As of the 2024-2025 school year, West Boca has introduced a new academy: Sports Marketing!
West Boca High School is known for its astounding academies. As of the 2024-25 school year, West Boca has implemented a Sports Marketing program, which aims to teach students the fundamentals of sports related business administration and promotion. Academy classes prepare students for future endeavors in sports management, marketing, and sales. Currently overlooking the academy is Assistant Principal, Ms. Ostrow.
The vast world of sports is a very dominant industry that largely influences the economic stance of the world and is interconnected with many aspects of society. West Boca Sports Marketing teacher, Mr. Vizoso, explains how Sports Marketing is a subdivision of marketing which focuses on the promotion of sports events and teams as well as the promotion of other products and services through sporting events.
This school year, availability in the Sports Marketing Academy is only open to in-zone students, however, admin plans on extending the enrollment opportunity to other students over the course of the next few years.
Outlined in the curriculum, the first Sports Marketing course that students will take is Art History and Sports Recreation, taught by Mr. Preece, former art teacher at WBHS. Students who are completing their second year in the academy then move forward to Sports Recreational Management with Mr. Vizoso, which revolves around the financial aspects of sports marketing and the management within professional sports franchises. During this course students have the opportunity to gain an industry certification for entrepreneurship in small businesses. Also, outlined in the Sports Recreational Management curriculum, students are lectured on the economic impact of the Olympics and ways in which Fantasy Football affects the NFL. As the year progresses, Sports Marketing students apply their knowledge to complete an in depth project in which they hyperfixate on one specific sports franchise and fully dissect and analyze its properties. These aspects include facility management, promotions, product pricing, fan base, and player contracts/ NIL (Name Image Likeness).
This academy is extremely beneficial to students aiming to pursue a career in sports related management or entrepreneurship. Ms. Malek, the proposal writer for the academy, explained that in 2025, WB Admin plans on implementing the third year class: Sports Recreational Applications.
Students involved with the academy have grown very fond of the program! West Boca High School junior, Natalia Custer, says “I’ve loved doing sports throughout my whole life and now more than ever. I’ve seen how the media is a big part of that and many other things. I’m very happy to see we have an academy that can teach this and I’m excited to learn about what goes into sports rec and entertainment.” Christian Fallacara-Saunders, also a junior, also expresses his love and admiration for the academy: “I think it’s a great place to learn about the history of sports and how athletics affect the economy as a whole, and a great environment to experience marketing in pro sports.”
Similar to West Boca Medical Academy’s clinicals at the hospital for its students, the Sports Marketing Academy hopes to implement internships and partner with Florida Atlantic University for students to be able to participate in hands-on learning and experience real life applications.
As a whole, West Boca is very proud of its new Sports Marketing Academy and cannot wait for it to progress and develop into a blossoming program!
