The focus program in sports communication brings the revolutionary commercial world of sports to students, while allowing them to confront the extraordinary changes occurring in sports. This knowledge will assist them in the pursuit of competitive jobs in the sports industry and give them a unique perspective on many of the fundamental dilemmas of our time.
This program not only equips students with the skills needed to excel in sports reporting, broadcasting, marketing and public relations but also connects them with a robust network of alumni and professionals who have made significant impacts in the sports industry.
The sports communication program is designed to accommodate students across specializations and areas of study. It aims to lead the nation in educating young practitioners about important issues of sports in the United States and beyond.
The school has long realized the growing importance of sports communication. The school launched the sports communication focus program in 2002, headed by Professor Emeritus John Sweeney and funded by a $1 million anonymous grant.
The focus program in sports communication is available for current UNC undergraduate students. Interested students may contact Program Director Professor Livis Freeman at lfreeman@email.unc.edu for more information.
Students can explore courses focused on sports broadcasting, marketing and reporting. To complete the sports communication program, students must contact Director Livis Freeman and complete three of the following six courses:
In this course students will produce a weekly sports highlights, analysis and commentary program for distribution via social media. Students fill all editorial, field production and studio production positions.
Examination of organizations involved in the sports communication field, including publishing, team and league media relations, college sports information offices, broadcasting and advertising. Previously offered as MEJO 377.
Students will learn about the production of events, the technical side that makes it happen and all the business deals behind the scenes that generate billions in revenue. Regular guest speakers will add to the learning environment.
This course provides hands-on experience in analyzing and visualizing sports data for storytelling and strategic communication. Students will master industry-standard tools like Tableau, DataWrapper and Flourish, as well as programming languages such as R, to create publication-quality visualizations for digital and print media. Through workshops, independent projects and portfolio development, students will learn to transform complex sports statistics into compelling narratives for journalism, marketing and analytics applications. No prior data experience is required.
This advanced skills-based course provides immersive, hands-on experience in sports broadcasting and play-by-play commentary through live game coverage across multiple UNC athletic programs. Taught by Matt Krause, professional broadcaster and current voice of UNC women’s basketball on the Tar Heel Sports Network and ACC Network, the course combines classroom instruction with real-world broadcasting opportunities including women’s softball, soccer, volleyball, field hockey and lacrosse, as well as men’s soccer and lacrosse, with shadowing opportunities for men’s and women’s basketball. Students will develop professional-ready skills in real-time commentary, game preparation, research and storytelling while building industry-standard portfolios and establishing valuable connections within the sports media industry. Limited to 10 students to ensure individualized mentorship and maximize hands-on broadcasting time.
Researching and writing sports stories, including game coverage, magazine features and opinion columns. Students complete reporting and writing exercises inside and outside of the classroom.
Examines the range of promotional techniques being used in the modern sports industry. Topics include sponsorships, strategic communication, merchandising and the effects of commercialization. Previously offered as MEJO 376.
Permission of the instructor. Ethical dilemmas and decisions in the commercialization and coverage of sports, including the influence of television, pressure to change traditions and standards for monetary reasons, and negative influences on athletes.
This is an advanced, special topics skills-based course designed to provide junior and senior media and journalism majors with immersive, hands-on experience in the sports event management and hospitality industry. As a valuable addition to the school’s sports communication program, this course will serve students pursuing both journalism and strategic communication paths. Through a unique partnership with On Location, a premier experiential hospitality provider, students could gain unprecedented access to major sporting events and develop practical skills in event management, client services and hospitality operations.
Distinguished Associate Professor of Sports Communication
Assistant Dean for Course Management and Staffing
Carroll 226
Aidan Myers ’24 has always been interested in what makes the sports industry into the successful business operation that it is. He doesn’t really see himself as a sports analyst or broadcast anchor, but as a general sports fan, he’s fascinated by what goes on behind the scenes of company or athlete branding — making the sports communication program a perfect fit.
“In terms of the background story, or how a player is helping their local community or something like that — that’s interesting to me,” Myers said.
In his Ethical Issues and Sports Communication class (MEJO 476) last semester, Myers and his classmates worked with college football’s Capital One Orange Bowl on ways to help improve their community outreach strategy and amplify the ways that they’re giving back.
The class presented their work to representatives from the Orange Bowl at the end of the semester.
“Sometimes I feel like in classes, especially with lectures, they look to emphasize what you know, instead of what you can do,” Myers said. “And so, in this type of class, I think I appreciate more emphasis on the quality of work that’s being produced instead of just the breadth of knowledge that you have.”
