Southern Miss Sport Management Students Partner with Mississippi Mud Monsters for Career-Focused Learning Opportunity
Mon, 07/14/2025 - 12:36am | By: Jennifer Rigney
Graduate students in The University of Southern Mississippi’s (USM) Sport Management program gained real-world experience last spring through a hands-on collaboration with the Mississippi Mud Monsters, a newly established professional independent minor league baseball team based in Pearl, Miss.
As part of the SM 642 Sport Venue and Event Management course, students worked directly with the Mud Monsters front office to develop a game-day operations plan for a late-summer home game. The partnership gave students a unique opportunity to apply classroom concepts to an actual sporting event, closely reflecting the challenges and expectations of working in the sports industry.
The Mud Monsters, members of the Frontier League—a professional league with more than 30 years of history—were established in fall 2024 following the departure of the Mississippi Braves. Since their formation, the organization has built its identity from the ground up, including branding, ticketing, marketing, merchandising and fan engagement. The team made its debut at Trustmark Park in May.
Working under the guidance of Dr. Chris Croft, associate professor of sport management, students collaborated with Mississippi Mud Monsters General Manager Andrew Seymour to develop comprehensive proposals that included game-day previews, event operations, marketing and promotional strategies, and social media campaigns. Students were provided with real sponsor guidelines and audience demographics to align their ideas with the team’s objectives.
Mississippi Mud Monsters General Manager Andrew Seymour and Southern Miss Associate Professor of Sport Management Dr. Chris Croft
“We are very grateful for the partnership with the Southern Miss Sport Management program,” said Seymour. “It was a great opportunity for us to share the Mud Monsters’ vision and brand with the students. We are currently reviewing their project materials and looking to incorporate several ideas into our late-season event.”
Seymour also served as a featured panelist during the program’s Sport Management Symposium last March. He returned later that day for the event’s career fair, accompanied by team staff members Keith Wilson, operations manager, and Macy Worstell, marketing and retail manager. The visit gave students direct access to sports industry professionals and networking opportunities.
“This was an outstanding opportunity for our graduate students to engage with a new professional sports organization and contribute to an actual event,” said Croft. “We deeply appreciate Andrew Seymour and his team for their time and mentorship. I know many of our students are now Mud Monsters fans and are excited to attend games this summer.”
The Sport Management program at Southern Miss is nationally and internationally recognized for its commitment to applied learning and industry engagement. Faculty have experience working with major organizations such as the NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAA and PGA. The program’s strong professional network and focus on real-world application ensure graduates are prepared to thrive in competitive careers across sports, events and entertainment.
For more information about the Southern Miss Sport Management program, visit Sport Management - Master's | Graduate Programs | The University of Southern Mississippi.
Click here to learn more about the Mississippi Mud Monsters.