For two days in November, Columbia became the unofficial center of the world of sport and entertainment management.

Atlantic Coast Commissioner James Phillips and Savannah Bananas Owner Emily Cole led an all-star lineup of speakers and presenters at the 2024 Sport, Entertainment and Venues Tomorrow (SEVT) Conference, hosted by the University of South Carolina's Department of Sport and Entertainment Management. The conference, celebrating its 25th year, gathers industry professionals, university teaching faculty and researchers from around the world and hundreds of college students eager to discuss and explore the present and future of their field.

Phillips took the stage in front of a packed auditorium to be interviewed by Taylor Tannebaum of the ACC Network. He also took questions from the audience, addressing topics including NIL, the college football playoff, the shifting conference landscape and other big issues in college athletics. He also focused on offering advice to the students who made up the majority of the audience, encouraging them to take advantage of opportunities in the growing world of sport and entertainment management to achieve their goals.

"Dig deep in your heart. Know what makes you happy and go get it. Go chase those dreams," he said. 

South Carolina Department of Sport and Entertainment Management Chair Matt Brown presented Phillips with the SEVT Lifetime Achievement in Sport and Entertainment Management Award, in recognition of the commissioner’s more than three decades in NCAA Division I athletics. Phillips has led the ACC in moving its headquarters to Charlotte, welcoming three new members in 2024, expanding its partnership with Disney and ESPN and much more, all while maintaining a standard of athletic and academic excellence.

Brown also presented the SEVT Pioneer in Sport and Entertainment Award to Emily Cole, who attracted an equally large crowd for her interview with Professor Todd Koesters.

Cole and her husband Jesse built the Bananas first as a successful collegiate summer league baseball team. They then transformed the team to focus on "Banana Ball." The team now tours the country for Banana Ball exhibitions, selling out major league as well as minor league stadiums. The Bananas have been featured on ESPN and in countless other media outlets, and have become a pop culture and social media phenomenon. The team has more than 8.9 million TikTok followers, more than any MLB team. 

For all her success, Cole sees her career and the team as still in the "first inning," as she told the audience. She also shared her experience with Bananas Foster, the nonprofit dedicated to celebrating the foster care community and inspiring others to get involved. Cole and her husband are foster parents. 

After Cole’s onstage appearance, a long line of students formed to meet and talk one-on-one with her, and she happily made time for them all.

The featured speaker at the SEVT awards luncheon was Oak View Group President International Sam Piccione III. Piccione, a South Carolina Department of Sport and Entertainment Management alumnus, spoke about the future of the ever-evolving world of sport and entertainment venues, an area where Oak View Group is a preeminent leader.

The conference also included numerous academic panels and research presentations, as well as a case cup competition won by University of Oklahoma students.

On Friday morning, the focus shifted to the future for the students. More than 50 teams, venues and organizations and more than 550 students were on hand for the SEVT Career and Internship Fair, sponsored by Contemporary Services Corporation (CSC). In a reflection of the success of the conference and the program, several South Carolina Sport and Entertainment Management alumni were among the recruiters looking to hire  the next generation of leaders. 

"The 2024 SEVT Conference was a resounding success, bringing together students, industry leaders, innovators, and faculty to share insights and drive the future of the sport, entertainment, and venue industries," said Brown.

At the University of South Carolina, working  for higher and higher levels of excellence is a constant. While thrilled with the success of the 2024 SEVT Conference, faculty and staff are already working on ideas to top it in 2025.

• 

  Emily Cole

  SEVT Pioneer in Sport and Entertainment Award

• 

  James Phillips

  SEVT Lifetime Achievement in Sport and Entertainment Management Award