Former Cleveland Cavaliers sales and marketing SVP will lead CSU’s program

CLEVELAND (June 17, 2022) –  Cleveland State University’s Monte Ahuja College of Business is launching a new Bachelor of Arts program in Sport and Entertainment Management, with enrollment beginning in the Fall 2022 semester. Updating the current Sport Management major, this new degree program incorporates more business topics to prepare graduates for careers in professional, collegiate and amateur sports, plus the entertainment and hospitality industries.

Along with the major, CSU students can minor in Sport and Entertainment, which will enhance students’ major areas of study and  expand their career opportunities.

“Our strategic location in downtown Cleveland, next door to three professional sports franchises and with our own Wolstein Center hosting the NBA G League Cleveland Charge, makes the Monte Ahuja College of Business ideally suited to house the newly designed Sport and Entertainment Management program,” said Kenneth B. Kahn, Ph.D., dean, Monte Ahuja College of Business.

The Sport and Entertainment Management programs are the first academic programs to implement curricular changes and align with a new college as part of the CSU 2.0 strategic plan.

The major and minor will be supported by current Sports Management faculty from the Department of Health and Human Performance; a dedicated undergraduate business advisor, Brittany Taylor; and a newly hired director, Jim Kahler. Kahler is a former senior vice president of sales and marketing with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“We are pleased to welcome Jim Kahler to our faculty,” said Dean Kahn. “Jim has over 20 years of practical experience in the field and more than 15 years in academia leading sport management programs.  This experience will benefit our students and help guide our program’s growth.”

“As a sports and entertainment hub we look forward to working with faculty and students in a number of areas including research, internships, professional development, academic consulting projects, special events and residencies that will include members of our team,” said Len Komoroski, senior advisor, Rock Entertainment Group, and former chief executive officer of the Cleveland Cavaliers. “Jim Kahler is a great hire as he is well connected within the Cleveland sports business community and respected throughout our industry.”

The demand for business professionals within the sport and entertainment industry is expected to increase according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. In addition, a recent sport business study by Deloitte highlighted the industry and trends, specifically new income sources, more widespread use of emerging technologies, shifting power dynamics and a focus on societal issues.

“We realize the critical need to develop business professionals ready to meet the future challenges in sport and entertainment industries,” added Kahn. “Students in this program will not only engage in a business-oriented sport and entertainment management program, but have access to a vibrant professional network here in Cleveland, Northeast Ohio and beyond.”

A master’ degree in Sport and Entertainment Management and a specialization in Sport and Entertainment Management within the Master of Business Administration program are currently being developed.

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