Second-year Oregon MBA students from the Warsaw Sports Business Center arrived in St. Louis on February 22, ready to compete. This year marked the 30th anniversary of the Sports Business Journal (SBJ) National Sports Forum (NSF), one of the most influential gatherings in the sports business industry.
For Oregon, the NSF Case Cup Competition has become an annual tentpole moment. Over the past fifteen years, the program has earned ten top-three finishes and five national titles.
"It is an immersive learning lab," said Lauren Anderson, Director of the Warsaw Sports Business Center. "It is also an important opportunity to showcase the skills of our MBAs."
This year, the Ducks brought home another national championship thanks to the creativity and execution of Sydney Hennessy, Spence Berman, Vincent "Vinny" Mestler, and Jeremiah "Jerry" Quan. Each student contributed a different area of expertise, from international experience and sports tech entrepreneurship to data-driven analysis and creative strategy.
The case dropped at 9:00 a.m., and challenged teams to help the LA Kings enhance company value through innovative fan experience initiatives. The Oregon team jumped immediately into a fast 24-hour sprint. It reflects what real work looks like. Projects arrive quickly, deadlines are firm, and the task is to figure it out.
Ideation proved the hardest phase.
"We had to get really clear on our goal," Quan said. "Once we nailed that, everything else fell into place."
The team worked late into the night and built a strategic 12-month roadmap that was ambitious yet realistic, and ready for immediate execution. They proposed a plan to build stronger ties with Hispanic fans by having three games, from announcements to intermission activations, entirely in Spanish and partnering with Duolingo.
"Our classes prepared us well," Hennessy said. "We pulled insights from our finance, marketing, and sponsorship classes, and then combined them into one coherent presentation."
Their storytelling and delivery set them apart.
"We answered every question confidently and directly," Berman said. "That clarity was our differentiator."
Oregon advanced to the finals with Boston College and Deakin University (Australia) and secured its fifth national title, the most of any program.
"It was so rewarding," Hennessy said. "We proved we could work under pressure and build something strong in 24 hours. Everyone on the team grew as creatives."
The competition was only the beginning. Case Cup students are the only full-time students allowed to attend the forum, giving the Ducks unique access to leaders from leagues, teams, networks, and agencies. Oregon alumni introduced them to colleagues, and professionals offered career advice and job leads.
Plus, with tours of Busch Stadium and meetings with the St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis City FC, and the St. Louis Blues, the week blended competition with hands-on industry exposure.
Anderson captured the spirit of the experience best.
"What I love most about the competition is watching students recognize in themselves what we already see in them," she said.
—Megan Jessup-Varnum, Lundquist College Communications