The basics:
- Rutgers course focuses on human resources management in the sports industry
- Students studied compensation, contracts, NIL, labor issues and recruiting
- Class visited Prudential Center for behind-the-scenes look with Devils staff
- Course aims to prepare students for HR careers across sports and beyond
During the course of their studies this fall, a group of Rutgers University students studied human resources management in sports – and even got an up-close look at how a professional team operates right here in the great Garden State.
Ryan Greenbaum teaches the Human Resources Management in the Sports Industry course through the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations. Greenbaum, director of the undergraduate program in Human Resources Management at Rutgers, began this class in fall 2023 to educate students about HR careers in sports.
Throughout the semester, students had the opportunity to learn about topics such as compensation, sports contracts, recruiting/selection, an NFL mock draft, salary cap debate, NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) & NCAA, sports betting, anti-trust & labor, and more.
In November 2025, students got a unique experience: Greenbaum brought about 50 learners to the Devils-Canadiens game at the Prudential Center in Newark. The students got a behind-the-scenes tour, met with HR and operations personnel from Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment/Devils, and watched the game. The goal was for the students to learn how HR functions within a professional sports organization, how leaders are measured on their performance, what kind of careers are available, and more.
It was the second time Greenbaum had done such a field trip, with the first coming in 2024.
Student syllabus
“This course will provide a broad overview of the sport industry from the human resource management perspective,” the course overview states. “We will discuss the basic management skills necessary in the operation of sport organizations. Also, we will examine the social, behavioral and managerial foundations of sport management, talent acquisition, and performance evaluation in the sport industry. We will use several methods to build our knowledge base, including short lectures, in-class discussions, presentations, group activities, and game simulations.”
NJBIZ spoke exclusively to Greenbaum and two of the students who attended the Devils game, Dylan McBride of Somerville, a senior majoring in Human Resource Management, and Sydney Ward of North Brunswick, a junior majoring in Human Resource Management.
The discussion began with what led Greenbaum to putting this class together — with this correspondent (a self-avowed sports geek) noting how much he wished this class was happening when he was in college.
Real world perspective
“A lot of things,” Greenbaum told NJBIZ. “Since I’ve been program director, I’ve been trying to create more, just different perspectives on how HR fits with multiple industries. So, the sports class – I taught sports management for nine years back at Oklahoma State before I moved here. And then decided, OK, let me try and figure out a way to do this and fit in again that same love that I have for sports.
“I’m a sports geek. And Dylan and Sydney can attest to it – it’s just craziness,” Greenbaum joked. “We’re trying to get some of the things that give them a different perspective. If I know that I have a passion about sports and I can fit some things.”
He used the example of contract languages and compensation, noting how he immediately thinks of sports contracts.
“I go to – how much is this person making, and it makes sense to me,” Greenbaum explained. “So, if I can give some type of perspective like that for a different industry. Whether they’re looking to go into the sports industry or not, it gives them just a different way of looking at some of these things that might make everything make sense.
“And think about things when they’re on their job and in their career, ‘Hey, we went through this in Greenbaum’s class. How does that fit into that?’ And just give them a different set of tools.”
Something for everyone
“And to that point, the class is not only just for sports fans – it’s applicable to non-sports fans, but just making things relatable?” NJBIZ asked.
Greenbaum estimated about half of the class are not huge sports fans. He joked that he has to explain what a football looks like half the time.
“HR, just by nature, is not a sports-centric, fan-oriented type of thing,” said Greenbaum. “So, we actually talk a lot about, ‘Hey, what are some of the entertainers, music, acting,’ some of the different things that we look at. And say, how does this fit them for these situations, as well? Not just the sports industry.
“But because sports is just so available, and especially football. We have contracts, websites that are out there – we just don’t get from traditional organizations to be able to pull data and be able to see some of the advanced metrics that we can actually pull and use to try and go through some of these things.”
Bigger business
He spoke about the boom of sports business, in general, with a lot more visibility on that topic — which you can read in these pages or in some of the new sports business publications that have launched and grown in recent years.
The sports world, just overall … has just become a much bigger thing.
– Ryan Greenbaum, director, undergraduate program, Human Resources Management at Rutgers
“It’s ballooning beyond belief,” said Greenbaum. “And just being in a college environment, the NIL and the way the NCAA is changing – has just been in everybody’s face here, from a school standpoint, a university spending standpoint. All these things are things that we’re now having to look at. And it’s in our face in a much different way than it used to be.
“The athletes that are going into classes with some of these students are literally making hundreds of thousands of dollars in some cases. How is that affecting how they’re approaching school work, how they’re approaching some of the things that we see on a day-to-day basis. The sports world, just overall, with social media going crazy and everything else, has just become a much bigger thing.”
Seeing and doing
“This is the second year you’ve done this visit to a Devils game at Prudential Center, can you speak to the thought process into taking the class a step further and giving a live experience to the students? And what you found in these two years doing this?” NJBIZ asked.
“Like I explained to my students, I’m a much better learner when I can actually see and feel and do some of the things. Being able to go to the arena, see some of the things that they’re doing, that they’re talking about,” said Greenbaum. “It’s even different than having a guest speaker in class. Because you can actually see.
“The game’s all going on in the background. We were there this last time – and they were doing all the pregame stuff. The music’s going off and they’re announcing the players as we’re finishing off our meeting – and you can just see the students kind of going, ‘Oh that’s what they’re talking about.’”
He said the team was able to share with students why they do certain things and how to put on big events — from the game presentation itself to the behind-the-scenes work and logistics, including medical benefits/workman’s compensation and more.
“They get to have those stories and see – and, actually, visualize – this is where this goes,” said Greenbaum. “This is how this is going on. Holy cow – this is a lot of things to deal with, all the vendors, everything else as well.”
‘I ended up loving it’
Ward started as a sports management major at Rutgers and transferred into HR management after meeting with Greenbaum and learning that she could do HR in the sports industry.
While she has not been able to take Greenbaum’s HRM in sports industry class, as of yet, she has attended both Devils games with Greenbaum – and plans to attend the next field trip Greenbaum is planning for students: The NFL Combine. That annual event brings together football executives and scouts to evaluate college draft prospects. It takes place from Feb. 23 to March 2 in Indianapolis, Ind.
She spoke about the experience of attending the Devils games and what stood out in terms of how such a large operation is put on.
“This is my second year going to it,” Ward told NJBIZ, noting that she was nervous in year one because she thought she was going to hate it and wonder, why did I pick this as my profession. “But I ended up loving it. One of the things that stood out to me, not only last year, but this year, was their day-to-day tasks are so different than someone who just works in the office and just sits there.
“Because I have shadowed other HR professionals – then seeing what they do. One of them had to literally leave the room like 10 minutes early because he had to go do something, and get something figured out,” she explained. “So, it was really reassuring to see that. Because that’s something I want in my future.”
Making the switch
Ward said she wanted to be all over the place — working in a fast-paced environment and helping with different departments.
“And that was one thing that I really took away from it,” she said. “To get something of that size working smoothly, everyone needs to help everyone out. And I really like that.”
To get something of that size working smoothly, everyone needs to help everyone out. And I really like that.
– Sydney Ward, Rutgers junior majoring in Human Resource Management
Ward said that studying in this space and attending events like this has made her want to continue to pursue a career in HRM.
“It’s definitely helped me stay – this is what I want to do,” said Ward. “Because I did come in as a different major. So I was, obviously, a little iffy about switching. But because of an event like this, it’s definitely reassuring. And I feel like I’ve made the right decision. And this is definitely where I want to take my professional career in the future.”
‘The last piece in the puzzle’
McBride was originally a criminal justice major at Raritan Valley Community College and switched his major to HRM.
“At some point in my life, I figured it just wasn’t for me,” McBride told NJBIZ. “And I became interested a little bit into HR. I’m a very talkative person. I like helping people. So, I started Rutgers – I started with Professor Greenbaum’s Intro to HR class. And just personally speaking, I’ve been a soccer coach and a program director for going on eight years now.
“I’ve always kind of had an interest in sports – not a super fanatic, per se. But it’s always been a part of my life. So, seeing that professor had this class, which was mixing sports – which is already a part of my life – with HR, which is something I’m loving to learn so far,” he explained. “It just felt like the last piece in the puzzle, perfect fit almost. Having this opportunity to go to the game – sitting in a class and learning about HR is one thing.
“While it is interesting, you go to class. You go home. You learn what you learn. But actually being able to go to an establishment during a gameday, where you see all the pieces working.”
First-hand experience
He noted how insightful it was to hear HBSE Human Resources Manager Sydnay Jordan share her experiences in HR and her day-to-day tasks.
“And you hear the announcers going off – the game is starting, and they’re announcing everyone,” said McBride. “You hear everything going on. It’s really eye-opening. You’re like – I’m in this situation now, which is, this is their game day. This is where everything’s going full-speed. So, it really is just eye-opening. It’s a great experience.”
Greenbaum stressed the importance of being able to see things up close.
“If you can’t picture yourself and you can’t envision yourself being in something, then it’s tough to figure out if you actually want to have a career in it,” said Greenbaum. “Giving students a chance to talk to people that are in the industry and actually go and visit some of these places is just one more way of trying to embrace that – and give them the full feel of how they might fit into an area. Whether it’s sports or whether it’s any other industry.
“Being able to see those things and do those things like that are really important. It’s how I’ve started to develop the program – is just creating these experiences for students to actually get a feel for, this is what this job actually is. So, can you actually see yourself doing those things. And then building that network to try and get yourself into it.”
If you can’t picture yourself and you can’t envision yourself being in something, then it’s tough to figure out if you actually want to have a career in it.
In the moment
And Greenbaum’s students will get their next opportunity to see the sports world up close at the aforementioned, upcoming NFL Combine, which Ward and McBride both plan to attend.
“The basis behind it is that it is HR-based. We’re going through and seeing how – we talk about in class, selection measures, recruiting processes – how we’re scouting for potential employees. What are the different metrics and measures we’re looking for someone to be able to have the right knowledge, skills and abilities to be able to be successful in a certain job,” said Greenbaum.
“Whether you’re interested in sports or not, it’s still a way to get information,” he added.
“Personally, I’m really excited for the experience,” said McBride. “First having the ability to learn about it through professor and then being able to go on this trip. And then see how it’s done, live in action. Being there, again, just outside of the traditional classroom setting. I’m just excited to see how everything goes down.”
Ward agreed with McBride. “Because I’m also super excited to just see it all live. Seeing things live and not just hearing or learning about it is really helpful for me – because it really puts me in the moment. And I’m able to take it all in.
“Instead of just taking in information, I’m actually witnessing it.”
The post Exclusive: Rutgers students see HR in pro sports firsthand appeared first on NJBIZ.
