On April 3rd, the University of Oklahoma Sports Business Association welcomed OU students, faculty in the Price College of Business, and representatives from around OU Athletics to a speaker panel and banquet titled “Global Games on a Local Stage: LA28 in OKC. This was the SBA’s second annual event focused on Oklahoma City being announced as the host city for softball and canoe slalom during the 2028 Summer Olympics, showcasing the University of Oklahoma’s commitment to aligning with the Olympic movement as we get closer to the upcoming Olympic games.

During the event, attendees got the chance to hear about the city’s plans to manage the influx of hundreds of thousands of people into the OKC metro, as well as how Olympic events will be run in OKC’s local venues. Our speakers also made it clear that OU students will have the opportunity to volunteer during the games to ensure that these events are a successful and leave a strong legacy for OKC.

Special thanks to our speakers:

Michael Byrnes: President of Team OKC
Capt. Audrea George: Head of Security for OKC Special Events
Sue Hollenbeck: OKC Special Projects Manager

Following the event, students had the opportunity to connect with the speakers and ask questions about the industry, the future, and opportunities to help. A few quotes from our students:

“ I walked away from this event with a much deeper appreciation for everything it takes to coordinate major events like this. It made the opportunities in sports business feel more tangible than ever.”

-Isaac Schmitz, SBA Director of Advancement & Strategic Partnerships, Class of 2029

“Events like this are exactly why I joined the SBA. Being able to hear from industry leaders and learn about something as impactful as the Olympics coming to OKC is an opportunity you can’t replicate in a classroom setting.”

-Todd Anthony, SBA Member, Class of 2026

“It’s not often you get to learn directly from people shaping something this big. This event was a very special opportunity.”

-Jadyn James, SBA Digital Operations Chair, Class of 2027

“Given that Michael Byrnes is the President of Team OKC and was formerly the GM of the OKC Comets, he is a great person to learn about sports business in OKC from.”

-Valeria Aguilar, SBA Member, Class of 2028

“It is clear that the future of sports business in Oklahoma is brighter than ever!”

-Tim Sullivan, Former SBA President, Class of 2026

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