University of North Texas 
MBA In Sport Entertainment Management Frisco Cohort
About the Program
Are you ready to be a business leader in the sport entertainment industry? This specialized, 36-credit hour MBA offers students a direct pathway to careers in professional sports entertainment. The program is continuously informed by the dynamic sport ecosystem in Frisco, Texas, and incorporates collaborative projects with established partners such as the Dallas Cowboys, Stadia Ventures, and the PGA of America. Designed to be both transformative and adaptable, the curriculum prepares students to become forward-thinking leaders equipped to create opportunities in the sport entertainment landscape.
The program welcomes students from all backgrounds who are ready to take the next step in their careers. Guided by world-class faculty and industry executives, students gain real-time exposure to best practices, industry insights, and case studies from leading sport entertainment organizations across the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. These include the Dallas Cowboys, PGA of America, Dallas Mavericks, FC Dallas, Dallas Stars, Stadia Ventures, Learfield, and Topgolf, among others. Throughout the program, students engage directly with these organizations, working on semester-long projects that address contemporary industry challenges. These projects may involve developing partnership strategies, analyzing social media performance, designing employee training programs, creating international brand campaigns, or supporting event operations.
The curriculum blends core business knowledge with specialized sport industry experience. Students complete foundational coursework in management, marketing, finance, accounting, strategy, and decision-making while also engaging in sport-focused classes that emphasize applied learning. All sport concentration courses are delivered in collaboration with industry partners, allowing students to work directly with organizations and apply their learning in practical settings.
The learning environment is interactive and discussion-based, with less emphasis on traditional lectures. Students complete online learning materials and then meet weekly for in-person sessions focused on discussion, case analysis, and collaboration. Guest speakers from across the sport industry regularly participate, providing valuable perspectives and networking opportunities. This structure encourages deeper engagement with course material while helping students build professional connections. The program concludes with a capstone consulting project in which each student works independently with an industry client to solve a real business challenge. This experience is designed to strengthen problem-solving skills and provide tangible, career-ready experience.
Graduates of the program are currently employed by the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks, FC Dallas, Texas Rangers, Dallas Stars, Learfield HQ, Topgolf HQ, Wasserman, San Antonio Spurs, Austin FC, Texas Legends, and the YMCA, among many others.
Questions? Contact the Graduate Programs Office at RCoBMasters@unt.edu for more information.
Course Requirements
The program consists of 36 credit hours and is delivered in a hybrid format. Students complete coursework online through a variety of learning formats and meet weekly to discuss the material with faculty, guest speakers, and industry clients. The curriculum includes 12 courses in total, made up of six core MBA courses and six sport business concentration courses.
Core MBA Courses
- ACCT 5130 – Accounting for Management
- DSCI 5180 – Analytics Foundations for Business
- FINA 5170 – Financial Management
- MGMT 5140 – Organizational Behavior and Analysis
- SENM 5150 – Marketing Practices in the Sport Entertainment Industry
- SENM 5495 – Business Planning (Capstone)
Sport Concentration Courses
- DSCI 5400 – Sport Business Analytics for Strategic Performance and Decision-Making
- SENM 5001 – Career Prep for the Sport Entertainment Industry (0-credit hour course)
- SENM 5200 – Sport Venue and Event Operations
- SENM 5261 – Corporate Partnerships in the Sport Entertainment Industry
- SENM 5262 – International Brand Strategies in the Sport Entertainment Industry
- SENM 5401 – Talent Management in the Sport Entertainment Industry
- SENM 5490 – Consulting for the Sport Entertainment Industry
Educate
Core business content, grounded in business theory, reflected in business practice,
deployed by business faculty and sport entertainment executives.
Prepare
Applied, competency training through project and case learning, immersive experiences,
and experiential activities.
Inspire
Captivating insights from top executives and business faculty help advance thought
leadership and unlock creative potential.
Connect
Unparalleled access to sport industry executives and peers to build network capacity.
The Network and Location
Formal partnerships with the Dallas Cowboys, the PGA of America, and Stadia Ventures, combined with strong relationships across the Dallas–Fort Worth sports landscape, bring this one-of-a-kind degree to life. Students benefit from direct engagement with organizations such as the Dallas Mavericks, FC Dallas, the Dallas Sports Commission, Learfield headquarters, the Texas Rangers, Topgolf headquarters, and numerous minor league franchises, creating meaningful, hands-on learning experiences throughout the program.
UNT Frisco
Classes are offered at UNT Frisco, located in the center of one of the most dynamic
sport and entertainment markets in the country. This location gives students direct
access to industry opportunities and professional networks. Many students take on
part-time or full-time roles while completing the program, benefiting from the close
proximity to leading sport organizations.
Unmatched Industry Access
Unparalleled relationships with leading sport and entertainment organizations
across the Dallas–Fort Worth area create meaningful, hands-on opportunities for students.
These connections lead to frequent guest speakers, real-world class and student projects,
case studies, volunteer experiences, internships, and career opportunities throughout
the program.
Center of Opportunity
Situated in one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States,
the program benefits from proximity to a vibrant business hub that is home to the
headquarters of 23 Fortune 500 companies.
The UNT MBA Sport Entertainment Management program has helped me to advance in my desired career path in the sports industry. My network has expanded tremendously since admitted in the inaugural cohort of the program and what I’ve learned to date has set me up confidently for success!
Faculty and Leadership
Matthew Walker
Matt Walker, Ph.D., is the Director of Sport Entertainment Management at the University of North Texas, and a Professor in the Department of Management in the G. Brint Ryan College of Business. Dr. Walker teaches classes in corporate partnerships and professional consulting. His research and consultancy projects focus on strategic organizational management. He has participated in more than 100 funded research projects for sport (and related) organizations domestically and around the world, including the PGA of America, National Football League, World Golf Foundation, Nike, Barclays Bank, USA Archery, Easton Sports Development Foundation, Fundación Conconcreto, Fulham Football Club Foundation, England Institute of Sport, Fight-4-Change (among others). Walker has co-authored a scholarly textbook, numerous marketing book chapters and industry reports, and has written or contributed to more than 100 peer-reviewed articles in leading scientific journals. His research and consultations have offered marketing and management solutions to businesses, NGOs, and government agencies helping to improve and enhance social and strategic programming efforts.
Bob Heere
Bob Heere is the Executive Director of the Sports Innovation Space @ UNT and the G. Brint Ryan Professor of Sport Entertainment Management at the University of North Texas. He founded UNT's BBA and MBA Sport Entertainment Management programs, which grew to serve more than 200 students and developed partnerships with organizations such as the Dallas Cowboys and PGA of America. Prior to joining UNT, he held academic appointments in the United States, Europe, and New Zealand.
A globally recognized scholar, Heere's research focuses on fan engagement and brand identity, and he has conducted research in more than 20 countries. He currently leads the Sports Innovation Space @ UNT, which helps international sport technology companies enter the U.S. market through networking, professional development, and industry partnerships. In 2026, he received the Earle F. Zeigler Award, the highest honor in the field of sport management.
Jeff MacCharles
Jeff MacCharles is an Assistant Professor in Management at the University of North Texas. He obtained his PhD in Management (Sport Management Concentration) from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where he focused on studying Organizational Behavior and Human Resources concepts in the sport workplace. Specifically, his research interests lie in understanding the complexities of identity and authenticity of sport employees, as well as investigating human resources polices, practices and procedures in sport organizations in order to better understand how such organizations attract, recruit, develop and retain talent. His work has been published in the Journal of Sport Management, Sport Management Review, the International Journal of Sport Management, the International Journal of Sport Marketing and Sponsorship, Sport Management Education Journal and Sport, Business and Management: An International Journal. He has presented his research at international conferences hosted by the North American Society for Sport Management, Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand, European Association for Sport Management and the Academy of Management. He and his co-authors were awarded the Best Paper Award for 2021 in the Sport Management Education Journal for their manuscript, "Getting a job in the sport industry: The institutionalization of privilege through hegemony."
Misun Won
Misun Won, Ph.D., is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Management and a director of the BBA Sport Entertainment Management program at the University of North Texas. Prior to her appointment at UNT, she pursued her PhD at the University of South Carolina and taught sport marketing and sport sales courses. At UNT, Won teaches ticket operations, pricing strategies, corporate partnerships, talent management, international brand strategies, fan engagement, and venue and event operations at undergraduate and graduate levels.
Her research focuses on ticket pricing and consumer behavior to better understand sports consumers and assist sports teams in choosing optimal pricing strategies. Her research has been published in Sport Marketing Quarterly, Sport, Business, Management: An International Journal, and Journal of Global Sport Management. Her research has been presented at the North American Society for Sport Management, the Sport Marketing Association, and the European Association for Sport Management conferences.
Won had worked in the industry for over 9 years across various fields before pursuing her doctorate, including youth sports camps, college athletics, a martial arts school, and the Olympics. Using her expertise in sport marketing, she has provided marketing consultancy to a martial arts school. Won currently serves as a reviewer at two sport management journals.