SM233 SPORT FINANCE AND SALES Course Syllabus - Steve Cukovecki, M.S.

Term
Spring 2026
Section
M1
Course Delivery
ln person­[FTF]
Class Program

SM233:

Credits 4
Description
An analysis of financial, sales and economic concepts applied to sport environments. Sport enterprises will be viewed as economic systems which must respond to changes in supply, demand, and market trends. Fundraising for various constituencies will also be explored.

Prerequisites

Meeting Times, Location, & Course Delivery Details

Meeting Days:
T/TH
Meeting Times:
8:00am - 9:40am
Location:
CSS 110

Contact Information

Instructor:
Steve Cukovecki, M.S.
Instructor Email:
steve_cukovecki@wilmington.edu
Office Location:
CSS 118
Phone Number
9374812235
Office Hours:
Monday & Wednesday 8:00am-9:00am & 10:10am-2:00pm   Tuesday & Thursday 9:40am-11:10am & 1:00pm-3:00pm  Fridays By Appointment   
Course Learning Outcomes

1.0
Upon successful completion of this course…
1. The student will be able to identify (and demonstrate knowledge of the development of sport in the
United States and) the fundamental theories of sport management.
2. The student will be able to describe and explain the principles of administration and the appropriate
procedures for decision making in sport organizations, events, facilities, and programs.
3. The student will be able to analyze the financial status of companies in the sport industry.
4. The student will be able to apply financial analyses and forecasts to sports organizations.
5. The student will be able to demonstrate appropriate skills with spreadsheets for budgeting and
managing financial resources.

Course Materials

Required Textbook:
Name: Sales and Revenue Generation in Sport Business
Edition: First Edition
ISBN: 9781492594222
Author: David J. Shonk and James F. Weiner
Publisher: Human Kinetics, Inc.

Instructor's Course Objectives

Course Description:

An analysis of financial, sales and economic concepts applied to sport environments. Sport enterprises will be viewed as economic systems which must respond to changes in supply, demand, and market trends. Fundraising for various constituencies will also be explored.

Student Learning Outcomes:

At the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

  1. Understand the financial status and performance of companies within the sport industry.
  2. Apply financial analysis tools and forecasting techniques to sport organizations.
  3. Demonstrate proficiency in the use of spreadsheets for budgeting and managing financial resources.
  4. Explain the importance of revenue generation in sport organizations.
  5. Identify and evaluate the various forms of revenue generation across the sport industry landscape.
  6. Describe and apply all five steps of the PRO method: PROspect, PRObe, PROvide, PROpose, and PROtect.
  7. Implement all five steps of the PRO method with an actual customer.
  8. Develop, evaluate, and modify sales scripts to maximize revenue generation opportunities.
  9. Apply PRO method sales skills in both sales-focused and non-sales sport industry careers.
Course Schedule

Tentative Course Schedule:

NOTE: The tentative schedule for the course is posted and regularly updated on Blackboard. The schedule is subject to change at the professor’s discretion to best serve the student’s academic learning. It is the student’s responsibility to verify any possible updates in the course schedule prior to class.

Week                 Content
Week 1
(Tues) 1/13       Course Introduction Required Text & Review Blackboard
(Thurs) 1/15     Flyin’ to The Hoop

Week 2
(Tues) 1/20       Chapter 1 – Intro to Sales & Revenue 
(Thurs) 1/22     Chapter 1 - Activity: “Reframing Sales” Group Discussion & Share-Out

Week 3 
(Tues) 1/27       Chapter 2 - Revenue Generation Process (PRO method) 
(Thurs) 1/29     Chapter 2 - Activity: PRO Method Role-Play Carousel
Week 4 
(Tues) 2/3         Chapter 3 - Ticket Sales
(Thurs) 2/5       Chapter 3 - Activity: Ticket Sales Strategy Lab 

Week 5 
(Tues) 2/10       Chapter 4 - Broadcasting & Multimedia  
(Thurs) 2/12     Super Bowl Recap In Class Project

Week 6 
(Tues) 2/17       Chapter 5 – Sponsorships Revenues  
(Thurs) 2/19     Activity: Revenue Stream Comparison Workshop 

Week 7 
(Tues) 2/24       Chapter 6 – Corporate & Foundation Revenues
(Thurs) 2/26     Chapter 6 - Activity: Relationship Management Simulation 

Week 8
(Tues) 3/3         Chapter 7 – Fundraising/Development 
(Thurs) 3/5       Chapter 7- Activity: Relationship Management Simulation 

Week 9
3/9-3/15            No class - Spring Break    

Week 10 
(Tues) 3/17       Chapter 8 – Grant Writing - Activity: Grant & Proposal Writing Sprint 
(Thurs) 3/19     Chapter 8 

Week 11
(Tues) 3/24      Chapter 9 – Food & Beverage, Hospitality. Tourism, and Merchandising
(Thurs) 3/26    Chapter 9 Salary Cap

Week 12
(Tues) 3/31      Chapter 10 – Social Media for Revenue
(Thurs) 4/2      Chapter 10 - Activity: Social Media Sales Audit 

Week 13
(Tues) 4/7        Chapter 10 Social Media for Revenue (Continued)
(Thurs) 4/9      Chapter 10      

Week 14
(Tues) 4/14      Chapter 11 – Sales Force Management
(Thurs) 4/16    Chapter 11

Week 15
(Tues) 4/21      Chapter 12 – Future Trends
(Thurs) 4/23     Activity: Future Trends In Class Scenario

Week 15
(Tues) 4/28      Sport Sales Presentations
(Thurs) 4/30    No class- Study Day

Week 17 - 5/5  Final Exam (TBD) 

NOTE: Syllabus is subject to change. 
 

Course Assignments

Blackboard Site:

All non-textbook readings, assignment guidelines, student grades, PowerPoints, and the course schedule are posted to the course Blackboard site. Students must log onto the site on a regular basis to ensure they are prepared for class and are completing the required assignments.

Written Assignments: 

Written assignments must be typed using (12-point Times New Roman font with one-inch margins and formatted according to APA guidelines). All papers must be submitted as a PDF file via Blackboard prior to the start of class on the due date. Written assignments will be evaluated based on both the quality of writing and the content of the subject matter. Proper APA formatting, including citations and references when applicable, is required. Errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, or APA style will result in a lower grade.

Copyright Policy:

This course may contain copyright protected materials such as audio or video clips, images, text

materials, etc. These items are being used with regard to the Fair Use doctrine in order to enhance the learning environment. Please do not copy, duplicate, download or distribute these items. The use of these materials is strictly reserved for this online classroom environment and your use only. All copyright materials are credited to the copyright holder.

Workload:

A minimum of two hours of student work per week is expected for each credit hour awarded for the class. This means that students enrolled in an online 4 credit hour course over a full semester should anticipate spending at least 8 hours of work each week to complete the requirements of the course. 

Evaluation of Work

The grading scale will be as follows:

Grades will be calculated on the following scale:

93-100=A | 90-92.99=A- | 87-89.99=B+ | 83-86.99=B | 80-82.99=B- | 77-79.99=C+ | 73-76.99=C | 70-72.99=C- | 67-69.99=D+ | 60-66.99=D |

When a student’s final grade falls within (.01 - 1% point), the professor may use his own discretion in increasing the student’s earned grade to the next highest letter grade. For example, an 89.5% may be increased to an A- instead of a B+. In this determination, the professor will examine the student’s class preparedness, behavior in the classroom and outside class activities, and overall studious behavior.

Instructor Course Policies

Instructor's Course Attendance Policy

Attendance and Assignments: 

The College accepts these four categories of excused absences: 

  1. Activities in which the student serves as an official representative of the College (e.g., musical performances, athletic contests, field trips).
  2. Personal illness, with documentation by the College nurse or physician, if possible. In relation to students experiencing COVID19 related symptoms or illness, students should be provided with an excused absence and should not be penalized for electing not to attend physical classes in these instances.
  3. Family or personal emergencies.
  4. When severe weather makes traveling to campus dangerous
     

Wilmington College recognizes that reasonable attendance requirements will vary somewhat between disciplines, professors and even individual courses. The purpose of this policy is to ensure all concerned are clear about expectations in each course. Faculty members are expected to accept the College's basic definition of excused absences in their individual policies and monitor attendance, but faculty members may also choose to accept other absences as excused (entirely at the discretion of each faculty member). Students are expected to be responsible for informing faculty members about excused absences (including documentation, if required) and for arranging to make up all work missed because of absences. An excused absence in no way removes this responsibility or obligates the professor to provide a student with special assignments or opportunities.

Good communication between students and faculty members is essential in cases of excused absences. Students are responsible for initiating this communication and in a timely manner as possible. Students who will have to miss class to represent the College should provide schedules of these absences to the faculty member as soon as they are known. In all cases, it is the student’s responsibility to discuss excused absences with affected faculty members and to provide documentation of the excused nature of the absence, if the faculty member requires it. 

Students should notify the Office for Academic Affairs (ext. 319) if they are unable to attend classes for one week or more (e.g., due to surgery, extended illness, etc.). Extended absences (up to two weeks without notification to the Office of Academic Affairs) can result in immediate administrative withdrawal from the College. In addition, during any term, a pattern of non-engagement or four or more academic alert notices in multiple classes can also result in immediate administrative withdrawal or suspension. Non-engagement is defined as missing classes, refusal to adhere to College policies, non-attendance, non-responsiveness to attempts to communicate, or a combination of these factors.

Students in this course will be rewarded for missing no more than 2 unexcused absences. Students will be penalized for any unexcused absences after their second occurrence. This deduction will equate to 5 points per excessive absence from student’s Class Preparedness score. 

Note: Use of cellphone, improper use of laptop, and “excessive” bathroom breaks qualify as an unexcused absence. 

NOTE:  It is the student’s responsibility for assignments, notes or outside readings missed due to absences. See the current Student Handbook for the college’s Attendance policy, especially as it pertains to excused absences. 

NOTE:  It is the student’s responsibility for assignments, notes or outside readings missed due to absences. See the current Student Handbook for the college’s Attendance policy, especially as it pertains to excused absences. 

Assignments:

Late assignments will NOT be accepted and will be given a 0. Students are responsible for completing all course requirements and for keeping up with all activities of the course whether they are present in class or not. Students are responsible for keeping a copy of their work, on their computer or hard copy, until they have received a grade for all written assignments. Assignments are to be typed (12pt font; Times New Roman, 1” margins on all sides) and submitted to the instructor at the beginning of class on the assigned day (unless otherwise noted below). Make up exams may be arranged with the instructor in advance of the scheduled exam date. Assignments will not be accepted via email or BlackBoard unless specified by the instructor.  

Specific instructions for each assignment will be given in class and will be posted on BlackBoard

Instructor's Academic Integrity Policy

Academic Integrity:

Students are reminded that presenting the work, ideas, writing, or concepts of others as one’s own constitutes a serious violation of academic integrity and fundamental academic trust. Such behavior is unacceptable at Wilmington College. Any instance of academic dishonesty may result in a failing grade on the assignment and may, at the instructor’s discretion, result in failure of the course. The instructor will enforce Wilmington College’s policies regarding academic misconduct, including applicable penalties and guidelines related to the use of artificial intelligence (AI). All students are expected to adhere to the College’s Academic Honesty Policy as outlined in the Undergraduate Catalog and the current Student Handbook. These policies address examinations, plagiarism, classroom behavior, and the procedures for handling allegations of academic misconduct.

Americans with Disabilities Act:

ADA statement that reads, Americans with Disabilities Act: If you have a documented disability that requires accommodations, contact Spencer Izor, the Associate VP for Compliance: spencer.izor@wilmington.edu, 937-481-2365, or visit her office in College Hall, Room 306.

Institutional and Program-Level Policies

Final Exam Schedule

All exams will follow the Final Exam Schedule. Students scheduled to take three or more final examinations on one day may request to arrange their examination schedule, so no more than two exams occur on one day.
Requests for early or late exams are considered only under extreme circumstances. Prior to the exam period, the student must file a written request on the Early/Late Exam Form available in the Student One Stop Center, Academic Records, and on the WC portal. The form must be signed by the Instructor and the Academic Dean, approving the alternate exam time. This process must be completed prior to the scheduled exam period.

Undergraduate:  SP25 Final Exam Schedule    Graduate:  

 

Out-of-class Work Expectation

A minimum of 2 hours of out-of-class student work is expected for each hour of in-class time for traditional face-to-face courses. For online and hybrid courses, the combination of face-to-face time and out-of-class work should be equal to 3 hours per credit hour per week.

Instructional Course Delivery                                                                                                            

Definition of Courses

Academic Integrity Policy

The use of generative AI is prohibited except where expressly allowed in assignment instructions.

Academic Integrity Policy

Class Attendance Policy                              

Institutional Class Attendance Policy

Accessibility and Disability Services