ATLANTA, GA – March 20 – MELT (www.meltatl.com), the award-winning sports, entertainment and culinary marketing agency announced today that its Founder, Chairman, and CEO Vince Thompson will deliver the keynote address to the 3rd annual University of Alabama’s Sports and Entertainment Forum to be held this Wednesday, March 21 on the campus of The University of Alabama at Bryant-Denny Stadium. The forum is held in conjunction with The College of Human and Environmental Sciences and their Sports Business Management Graduate program.
University of Alabama graduate and expert in the corporate hospitality and premium experiences industry, Corey Gibbs, will co-headline the event with Thompson. Gibbs serves as the Executive Managing Director of Ticket Solutions, a renowned elite provider of tickets to sports, concerts, and theater events worldwide. Currently seeking a Ph.D. from The Wharton School of Business, Gibbs serves on the Sellers Board of Directors at StubHub, is a longtime member of the New York Athletic Club and was a member of the 2014 Super Bowl Host Committee.
Thompson and Gibbs, both who serve on the Sports Business Management Board of Directors at UA, are very excited about this year’s event, which is spearheaded by Dr. Melvin Lewis, a Professor in the program. The two industry leaders, who first met at this same event one year ago, have collaborated on dozens of projects since. They will address the many career opportunities that exist in the business and world of sports marketing, especially with the evolution of technology, fan experience, and social media.
“This is one of my favorite things to do, especially with this great school program,” said Thompson, whose company MELT is in its 3rd year of participation with the UA Sports Business Forum. “We hire and recruit many MELT University interns and students from this school and event, so I’m glad to be back and part of it.”
Gibbs, who earned his Masters in Sports Management from UA in 2007, holds the same sentiment about the program.
“The Capstone is a very special place for me and the Sports Business Management program is something that I am very passionate about,” said Gibbs, who mentors many of the program’s students on their professional journey. “The level of professional talent that this program produces is unparalleled, which is a true testament to the university’s commitment to excellence. I am very excited to play a small part of that success and look forward to this week’s event.”