Baylor’s Curb S3E program develops leaders in the business of sports & entertainment

For almost 20 years, legendary music executive Mike Curb has supported what was previously known as the Sports Strategy and Sales (S3) program in Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business. In honor of his longtime support, the S3 program has been renamed the Curb Sales Strategy in Sports and Entertainment (S3E) program.

You might not know the name “Mike Curb,” but if you’re a fan of popular or contemporary Christian music, you’ve likely benefitted from his work. As founder of Curb Records and chair of Word Entertainment, Curb has signed such artists as Larry Norman, 2nd Chapter of Acts, Gloria Gaynor, Sammy Davis Jr., the Osmond Family, the Four Seasons, Wynonna Judd, Tim McGraw, LeAnn Rimes, MercyMe, For King & Country, Fernando Ortega, and Big Daddy Weave.

“Mike Curb has been a wonderful source of support and inspiration for Baylor Business students, and we are grateful for this gift, which honors Word | Curb Entertainment’s Baylor roots and encourages future generations of talented entertainers in their pursuits,” says HSB Dean Sandeep Mazumder.

What is now the Curb S3E program began in 2004 under the leadership of Baylor business professors Kirk Wakefield (MBA ’81) and Darryl Lehnus (EDD ’93) with a goal of transforming the business of sports and entertainment to value competitive compensation, work/life integration and fulfilling careers. Today, the Curb S3E program is the only program in the United States that is focused on generating revenue for sports, and Baylor is the only university combining such learning with practice in partnership with its varsity athletics program to prepare graduates for careers in the business of sports.

Graduates of the program have gone on to career opportunities in sales, digital marketing and business with a wide variety of major league teams, university athletic programs, corporations and agencies.  Alumni of the program include Todd Pollock (BBA ’06), senior VP and chief ticketing officer for the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights; Brian George (BBA ’07), VP of premium sales for the NFL’s Houston Texans; and Austin Flagg (BBA ’10), VP of corporate partnerships for the PGA Tour.

“The future of the Curb S3E Program is bright,” says Dr. Lane Wakefield (MSED ’11), the program’s director. “Thanks to the Mike Curb Foundation, we are working to establish a presence in the music and entertainment business as we have in sports. Baylor S3E is well-known in sports business circles, and we hope to replicate that success.”

Sic ’em, Curb S3E program!