final implementation. valuable, intensive learning our approach staff, and I learned a lot about how their “The Blues Esports Project was a great provides for students.” organization works and what their goals VALUED hands-on learning experience for me With development tasks wrapped up, are,” Akihiro says. “I learned about all of and my classmates,” says Blake Anselm, students moved into roles as tournament the things you have to consider when you junior. “We were part of every stage of managers and team representatives. They are a professional sport team and running STUDENTS SHOW LEADERSHIP, the process, spending eighteen months also created brackets and posted results an event that may not seem typical.” COLLABORATION, AND DETERMINATION IN collecting data, doing research, and to the website. REAL-WORLD RESEARCH ROLES creating something unique to the Blues.” “It was incredibly exciting and RESEARCH In 2019, when the St. Louis Blues rewarding to see the project come to decided to follow the NHL’s lead and fruition,” says Anselm. “We learned RSBM students spent the year working alongside top executives explore ways to engage an exploding firsthand about how much time and hard of professional sport organizations to complete research base of young esports fans, the franchise projects with real-world significance. The payoff for students turned to Maryville students for help. is extraordinary experiential learning — and repeat clients who As a Sport Promotions class project, highly value their work. students researched types of events, “Every semester, our students collaborate on industry-valued potential partnerships, event venues, research projects for sports organizations eager for their results,” and promotional activities. Successive says Jason Williams, EdD, director of the Rawlings Sport Business classes in promotions and Corporate Management program. “As the work becomes more complex in Sponsorship followed through on that this rapidly changing marketplace, students consistently step up research, culminating in Spring to the plate and hit home runs.” 2020 competitions. And as each new project wraps up, Williams says, organizations During the spring semester, as the are waiting on deck with new research challenges to engage Covid-19 pandemic closed classrooms Maryville students. across the country, Maryville University During the 2019-2020 school year, students worked primarily courses were completed online. The new with the St. Louis Blues, the St. Louis Cardinals and Rawlings format complemented the work RSBM Sporting Goods. Among other projects, students were tasked students were doing with the St. Louis with research involving esports competitions, customer service Blues. In twice weekly virtual meetings, assessments, and major sponsorship valuations. students connected with Blues corporate This year, second-phase opportunities have opened up with teams to finalize the Blues Gaming those same organizations as well as a new project with World NHL20 Showdown. There was a lot to Wide Technology Raceway. In addition, Rawlings has challenged map out, because the event involved students to research the added value of becoming an official two simultaneous esports competitions sponsor of Major League Baseball. held over a three-week period — one for high school teams and one for individual play. Meanwhile, students reached out to regional high schools to recruit teams 2 | | 3 RESEARCH CLASSES EXCEL IN CHANGING ENVIRONMENT STUDENTS ENGAGE IN FOCUS GROUPS, VIRTUAL MEETINGS, ONLINE SURVEYS Students in the 2019-2020 Rawlings “Following each research effort, we Those same players participated in those, which are most in demand? — and Market Research and Development presented our findings to Rawlings focus groups that addressed a wide range created an online research process to classes explored new survey methods executives in a Zoom meeting,” Schmidt of topics. meet the task. and faced unique challenges related to says. “There were up to 20 people on “It was the first time we’d done focus “Rawlings is largely focused on baseball the pandemic environment. In the final the call, and they asked questions of groups, and it was challenging,” says and is the best custom glove builder on analysis, they exceeded expectations — by students as if they were the experts, Schmidt. “Ultimately, the information the market, but what other custom gear a long shot. asking for their ideas and reactions. It students obtained was highly valuable to might they consider promoting? That In a typical year, students attend softball was distance learning at its best.” the Rawlings product development team.” was our challenge,” Schmidt says. “We and baseball tournaments to survey Players in each group were asked considered a lot of options — gloves, players and coaches about a featured Product Testing and Focus Groups questions designed to help Rawlings apparel, bags, catcher’s equipment, product, analyze the data collected, For on-site product testing, students took better understand their customers, helmets, shoes, phone cases, and more.” then present their findings to a Rawlings the Rawlings Mantra bat to a showcase such as: Do you bat right or left? What Because local high school baseball executive team. tournament held in St. Louis that involves sport products do you use? What are teams were sidelined, students adjusted Last fall, however, along with traditional over 100 elite softball teams from around your favorite, and least favorite, colors? to the new reality by designing an field work, students successfully engaged the country. Maryville students reached What type of music do you listen to? email survey sent to an organization for WITH LIMITED EXPERIENCE IN in a new research method — focus groups. out to coaches and identified more than The data collected from such questions elite players. In the spring, restricted by the COVID-19 150 players willing to participate in a helps Rawlings make important design Morgan McKinnies, sophomore, who interruption mid-semester, students blind bat test at the nearby Rawlings decisions as well as create appealing ads. wants to be head of operations for a RESEARCH GOING INTO THESE adapted and continued their research via Tech Center. Students analyzed the focus group sports organization someday, researched email surveys and virtual meetings. data and presented their findings to a helmet customization and helped Rawlings executive panel that included develop new product ideas. PROJECTS, OUR STUDENTS the chief operating officer and marketing “This experience helped me see how and product development directors. data can be used to build your brand Rainy weather over the tournament awareness and compete in the market,” CONSISTENTLY STEP UP TO THE weekend meant some teams who had she says. “Throughout this process, we agreed to participate in the surveys and sifted through thousands of responses testing left St. Louis early, recalls Taylor regarding customization, and we applied PLATE AND PROVIDE RAWLINGS Shingler, junior. Luckily, she says, back- that data to our recommended products up teams had been identified early and features.” WITH MEANINGFUL RESULTS. on, and the researchers adjusted to This is one of the first courses accommodate as many teams and players students take in the program, says as possible. Schmidt, and every class is dedicated to “In sports, there are always changing project planning. scenarios so being flexible is crucial,” “With limited experience in research she says. “The project as a whole would going into these projects, our students not have been possible without the class consistently step up to the plate and working together through every step.” provide Rawlings with meaningful results,” Schmidt says. “We say this all the time, Customized Product Research because it’s true — we have a graduate The spring semester unfolded much program at the undergraduate level.” differently than in previous years because of Covid-19 restrictions. Students were asked to explore custom sports gear — what products can be customized, and of 4 | | 5 TICKET SELLERS FOR THE WIN: ASSESSING CUSTOMER SERVICE For the St. Louis Cardinals, the first pitch was the seller on a cell phone? Were