A Deep Dive into Sports Economics with the Los Angeles Rams

Loyola Marymount University students studying sports economics were given an inside look at the operations of the Los Angeles Rams during a two-day immersion featuring workshops, tours, and networking opportunities. Exploring the link between the Rams and economics was illuminating, and students saw firsthand how an economics degree or minor could open a world of possibilities in professional sports, including the National Football League.

From an economic standpoint, sports are multifaceted and fascinating, and students have a broadening interest in exploring them. Shirin Mollah, an instructor in the Economics Department, teaches "Sports Economics," a course focusing on the financial, business, and social issues around professional sports. After reading about LMU's partnership with the Rams, a lightbulb went off, and Mollah partnered with LMU External Relations and the LMU Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts to connect her course with the Rams and utilize the Easter break to enrich her students' understanding of how economic principles and concepts apply to stadiums, such as SoFi, and professional sports organizations, such as the Rams.

The first day began with students taking a bus to SoFi Stadium, a mere six miles from LMU, where they set up home base in the Rams locker room. Under the bright, blue lights of the Rams' horn, a focal point of the locker room ceiling, Mollah set the stage for the immersion and various sessions planned for the two days, including the impact of supply and demand on the ticket market and prices, as well as various revenue sources such as concessions, merchandise, and corporate sponsors. Students then had the opportunity to present their research to the group, which included partners from the Rams and SoFi, and focused on topics such as ticket price determination in pro sports, the superstar effect and the relationship between individual productivity and pay, and more.

Nick Gerst, manager of partner sales for the Rams, gave the group a comprehensive tour of the stadium, the largest and first indoor-outdoor stadium in the NFL and an attraction for anyone interested in sports, architecture, design, and digital technology. Highlights included the canopy roof, the Infinity Screen that can be seen from any seat, and the gardens or "canyons" around its perimeter featuring plants and trees, all native to California.

Over lunch, Adolfo Romero, vice president of event programming at SoFi Stadium and Hollywood Park, gave the students an important public and urban economics perspective. He began by acknowledging that stadiums don't always spark economic growth but that together, Rams owner Stan Kroenke and Inglewood Mayor James Butts are defying the odds. Inglewood is growing economically, but it is doing so responsibly by engaging residents and businesses, implementing strict rental increases, and supporting affordable housing and development. Romero discussed that the vision for SoFi and Hollywood Park is to be a world-class global sports and entertainment destination with a local feel to it. So, even though the venue has hosted the Super Bowl and will host the FIFA World Cup and Olympics opening ceremony, their programming team is deeply committed to the local economy and trying to bring in diverse programming that will reach different communities and markets throughout Los Angeles. Ticketing was a big topic of interest. Romero discussed how they analyze data of similar past shows and the secondary ticketing marketplace and share trends across markets and venues.

"One of my favorite parts of the day was the stadium tour, but I also liked listening to the panels and thought they were super informative," said Makenna Golding '25, an economics major and physics minor. "The whole experience deepened my interest in sports economics. I grew up playing a lot of sports and have always loved sports, but this has given me a feel of what a career in sports could look like."

Day Two kicked off at Rams Headquarters in Agoura Hills, California, with a workshop on fan engagement strategies and economic considerations in marketing led by Lexi Vonderlieth, MBA '16, VP of partnership marketing, and Marty Turman, VP of CRM and marketing. Vonderlieth and Turman discussed the importance of data-driven decision-making for the Rams, which begins with collecting, managing, and analyzing customer data in one central place. "Human behavior, in general, is so fascinating, and I enjoy tracking what is popping and what is not so that we can make informed recommendations to our teams," said Turman.

Tyler Potts, director of partnerships, led a lively salary cap discussion. The 2024 salary cap is set to $255.4 million, and Potts broke down how the cap is calculated and then the true art of navigating and managing the cap.

The final panel featured Jason Griffiths, VP of partnerships, and Dan August, EVP of consumer revenue and strategy. August, who majored in economics as an undergraduate at Dartmouth, discussed leaving his first job in investment banking after only a year to become a finance analyst at the NFL. He worked across the league in this role, building financial models and learning about the business. He then worked with the NFL CMO on new business planning and ventures before landing the opportunity with the Rams. He emphasized how beneficial his economics degree has been to his career.

Griffiths, who was also a liberal arts major, explained how partnerships impact consumer strategy and the many ways his team analyzes brand affinity between Rams fans and the brand they are pitching to create the right package. Data is also essential to this process and ensuring partners are getting return on investment. He touched on the power around all that will happen in L.A. over the next few years and the opportunity to innovate partnerships that can grow and evolve through to the 2028 Olympics. He capped it all off by sharing why he is a passionate proponent of liberal arts education, "A liberal arts education is relevant to careers in retail, tech, sports, anything really," he said. "It makes you extremely well-rounded, a big-picture thinker, and able to analyze things from multiple lenses."

After the panels, students had the opportunity to network with Rams executives and staff over lunch. "Networking with the Rams in their workplace was very nice and my favorite part of the experience," said Francisco Franca '25, an economics and screenwriting double major. "They shared their career journeys and had very relatable situations, so it made certain jobs seem more attainable and not a very faraway dream."

Sports cultivates a unique ability to connect people on the field, in a stadium, or during a class held in a locker room. "The SoFi Stadium and Rams headquarters local immersion was remarkable, and I extend my sincere thanks to everyone at SoFi, the Rams, and LMU for their role in creating an unforgettable learning experience for our students," said Mollah. "Each panelist offered invaluable insights into stadium development, local economic impact, ticket sales economics, partnerships, brand strategy, and player salary caps. Through these discussions, we gained a profound understanding of the real-world applications of intermediate microeconomics in the sports world and different roles within the Rams organization."

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