Sports and Entertainment Management students at Centenary University are learning a valuable lesson that the show must go on, even during times of unexpected chaos.

Each spring, students hold a Sports and Entertainment Management Conference on the university’s Hackettstown campus as a capstone project. The annual event draws panels of professionals from sports teams like the New York Jets, Mets, and Red Bulls, as well as attendees from universities and high school around the tri-state area.

Centenary students plan the entire conference, from logistics and publicity to ticket sales, attaining event sponsorships, and booking guest speakers.

This year’s event was originally scheduled for Friday, March 27, but a curveball by the name of COVID-19 was thrown into the plans.

Students went into action when New Jersey issued a statewide stay-at-home order, re-tooling their in-person conference into a two-day, virtual event.

The new event will take place Wednesdays April 8 and 15.

The capstone students had to problem solve on the fly, figuring out how to fulfill event sponsorships, revamp panels, deal with collateral, and reconsider event invitations, all while working together via virtual conferencing. The event still features an impressive lineup of speakers who will be joining attendees virtually.

Frank Supovitz, president and chief experience officer for Fast Track Events and Entertainment and former NFL senior vice president for events, told the students during a videoconference last week that you never know when something unexpected will happen in sports, likening this setback to the chaos caused by the power outage during the 2013 Super Bowl.

Professor David Perricone added that dealing with the unexpected will make his students better employees someday: “This is much more than a grade for them. When they get into the workforce, these students will be prepared for any curveball thrown at them.”

For more information on panels and to join a Zoom panel, visit Centenary University’s website.