WSSU teams up with Robertson Racing
By: Adrianne Flores - News Channel 14
March 12, 2008
WINSTON-SALEM – NASCAR is the number one spectator sport in the nation, grossing some $2 billion in licensed product sales each year.
But while images of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. or Kyle Petty may come to mind when most think of NASCAR, Travis Teague, a professor at Winston-Salem State University says there’s so much more to the sport.
"If you did not have the business side you wouldn't have the sport."
It's the basis behind one of the university's newest degree programs according to Teague.
"There's a lot of diversity initiatives going on right now within NASCAR, and WSSU as most folks know is a historically black university and so that again gives a lot of added opportunity for our students there."
Teague heads up the university's Motorsports Management Department.
Students in the four-year degree program will get hands-on experience in the business end of the sport.
But one thing Teague says students won't be working on are the cars.
The university teamed up with Robertson Racing and the driver to spread the word, including sponsoring several cars. "It's about marketing, it's about event planning, it's running the shops from the business side, it's managing the personnel within the sport, it's risk management, it's crowd management."
"There is a really high demand,” said driver Ryan Robertson. “There's over 25,000 jobs in North Carolina alone for the managing and diversity end of NASCAR."
The university teamed up with Robertson Racing and the driver to spread the word, including sponsoring several cars.
"We're going to have some of these cars at local area high schools to try to persuade students to make a decision if that is what they are wanting to do as far as the Motorsports Management," said Robertson.
Teague cautioned, "It's a tough sport as far as getting your foot in the door, that's one. And our program will allow that to happen."
Winston-Salem State's Motorsports Management program is the only such four-year bachelor's degree program in the nation. For more information about the program and how to register, call WSSU at (336) 750-3266.
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