HOUSTON — Inside an old Sears department store building in Midtown, some college students have found one heck of a deal.
Instead of reading books and writing papers, they're listening to speakers and learning about the planning that went into Houston playing host for the 2023 Final Four.
The class at The Ion is called the "Business of Major Sporting Events." It's for a special group of students from Houston Christian University, Rice University, Texas Southern University and the University of Houston.
While he was designing the curriculum, David Brady said he had "mostly a blank slate" before deciding on the game plan that's in place: experience wins.
"That's bringing in as many experts in the field as I possibly could ... talking to them about things that you're just not going to learn about in a class," Brady said.
That's why he brought in speakers like Joe and Natara Branch, a dynamic husband-wife duo. Joe works for William Morris Endeavor, which represents players. Natara is a former NFL vice president that specialized in football operations and strategy.
"Igniting the passion is invaluable for their future," NCAA Senior Vice President of Basketball Dan Gavitt said.
Gavitt also spoke to the group.
"Talk to them about our corporate champions program -- some of the challenges we see in men’s college basketball," Gavitt said.
It's more than just listening to speakers -- the students also work in the field as volunteers at various Final Four events.
Marketing, staffing and logistics -- from booking the music artists to how to properly install the basketball court (which they’ll see in person) -- it’s all covered.
There's also a diverse group of students in the class. They represent the diversity within the host universities.
"They’re all different," President of Local Organizing Committee Holly Kesterson said.
The Local Organizing Committee set up the class.
"It just seemed like the right thing to do -- to have them all around the table for us for an educational piece, which, the NCAA at the end of the day, is an educational institution," Kesterson said.
Garret Lowe is a student at Rice. He said he knew he wanted a career in sports, but didn't know which area in which to focus.
"And that was another reason the course is so appealing to me," he said.
Now, he’s leaning toward broadcasting or ticket sales.
The class has had an even greater impact on TSU's LaTresha Carter.
"I was feeling, like, stuck," she said. "At an HBCU, we don't get a lot of hands-on experience, not in a capacity with this type of event."
Now, she's hoping to work in player relations.
"I was, like, ‘This is it. This is where I need to be. This is what I want to do,'" she said. "And it's helping me figure out what I want to do in sports."
Brady's hope?
"My hope is that, you know, 15 years down the road, that we've got vice presidents and maybe even presidents of teams and venues and events, and that they're looking to bring in their fellow students from this course that because they've stayed connected all this time," Brady said.