Sports CaM in San Francisco: students turn event planners for Super Bowl LX

Rowan University’s Sports Communication and Media Program (Sports CaM) made the cross-country trip to the site of Super Bowl LX last week for a hands-on event planning experience. Accompanied by professors Alex Yoh and Lindsey Masciangelo, six students from the Sports and Entertainment Event Planning cohort traveled to San Francisco to execute three pre-Super Bowl LX events for nonprofit partners Gridiron Greats and the NFL Alumni. 

During the fall, students participated in semester-long planning projects based on presentations from the two organizations that help retired NFL players navigate life after the league. Students worked on finding venues, sponsorships and creating a social media content strategy. During the days leading up to Super Bowl weekend, six students got to lend a hand for the events’ on-site operations. 

A seasoned sports and entertainment executive, Masciangelo said the experience is reflective of a professional event planner’s duties in the professional sports industry. 

“The experience was the perfect way to allow students the opportunity to see large-scale events and some of the details that go into planning and execution,” Masciangelo said. “The students witnessed their hard work come to life.”

The first on-site event was the Gridiron Greats’ “Cigars with the Stars” party. Led by Chicago Bears legends Mike Ditka and Brian Urlacher, Gridiron Greats provides financial grants and pro bono medical assistance to retired NFL players in financial need. The students helped set up decorations, distribute tickets and ensure the silent auction and merchandise sales ran smoothly while capturing social media content. 

The next day, the group assisted in setting up the event space for the NFL Alumni’s welcome event for members and their families. The NFL Alumni assists former players, coaches and team staff through community service, health initiatives and various financial and educational resources. Students also created content for the organization’s “Super Bowl Bowling Classic.”

During their three days on the West Coast, the group had the chance to visit the NFL Experience, showcasing sponsor and fan engagement, and Media Row, demonstrating the power of public relations and media at an event of this scale. 

“The biggest takeaway [for me] was how much goes into putting on events like this,” said junior Sports CaM major Xander Johnson, who made the trip. “Things you don’t event think about take time and planning and seeing it in action is something that taught me so much.” Johnson found implementing the social media content plan throughout the trip the most rewarding and fun. 

This is the second year the program has been able to take students to Super Bowl week through established relationships with partner organizations. Read about the 2025 group here.