Want a front-row look at how sports careers actually start, and how a young club becomes a community heartbeat? Wes sits down with Professor Craig Schmitt of the University of Arkansas to connect the dots between classrooms, street teams, stadium design, and the human moments that make match days unforgettable. Craig’s path runs from youth hoops and nonprofit programs to graduate study and a faculty role where he “coaches” students into the recreation and sports industry. His central insight is deceptively simple: experience matters, but storytelling wins. If you can name the skills, show the outcomes, and explain the growth, you’ll move faster than titles alone ever will.

We dig into U of A’s layered approach, undergrad exploration across facilities, finance, marketing, revenue, and law; a master’s cohort embedded in college athletics; and PhD training rooted in rigorous research and teaching. Craig opens up the playbook on networking trips to franchises, venues, agencies, and pushing students beyond marquee brands to the wider world of sport tourism, outdoor recreation, and event operations. Then we zoom in on Ozark United FC: a regional identity that sidesteps the Razorback shadow and grassroots tactics that turn awareness into belonging across Fayetteville, Rogers, and beyond.

From there, the conversation becomes about experience design and fan psychology. Smaller, smarter venues. Proximity you can feel. Concourses that keep you in view of the pitch. Tech that extends identity beyond match day, paired with a warning about over-automation: when parking, tickets, and concessions go touchless, we risk losing the human spark that sells the second beer and creates a story worth retelling. Craig’s prediction is bold and timely: clubs that restore human touch points without sacrificing convenience will win loyalty. If you care about sports business, fan experience, or the future of soccer in Northwest Arkansas, this one hits the sweet spot.

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More About this Episode

From Classroom to Pitch: Building the Future of Sports in Northwest Arkansas

Northwest Arkansas is on the rise, and not just in terms of population or economic growth. There's something special happening in our corner of the state, and it's got everything to do with people, purpose, and passion. It’s about building community through sport. And few understand this better than Professor Craig Schmitt from the University of Arkansas, a man who’s shaping the next generation of sports professionals from the ground up.

Our conversation on this episode of Pitch to Pro wasn’t just about education. It was about impact. It was about what it truly takes to build a sports culture in a region where college athletics have long dominated the landscape. And, just as importantly, it was about preparing young professionals to not only enter the sports industry but to help evolve it, right here in Northwest Arkansas.

Let’s dig into some of the powerful insights from our chat.

Sports as a Catalyst for Community

One of the most resonant themes throughout our conversation was the transformative power of sports. For Professor Schmitt, sports aren’t just entertainment, they’re a force for connection, identity, and even social mobility. That belief is embedded in the way he teaches, the programs he helps run, and the relationships he builds with students.

From youth leagues to grassroots community programs to major league franchises, the mission remains the same: bring people together. Whether you're a kid learning teamwork through recreation soccer or a college student navigating your first internship in the Razorback athletic department, sports offer a structure for growth and community in a way few other platforms can.

And it’s that communal aspect, that sense of shared identity, that’s core to what we’re trying to build at Ozark United FC. We're not just launching a team; we're creating a new chapter for NWA, one rooted in inclusivity, accessibility, and a shared love of the game.

Redefining What It Means to "Work in Sports"

One of the biggest misconceptions that Professor Schmitt sees from students entering the sports management program is the belief that success in the industry means becoming an agent, a GM, or a head coach. While those roles certainly exist and are often glamorized in the media, they represent just a tiny sliver of the industry.

What students often miss, he says, are the thousands of other roles that are not only critical but deeply fulfilling. Jobs in marketing, ticketing, event management, community outreach, and operations offer rich career paths, yet they’re often overlooked.

That’s why awareness-building is such a key part of the curriculum at the University of Arkansas. In introductory courses, students learn that sports is a multi-faceted industry, not a one-lane highway. And that shift in mindset, from star-gazing to understanding, is crucial for real, sustainable career development.

At Ozark United FC, we see the same thing. Some of the most valuable team members we have aren’t on the field, they’re behind the scenes, crafting marketing campaigns, running community engagement events, or building our digital platforms. Every one of them is helping shape the identity of the club.

The Power of Pivots: Careers Aren’t Linear

As someone who’s made a major career pivot myself, I really resonated with Professor Schmitt’s perspective on how careers actually evolve. So many young professionals feel pressure to define their five-year or ten-year plan. But the reality is: careers aren’t linear. They’re made up of pivots, discoveries, and detours.

As he puts it, “Let’s not focus on five years from now. Let’s focus on what’s next.”

That’s a message I wish more people heard earlier in their journeys. It’s not about locking yourself into one outcome, it’s about being open to new opportunities, new challenges, and new roles that allow you to grow.

This is also one of the reasons we put so much emphasis on our internship and street team programs at Ozark United FC. They’re not just resume fillers, they’re launch pads. We want our interns to leave us not just with new skills, but with a clearer sense of what they want (or don’t want) from their careers.

Storytelling Is a Skill — And a Game-Changer

Professor Schmitt made a powerful point that stuck with me: it’s not the experience that sets students apart, it’s how they tell the story of that experience.

Whether it’s being a bartender, a team manager, or a street team member, every experience teaches something. The challenge is learning to connect those dots, to articulate how those moments translate into real-world skills like problem-solving, leadership, and customer service.

This is something we talk about with our own team a lot. Being able to share your story clearly and authentically is one of the most valuable tools you can carry into any interview, networking event, or career opportunity. And it’s a skill that takes practice.

At Ozark United FC, we’re not just hiring resumes, we’re hiring people. And the way you talk about your journey can often be more compelling than what’s on the paper.

Why Northwest Arkansas? Why Now?

We’ve said it before and we’ll keep saying it: Northwest Arkansas is ready for professional soccer.

But the “why now” isn’t just about demographics or projections. As Professor Schmitt pointed out, we’re at a moment when the appetite for live experiences is surging. People are craving community. They’re looking for a place to belong.

In a world that’s increasingly digital and, in many ways, isolated, sports offer one of the last truly communal experiences. Whether you're high-fiving a stranger in the stands or joining a chant with hundreds of others, those shared moments create lasting connections. They build culture.

That’s exactly what Ozark United is here to do, to create a place where everyone in the Ozarks can feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves.

The Future of Sport: Balancing Tech with Human Touch

We also talked about where the industry is headed, and where it should be heading.

Yes, tech is transforming sports, from immersive experiences like Cosm to mobile ticketing and AI-driven fan engagement. But as Professor Schmitt shared, we’re at risk of losing something in the process if we over-automate the fan experience.

Removing human touchpoints might increase efficiency, but it can erode the emotional connection that’s at the heart of sports fandom. Relationships matter. And often, it's those little human moments, a conversation with an usher, a joke from a street team member, a shared cheer with a stranger, that fans remember most.

That’s something we’re incredibly intentional about at Ozark United. We don’t just want fans in seats, we want people to feel seen, welcomed, and part of a family. That’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly.

Final Thoughts: Building the Future Together

At the end of the day, what resonated most from this conversation is that the future of sports in Northwest Arkansas, and beyond, isn’t going to be built by brands alone. It’s going to be built by people. By passionate, curious, committed individuals like Professor Craig Schmitt. Like his students. Like our street team. Like you.

We’re all a part of this story. Whether you’re a lifelong fan, a young professional, or someone just discovering soccer for the first time, there’s room for you here.

Ozark United FC isn’t just building a soccer club. We’re helping build the next generation of the sports industry. And we’re doing it in partnership with the educators, students, and community members who call this place home.

Let’s keep writing this story: together.