Textbook: None
Kelly Warren (’20) read the note above at the beginning of the 2019 Globalization of Sport syllabus. This was her first clue that this particular summer school class at Pepperdine University might be a little unconventional. Never mind that the course was hosted in London and taught by former Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti.
By this point in his college career, Warren had studied abroad in Jordan and Switzerland. She had already taken two courses with Colletti and completed an internship at the National Fitness Foundation in Washington, DC. In less than a year, she will be graduating from college and starting her career.
But before that, she had to complete this unusual course. This course did not include any of the trappings that are common in schools. There are no classrooms. There is no curriculum. There are no textbooks. But now, looking back, Warren, a corporate partnerships specialist who works for the Los Angeles Rams, considers that experience an integral part of his college education.
“I realized there were a lot of direct similarities between that class and what I do for a living,” she says. “It was my favorite course at Pepperdine, and I refer to it frequently for the knowledge I gained through that experience.”
Strengthening competitiveness
The Globalization of Sport course was introduced at Pepperdine’s London campus in 2019. Colletti, who has 40 years of experience working in Major League Baseball, designed and conducted the class in hopes of highlighting the experience of Seaver College’s sports management students.
kelly warren and her friends
Inspired by London’s blend of culture and sport, Colletti has developed a non-traditional course that focuses on real-world interactions rather than lectures and lessons. He arranges a series of meetings with local sports executives for each group of students. Throughout the history of the class, students have visited corporate offices such as Wimbledon, St. Andrews, Arsenal FC, Manchester City, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League (NFL), and Major League Baseball, just to name a few. Ta.
“London is an excellent headquarters for the Globalization of Sport course,” says Colletti. “Many sports that developed in North America have made their way to London, and at the same time many sports that were born in Europe and have become globally popular are now based in London. This is completely in line with the goals of my class. I believe we can keep our students away from competition.”
By interacting directly with key practitioners behind the scenes of sport, students gain a deeper understanding of how a career in athletics extends beyond the competitive side. They recognize that it takes a team of individuals, whether they are athletes, marketing executives or brand relations experts, to make sports their primary cultural touchstone. More than that, this rare and exclusive perspective on the world of athletics allows undergraduates to begin imagining how they might strive to make their major sport a purposeful career.
“This class expands students’ knowledge base about how things work,” Coletti explains. “Sports is a very attractive profession for many people. In this special course, students will learn how a set of specific sports organizations develop and grow their markets globally. This It gives students the opportunity to understand different perspectives and strategies on how to expand the scope of a business, the fundamentals of which are universal to how to grow any type of company.
student experience
Warren became interested in pursuing a career in sports management during high school. It started when she saw the diversity of Ball Arena in her hometown of Denver, Colorado. She attended various functions with her mother and saw the stadium change day by day. One night, it could become a hockey rink. The next day, it can be used as a basketball field. Concerts are sometimes held on weekends. Whatever the purpose, Warren was intrigued by the connecting power of this sports venue and wanted to be a part of it.
Following this passion led her to Pepperdine University. Student-Athlete in Track and Field — Warren chose Seaver College because of the variety of exciting places on campus. Although she was enthusiastic about studying abroad, she also knew that being on the main campus in the Los Angeles suburbs would allow her to interact and network with major sports teams.
The summer before his senior year, Warren flew across the Atlantic to get the best of both worlds. Studying with Colletti in London gave Warren and his classmates the opportunity to learn how major sports organizations run their businesses and why. While taking the course, she realized that working in the major sports markets was her calling.
“This class and Professor Colletti fueled my desire to work in top sports,” Warren says. “Through this experience, I learned that I didn’t want to work in a niche sport. I wanted to contribute to an organization that has a lot of fans.”
kelly warren and her friends
For Warren, this fascination with popular athletics begins and ends with the community. While in London, she witnessed how soccer fans formed bonds with each other while rooting for their favorite teams. She observed a commitment to traditions that unite generations of golfers, tennis players, and lovers of these sports with ancient origins. And she watched as America’s popular sports organizations sought to bridge the gap between the United States and Europe, uniting them through their respective sports.
Seeing the transformative impact of sports overseas inspired Warren to join in on the fun.
payback
After a series of internships and entry-level positions right out of college, Warren found a professional path that aligned with his goals. She began working in the Los Angeles Rams’ partnership office in 2022 and since joining the organization has been tasked with identifying potential brand partners and supporting the team’s international revenue generation.
“You need to understand which NFL teams have overseas marketing rights and where the NFL stands from an international perspective,” Warren says. “If I hadn’t had the opportunity to live in London and interact with the locals, I wouldn’t have understood how they view the game of professional football.”
After years away from classes without textbooks, Warren believes the unusual experiential nature of Ned Colletti’s Globalization of Sport course is a big factor in her success. In addition to motivating and inspiring her to pursue her passion, the opportunity to interact directly with organizations and employees shows the Seaver College graduate that athletics extends beyond athletes, coaches, general managers, and team presidents. He told me. She learned that it takes a community of people to make athletics what it is meant to be. Most importantly, Warren recognized that he had a role to play in this process.
“Kelly is a wonderful person and the way she manages her career makes her a great representative for our family and Pepperdine University,” Coletti says, remembering her former student. “Now I send my students to Kelly so they can learn from her wisdom and experience. She has followed that path and has already achieved success.”
For more information about the Globalization of Sport course, please visit Pepperdine University’s International Programs website.