Belk College to sponsor national award

The Belk College of Business has signed on as a sponsor of The National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association‘s 48th annual awards weekend, which will take place in Salisbury, N.C.,April 28-30.

The Belk College of Business will launch an M.B.A. in sports marketing and management this fall. The sponsorship is designed to promote the new degree as well as give the program a venue for students to network and develop opportunities in the sports industry.

The awards weekend, which attracts many of the top sportscasters and sportswriters from across the nation to Salisbury and Rowan County each year, will also be used to entertain the program’s Sports Advisory Council, a group of top industry executives.

“The NSSA Hall of Fame is an important asset for our state and a great resource for our students,” said Ron Veith, director of graduate programs for the Belk College of Business at UNC Charlotte.

“Understanding the media and establishing strong relationships is vital in all industries, but is especially critical in the world of sports. We are grateful for the networking opportunities for our students and faculty, and we look forward to working with the association to put on a terrific event for their members,” he said.

The NSSA will honor Joe Buck of FOX Sports as the National Sportscaster of the Year and Rick Reilly of Sports Illustrated as the National Sportswriter of the Year. CBS Sports’ Verne Lundquist and The Sporting News’ Dave Kindred will be inducted into the NSSA Hall of Fame. The association also will recognize the sportscastersportswriter of the year from each state.

The NSSA is the largest national association that focuses on the both the crafts of sportscasting and sportswriting. The group has been hosting its annual awards in Salisbury for the last 47 years.Eighty sportscasters and writers have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, including legends such as Grantland Rice, Jim McKay, Harry Caray, Al Michaels and Frank DeFord.