LA sports & entertainment trek

Students visit Anaheim and Inglewood to speak with companies 

Amara Brooks / Sports Editor / The USD Vista

With the LA sun shining and a hip-hop beat blaring, 29 students received the opportunity to run out of the Los Angeles’ Rams gameday tunnel and onto the SoFi Stadium field. USD’s Career Development Center (CDC) took a group of students on a Torero Trek to meet representatives with the Anaheim Ducks and SoFi Stadium. I was also able to attend  in order to cover and participate in the Trek.  

Torero Treks are opportunities for undergraduate students to explore a wide variety of career options by observing and interacting with leading companies in a particular industry. By attending Treks, students gain insider knowledge about the industries they’re interested in while also conversing with alumni or employees in the organization. 

On April 21, students interested in a career in the sports and entertainment industry — along with two CDC counselors — trekked up the I-5 to the Honda Center, the home of the Anaheim Ducks. The Ducks are a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL). Alongside The Ducks, students met representatives from OcV!BE, an ongoing community and entertainment development, working in partnership with The Ducks to provide entertainment to Anaheim. 

Students started their visit with a panel of representatives from various fields including content production, human resources, media and communications and ticket sales. In the panel, students learned what everyday responsibilities entail in these various roles along with the challenges, while also having the opportunity to ask their own questions. Following the panel, students took an exclusive tour of the Honda Center, where they got access to the press box, the talent loft, the team bench and could even touch Anaheim’s ice during a meet-and-greet with mascot Wild Wing. 

USD senior Mia Webster went into the Trek hoping to pursue a career in sales in tech, and she described how helpful the Trek was; it helped to affirm her decision and also added the possibility of sales in entertainment as well. 

“It was very helpful, because I’m about to be going into sales and tech, and I know that it’s very daunting, and it’s not as fun,” Webster stated. “Seeing people that really enjoy their jobs and are excited to go into work everyday and do something different…because [in tech] it’s  a grind set and not as enjoyable or fun. I’ve also always loved sports entertainment, and I’ve always put it in the back of my mind and it’s kind of making me reconsider how long I want to stay in tech.”

USD senior Damion Richardson shared how The Ducks’ ability to cater to the students and meet with Ducks mascot Wild Wing was  his favorite part of the Trek. 

“Just the genuine opportunities we’ve had,” Richardson explained. “Whether that’s meeting the mascot for the Anaheim Ducks — which was really cool and really interesting — and being able to be surprised with the gift bags was just something so unexpected.”

Webster also enjoyed visiting the Honda Center and explained how the representative’s attentiveness added to the overall experience.

“Going to Honda Center for me was very special, because I grew up in Orange County and my high school played in that stadium. I’ve been to concerts in that stadium and seen Ducks games,” Webster stated. “Just the whole Honda experience. They were so caring and so engaged with us, and it meant the world to me, because they took us seriously as professionals. They really catered the tour specifically to us, which I thought was special.”

After spending the morning with The Ducks, the trek drove 45 minutes westward across the city to the SoFi Stadium, home to the LA Rams and Chargers. The stadium is the first of its kind with state-of-the-art technology and never before seen architectural and technological features. The stadium contains the world’s first two-sided videoboard and 37 earthquake-resistant columns. The stadium is revered and globally known for its accomplishments. Opened in September 2020, the stadium became LA’s newest world-class location for sporting and entertainment events. 

At SoFi Stadium, students had the opportunity to converse with three representatives in the tourism and sales sectors of SoFi. Following the panel, the students were led on a thorough tour of the stadium, having access to chairman seat views, walkthroughs of both teams’ locker rooms and finished with various on-field activities. After feeling the rush of running through the tunnel and onto the field, students were able to pass around footballs and even try to kick a field goal.

CDC counselor  Sue Kelly shared her experience of the Trek and enjoyment of what both companies  offered students. 

“I had a blast,” Kelly shared. “It was a very fun Trek as a whole […] there was a nice variety of learning an interacting while also getting physical activity in touring both spaces.”

Richardson tried his hand at a field goal during the tour and shared his excitement around the immersive experience.

“I fully immersed myself,” Richardson claimed. “I loved it […] being able to be on the football fields and the locker rooms.” 

The CDC hosted two other Torero Treks this year regarding social impact and media. This particular Trek was special because by communicating with representatives from the Anaheim Ducks, OCV!BE and   SoFi Stadium, students were able to  ask questions involving various topics like resume and interview  skill  building.