The event featured an opening from HSG Managing and Principal Partner Dee Haslam followed by three separate panels that detailed the vision for the new stadium and its transformative impact on the region. The first panel, focused on fan experience, consisted of HSG Managing Partners Whitney Haslam Johnson, JW Johnson and HSG President Dave Jenkins. It was followed with a panel discussing the economic impact created by the new stadium and district featuring HSG Managing Partner Jimmy Haslam, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. To round out the programming for the event, Browns Legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Joe Thomas moderated a conversation with General Manager Andrew Berry, Head Coach Todd Monken, Linebacker Carson Schwesinger and Cornerback Denzel Ward.

“Our family is deeply committed to Northeast Ohio and we know our community deserves this stadium and transformative project,” said Dee and Jimmy Haslam. “The new Huntington Bank Field will be an economic catalyst for our region, delivering best-in-class fan experiences and exciting events throughout the year. Today’s groundbreaking is a historic milestone, and we appreciate our partner’s efforts to help make this possible.”

As construction managers for the visionary project, AECOM Hunt and Turner Construction Company are overseeing construction of the state-of-the-art venue, which will serve as Ohio’s first enclosed stadium capable of hosting world-class events throughout the year, including Browns games, NCAA Final Fours, international soccer matches and concerts for crowds of up to 75,000. With a revolutionary seating bowl design, one-of-a-kind roofing system and flexible capacity, the project will set new standards in stadium construction and fan engagement, bringing fans closer than ever to action on the football field.

“As one of the largest construction projects in the history of Northeast Ohio, the new Huntington Bank Field will deliver an unparalleled experience for football fans while featuring the flexibility to host a variety of large-scale, blockbuster events that will generate significant economic growth and attract more audiences to the region than ever before,” said Ken Johnson, COO, Central Region, AECOM Hunt. “As one of the nation’s leaders in venue construction, we are honored to play a role in this important, game-changing project, and we look forward to working with Turner Construction Company, the Haslam Sports Group and the Cleveland Browns to create a world-class facility that will entertain generations to come.”

“The new Huntington Bank Field will redefine the football fan experience and raise the bar even higher for sports and entertainment venues around the world,” said Taurean Spratt, Vice President and General Manager, Turner Construction Company. “With decades of experience building iconic arenas across the country, we are proud to work together with the AECOM Hunt, Haslam Sports Group and the Browns organization to partner with local businesses and construct a once-in-a-generation mixed-use development that will not only strengthen the regional economy and spur job creation but create a new, vibrant destination unlike any other.”

Designed by leading sports architecture firm HKS, the new stadium will champion the region’s spirit and identity, enhancing the overall experience for both fans and the surrounding community while spurring long-term economic activity and job creation in the region. The world-class venue will be constructed alongside a dynamic, mixed-use entertainment district led by award-winning development partner and real estate firm Lincoln Property Company, securing the future of the Browns organization in Northeast Ohio for decades to come.

“Today we celebrate a significant moment for the Cleveland Browns, the National Football League and all of Northeast Ohio,” said Mark A. Williams, FAIA, Partner and Executive Vice President at HKS. “We value our partnership with the Haslam family in creating a sports and entertainment destination that reflects the spirit of Cleveland, through a design that will deliver memories to be cherished for generations.”

Inspired by Lake Erie and the City of Cleveland, the new Huntington Bank Field will deliver an immersive experience for visitors of all ages, including:

• Closest seats in the NFL: A revolutionary seating bowl design that brings fans closer to the field than any other NFL stadium, highlighted by a modernized Dawg Pound.
• Transparent roof: Inspired by Cleveland’s iconic atriums, natural light throughout the stadium creates a unique outdoor ambiance and views.
• Flexible capacity: A “Super Theater” concept accommodates events for up to 75,000 attendees.
• First-of-its-kind roofing system: Featuring the first long-span roof without a truss, sightlines and design are enhanced throughout the building.
• Economic catalyst: More than 6,000 construction jobs and thousands of additional full-time positions across the stadium and adjacent development, delivering lasting economic benefits for Cleveland and Northeast Ohio.

Commitment to the Northeast Ohio community is critical to the project’s success, and as a result, AECOM Hunt and Turner Construction Company, are partnering with local contractors, including DiGeronimo Companies, Independence Excavating and Independence Construction. The project is scheduled to open in 2029 along with Phase 1 of the mixed-use development.

The new Huntington Bank Field is one of the latest major sports and entertainment projects led by AECOM Hunt and Turner Construction Company, two of the construction industry’s most experienced and respected firms with a decades-long history of successful partnerships and a deep commitment to Northeast Ohio. With more than 55 years of NFL stadium experience, AECOM Hunt and Turner Construction Company have helped to shape the evolution of the modern game-day experience. Their portfolio includes iconic venues such as the Browns’ current stadium, Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz stadium, the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Stadium of the Future, the Intuit Dome, the new homes of the Buffalo Bills and Tennessee Titans, and SoFi stadium, California’s largest indoor-outdoor entertainment space.

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With today’s agreement, Mayor Bibb and HSG move forward together, committed to providing advocacy and partnership for each other’s transformative projects.

“I’m proud to deliver this historic deal to the residents of the City of Cleveland,” said Mayor Bibb. “My administration, with the Haslams’ support will finally unlock the full potential of our lakefront, benefiting all residents and attracting new investment to the City.”

“Because of Mayor Bibb’s leadership, and this monumental public-private partnership, we are accelerating the transformation of Cleveland’s lakefront while delivering a new world-class stadium and mixed-use development in Brook Park. It’s a win for the city, the region, and the fans,” said HSG Principal Partners Dee and Jimmy Haslam. “We will always be the Cleveland Browns, and this agreement reflects a continued commitment by the Haslam/Johnson family to strategically invest in City of Cleveland community programs, building on the family’s consistent charitable giving across the region since taking leadership of the Cleveland Browns in 2013.

“This $100M investment continues our lakefront momentum and economic resurgence,” added Mayor Bibb. This Agreement puts the lakefront on the path to transformational development and the Browns on the path to a world-class facility in Brook Park. This is the right solution for the City and the region. Cleveland’s time is now. We are a city that leads the region, that’s open for business, and that knows how to get big things done.”

Agreement Highlights:

• HSG to pay the City of Cleveland the sum of $25 million by December 1, 2025.
• HSG to raze the current Huntington Bank Field in downtown Cleveland to a pad ready state at the Browns’ expense. This cost is estimated to be $30 million.
• Beginning on January 1, 2029, pay the City of Cleveland $5 million on or before January 1 of each calendar year until January 1, 2033, totaling $25 million over five years.
• Upon termination of the Lease, HSG to invest no less than $2 million per year over the next 10 years on a mutually agreed Community Benefit Projects totaling no less than $20 million.
• Parties to mutually support infrastructure plans related to road and air travel with respect to both the Brook Park stadium mixed-use project, the modernization of Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport, the development of the Cleveland lakefront, including the redevelopment of the Burke Lakefront Airport property.
• City to support the continuing progress and timely completion of transformational Brook Park stadium and mixed-use development.
• Both parties will voluntarily dismiss all lawsuits with prejudice related to Browns Huntington Bank Field move to Brook Park, OH.

The parties will work collaboratively to finalize a formal settlement agreement, reflecting mutual support of both the lakefront and Brook Park development projects.

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Fellows will have the chance to work with the Browns over the course of the year-long program and will work in one or more disciplines – sales, marketing, operations and administration – each containing several different departments.

The Haslam Sports Group (HSG) began the Diversity and Opportunity Fellowship in 2021 and has seen multiple alumni receive full-time offers with the Browns and Crew or elsewhere in the sports industry. Other program alumni have returned to school in pursuit of MBA or Juris Doctor degrees.

Get to know the four fellows of the 2025 class:

Eduardo Cisneros

Eduardo Cisneros, who is graduating from Illinois Wesleyan University in May 2025, was a member of the football team. He played safety for the Titans, appearing in 18 games and recording 35 tackles and six passes defensed.

Cisneros wanted to find a field that combined sports and creativity, which led him towards pursuing video content creation and used social media as a platform. Over his collegiate career, he edited videos for different platforms and gained experiences in the sports industry that cemented his interest in sharing stories of athletes through video.

“Being an athlete, I always been around sports,” Cisneros said. “I appreciate the camaraderie, the teamwork, the hallway you got to put in to be an athlete. And I wanted to showcase that and tell stories. So, one of the best ways to go about it was social media posts – quick edits, quick videos, meaning documentaries. And by doing that, I wanted to combine my ability to create and tell stories and tell stories for athletes.”

Cisneros will work in the content & production department of the Browns.

Shannon Lipscomb

When Shannon Lipscomb started her freshman year at the University of Notre Dame, she knew she had an interest in sports. Over the course of her collegiate career, not only did she add a Sports Media and Culture minor, but she worked for the football team as a recruiting intern as well as Fighting Irish Media. Through those experiences, she gained experience in game day operations, production, communications and social media. Following graduation in May 2025, Lipscomb will work with the digital department of the Browns and take the experiences from her collegiate career with her.

Lipscomb was informed of the fellowship opportunity by a co-worker. As she researched the fellowship, she was intrigued by the program and the chance to experience different departments. She also valued focus on creating an opportunity for people of diverse backgrounds.

“The fact that the Browns were willing and are trying to elevate female voices, voice of women of color, men of color as well, and underrepresented communities, I just thought it was a great opportunity,” Lipscomb said.

Kelly McLoughlin

Kelly McLoughlin first experienced the integration of how sports can impact communities when she interned with Make-a-Wish Foundation in Central North Carolina and worked with a child whose wish was sports related. Then, through her experience with Girls on the Run in Columbus, Ohio, she witnessed how sports can empower girls. Those opportunities inspired her to start her own non-profit organization, Empower Flow, which connects women who have survived domestic and sexual violence to yoga.

McLoughlin wants to continue finding ways to impact the community through sports as she enters the professional world. She will work in the community/foundation department with the Browns following graduation in May 2025 from Davidson College.

“It just really resonated with how sports can be a positive influence for so many people, and the way that the Browns really leverage sports to engage positively with the community,” McLoughlin said. “In a lot of my prior experience, I’ve been doing community impact work, but I’ve been doing community impacts for a very specific subsection of a population. I’m super excited to see how we how the Browns and me as part of the team serve such a diverse and beautiful, exciting community.”

Krisha Sanghabi

Krisha Sanghabi discovered her interest in the sports industry through the student newspaper at the University of Florida, where she covered swimming and diving. She witnessed the passion of fans and the emotions of the athletes. Through her discovery, Sanghabi decided to pursue a degree in public relations.

She found the fellowship after seeing the application on LinkedIn, was intrigued about the fellowship’s dedication to creating opportunities for diverse participants. The fellowship also fell in a niche of the sports industry she ultimately wants to pursue with her professional career.

“I had spent so much of my time last year and past few years searching for a career path and I discovered that I really wanted to do sports, I really wanted to do diversity in sports. It’s a very particular niche that I didn’t think existed,” Sanghabi said. “I was under the impression that I’d have to go into sports and then spend a lot of my time working in DEI or making that my own pathway. And then I found this fellowship that was such a blend of both things, and I just loved everything about it. I just really liked that it was such a diversity-focused fellowship, because I didn’t even think that was an area that was so heavily emphasized anywhere.”

Sanghabi will graduate from Florida in May 2025 before beginning her fellowship with the Browns, where she will work in the communications department.

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Since joining the Cleveland Browns in 2016 as Director of Legal Affairs, Tywang has consistently contributed to the team and now to the Haslam Sports Group (HSG) portfolio of companies, including the Cleveland Browns, Columbus Crew, Milwaukee Bucks, HSG Ventures and HSG Real Estate. In 2019, in recognition of his legal and business acumen and his ability to establish exceptional rapport with internal and external stakeholders, Tywang was promoted to Vice President, General Counsel for HSG in 2019 before being elevated again in 2023 to his current title of Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel.

“I’m humbled and immensely honored to be part of Sports Business Journal’s ‘Forty Under 40’ class of 2025,” said Tywang. “This wouldn’t be possible without the incredible support of the Haslam and Johnson families, the HSG leadership group and the incredible teams we have across our organizations. I am so appreciative of the opportunity I have had here at HSG to help create lasting impacts and look forward to continuing to help us grow our organizations and continue to be amongst the best in sports business.”
“Ted is a terrific leader who has made an incredible impact on the Haslam Sports Group and all of Ohio through not only his work as our general counsel, but also leading our government affairs and community efforts,” said Haslam Sports Group Chief Operating Officer David Jenkins. “He is incredibly deserving of the honor of being part of this year’s ‘Forty Under 40’ class and we are so fortunate to have him on our team and helping to lead our organization.”

In his current role, Tywang provides legal oversight and strategic guidance as HSG continues to explore various investment opportunities and partnerships through its HSG Ventures platform. He also leads HSG’s government affairs efforts, connecting and working with government officials at all levels to help work cohesively with HSG’s properties.

As part of Tywang’s expanded duties as Chief Administrative Officer, he oversees the Cleveland Browns Community Relations and Foundation departments. In the civic realm, his role includes strengthening relationships and navigating legislation encompassing the State of Ohio, City of Cleveland, City of Columbus, and City of Berea, as well as other government officials and entities. Additionally, Tywang is actively engaged in the Ohio community, both as a representative of HSG and on his personal accord.

Tywang is also a key leader in the Browns future stadium planning efforts, as the organization has shifted its focus to a Dome stadium complex in the Cleveland suburbs of Brook Park, a project that will be transformative for Browns fans and the entire state of Ohio.

The Sports Business Journal’s Forty Under 40 Class of 2025 exemplifies excellence from individuals in the sports industry across teams and leagues, agencies and media companies, and working in sectors such as finance, law, sports betting and analytics. Tywang is the third member of the Haslam Sports Group to be distinguished with this honor, with Chief of Strategy and Development Josh Glessing making the Class of 2024 and Senior Vice President of Marketing and Media Brent Rossi making the class of 2018.

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“Adding The Barker Hotel as part of District 46 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus will not only help continue to grow Berea and the surrounding areas, but also provide fans with an ideal place to stay right in the backyard of our facility,” said Haslam Sports Group Chief Operating Officer David Jenkins. “We look forward to working with DiGeronimo Companies, Crawford Hoying, Shaner Hotel Group and Marriott on this project to help complete the neighborhood, which is already bringing a variety of spaces to benefit the region.”

The Barker will be in an ideal location within minutes of the Cleveland Browns’ CrossCountry Mortgage Campus, Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, Baldwin Wallace University and downtown Cleveland. Haslam Sports Group and DiGeronimo have partnered with real estate developer, Crawford Hoying, and award-winning, international hotel owner, operator and developer, Shaner Hotel Group (Shaner) on the project.

“Anchoring the development with a hotel of the caliber of The Barker is consistent with our vision for District 46,” said DiGeronimo Companies Chief Executive Officer, Vic DiGeronimo Jr. “We thank Haslam Sports Group, Crawford Hoying, Shaner, and Marriott for their partnership in bringing this unique hotel offering to Berea.”

Designed by Meyers + Associates, the Tribute Portfolio hotel will encompass more than 96,000 square feet and will feature a range of amenities, including a bar and restaurant, a fitness center, meeting space, and more, all crafted to enhance the guest experience.

“We’re thrilled to be expanding our portfolio by partnering with top-tier sports and entertainment venue leaders such as Haslam Sports Group,” said Plato Ghinos, President of Shaner Group. “This project reflects our ongoing commitment to enhance guest experiences within our hotels.”

The new Tribute Portfolio hotel will be developed by DiGeronimo and Crawford Hoying, and owned by Haslam Sports Group and DiGeronimo, with Shaner serving as the hotel operating partner. This new development marks the sixteenth collaborative hotel venture for Crawford Hoying and Shaner, which includes their award-winning AC Hotels in Bridge Park/Dublin and Dayton, Ohio, as well as, the newly opened Hotel Celare in Cincinnati, Ohio.

“We are excited to collaborate with Haslam Sports Group, DiGeronimo, and Shaner on this new hotel project in the Berea community,” said Bob Hoying, Principal at Crawford Hoying. “We look forward to bringing this vision to life and contributing to the growth of the area.”

Design/construction partners on The Barker include:
Developer: DiGeronimo Companies & Crawford Hoying
Operator: Shaner Hotel Group
General Contractor: Independence
Architect: Meyers+Associates
Brand: Arrival
Interior Design: ESG
Site Contractor: Independence Excavating
Construction Management: Independence Construction

About DiGeronimo Companies
Bringing development, construction, and capital under one umbrella to create exceptional value. From conception, through design, demolition, site work, construction, funding, development, ownership, and operation, the DiGeronimo Companies bring a “one-stop shop” philosophy to real estate development. With 65+ years in business, over 1,100 employees, and projects in 39 states, DiGeronimo Companies bring process-driven results to every partner. For more information, visit www.digeronimocompanies.com.

About Crawford Hoying
Crawford Hoying is a full-service provider for each aspect of real estate development, management, construction and sales in today’s dynamic real estate market. At Crawford Hoying, the goal is to add value to each project while maintaining the highest level of integrity. The company’s diverse portfolio includes for-rent and for-sale residential, commercial, hotel, industrial, mixed-use, senior housing and student housing. Crawford Hoying is invested heavily in Ohio, with more than $3 billion in completed and active developments including the transformational Bridge Park in Dublin and the vibrant Water Street District in downtown Dayton. To learn more about Crawford Hoying, visit www.crawfordhoying.com.

About Shaner Hotels
Headquartered in State College, Pa., Shaner Hotels is one of the foremost owner-operator companies in the hospitality industry with more than $1 billion invested in 60 hotel properties owned and managed across the U.S., Italy, Greece and the Bahamas. Over the past 40 years, the company has also been engaged in both new development and redevelopment of more than 80 hotel projects with leading brand affiliations such as Marriott International, InterContinental Hotels, Choice Hotels and Hilton. New properties are constantly evaluated as Shaner Hotels continues a conservative yet opportunistic approach to growth. For more information about the company and its divisions visit www.shanercorp.com.

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The program started in 2021 and was put in place to strengthen the pipeline for diverse talent into the sports industry. The fellowship encompasses an array of experiences in one or more sports business disciplines across two of HSG’s major league professional sports teams—the Cleveland Browns and Columbus Crew—to build their knowledge and gain experience in the business of professional sports and prepare them for a successful career in the sports industry.

“We are thrilled to welcome passionate, forward-thinking individuals in shaping the future of sports business leadership as we open applications for the fifth year of the Haslam Sports Group Diversity and Opportunity Fellowship,” said Haslam Sports Group Chief Operating Officer, David Jenkins. “Building a robust pipeline of diverse candidates is essential for HSG and the entire sports industry. Our past and current class of fellows have already made important contributions to our organization, and we are excited about the impact our future fellows will make as we look to equip these bright, young leaders with the necessary tools, insight, and experience over the course of 12 months to reach their full potential.”

Over the course of the yearlong program, all fellows will gain substantive experience working full time across departments such as administration (may include HR, finance, legal, IT, business analytics and/or ticket operations), marketing (may include brand marketing, creative services, digital media, content & production, media, scoreboard operations fan experience & events, community relations and/or the Cleveland Browns Foundation), operations (may include stadium operations, facilities operations, team operations, and/or communications) and sales (may include ticket sales & service, corporate partnerships, suite sales & service and/or retail & concessions) with both teams over a 12-month period. Up to four fellows will be selected in a highly competitive application and interview process based on a nationwide search in collaboration with multiple universities, as well as executives from both the Browns and Crew who assist with program development and recruiting efforts. Candidates will be selected toward the beginning of 2025 and will start their roles immediately following their college graduation in May.

Multiple alumni have gone on to secure full-time jobs in or adjacent to the sports industry, including specifically with the Browns, Crew, Goldman Sachs, Wasserman and CAA ICON. Other program alumni have returned to school in pursuit of MBA or Juris Doctor degrees.

Individuals interested in applying for the HSG Fellowship can do so here.

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District 46, a mixed-use neighborhood adjacent to the CrossCountry Mortgage Campus, will be developed by Ohio-based DiGeronimo Companies and will include a community field lined for multiple sports for youth, high school, and adult participation, an upscale hotel that will be developed in partnership with Crawford Hoying and operated by Shaner Hotel Group, a sports medicine facility operated by the team health-system partner, University Hospitals (UH), market-rate apartments, a field house for community use, a parking garage, and 30k square footage of retail space to support the new pedestrian-friendly neighborhood.

“The City of Berea and Mayor Kleem have been incredible partners to us at the Browns and the Haslam Sports Group, and we’re thrilled to work with them on this expansion project that will benefit so many members of our neighborhood,” said Haslam Sports Group Chief Operating Officer David Jenkins. “We’re thrilled to be working with local developer DiGeronimo and additional partners University Hospitals and Berea City Schools on District 46 at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus and know this development will be transformative for this community.”

“On behalf of the city of Berea, we’re excited to deepen our existing working relationship with the Haslam and Johnson families as well as the Cleveland Browns as we begin to create District 46,” said City of Berea Mayor Cyril Kleem. “For our residents and our community, these new spaces will continue to enhance all our city has to offer and will bring new opportunities for growth that we’re extremely excited about.”

“We’re proud to work with the Cleveland Browns and the City of Berea on this incredible project which will be transformational for the area,” said DiGeronimo Companies Chief Executive Officer Vic DiGeronimo Jr. “With so many great partners involved in District 46 from the Northeast Ohio region, we’re thrilled to help bring this vision to life and see the positive impact it will have for years to come.”

More development plans will be released in the months to come.

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Fellows will have the chance to join both the Browns and the Columbus Crew over the course of the year-long program and will work in one or more disciplines – sales, marketing, operations and administration – each containing several different departments.

The Haslam Sports Group (HSG) began the Diversity and Opportunity Fellowship in 2021 and has seen multiple alumni receive full-time offers with the Browns and Crew or elsewhere in the sports industry. Other program alumni have returned to school in pursuit of MBA or Juris Doctor degrees.

Get to know this year’s four fellows:

Danika Austin

Danika Austin, who finished her undergraduate degree and her master’s degree in sports administration at Northwestern in 2024, is originally from Michigan and was a five-year starter for the Wildcats women’s soccer team. Austin interned in the Northwestern athletic department, which is where she came across the fellowship opportunity.

“I was like, this is a perfect opportunity for me to be in two different sports that are two completely different industries and figure out my niche,” Austin said. “I’m just so excited to learn so many things that I learned in classes, but now I get to actually implement them in everyday life.”

Austin believes that the life lessons she learned while playing collegiate soccer will help her as she transitions to the world of professional sports.

“I feel like it just instilled key values in me,” Austin said. “Teamwork, collaboration, communication – all those things directly translate into the workplace and then just being around sports, you already know the grind. You know you’re going to have to work weekends and do all of those things […] so I think that lifestyle has prepared me to work in sports.”

Austin will be working in both of the legal and administration departments and for each team.

Lianne Rodriguez

Lianne Rodriguez, who graduated from TCU in Dec. 2023, found the fellowship after doing research on the Browns organization for a sports communications class assignment.

“I was doing a project on multicultural marketing and that led me to an article on the Browns and how there are a lot of women that work here within the coaching staff, professional staff and I was like, that looks like a cool place to work,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez was a member of the marching band at TCU as a clarinet player and started the program’s social media accounts. In addition to her musical interests, Rodriguez grew up a big soccer fan and credits her fandom with helping her get into sports.

“I am Mexican. I wasn’t born there, but that’s how I identify; my parents were both born there. And so, watching soccer games was a way to connect with my culture and my heritage and so that kind of initiated it all since I was little,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez will be working in the communications departments for both the Crew and the Browns this year.

Hannah Oliveros

Hannah Oliveros, a Chicago native and Ohio State alumna, appreciated the opportunity the HSG fellowship gave those just out of college to get into the sports industry.

“I had already been working with Ohio State athletics and football, so I was already in that field and wanted to expand that,” Oliveros said. “I really liked how [HSG] put an emphasis on getting more diversity into the sports world.”

Oliveros interned with Ohio State athletics for two years in addition to spending time with NBC Sports. She launched the athletic program’s TikTok account and credits her experience as a college athlete for putting her in a position to succeed off the field.

Oliveros not only worked for Ohio State athletics, but also spent three years on the gymnastics team, earning Academic All-Big Ten and WCHA Scholastic All-American honors in 2022 and 2023.

“I think college athletics is probably one of the hardest things that you could ever put yourself through,” Oliveros said. “But it helped me very much so get into everything that I needed to do. I was training preseason while I was working football games and competing while I was posting for Ohio State athletics’ TikTok account. I think that it gives you a better sense of how you need to manage your time and how you need to manage your priorities.”

Oliveros will be working in the digital and marketing departments for both the Crew and the Browns.

Irfaun Delgado Karim

A graduate of the University of North Carolina, Irfaun Delgado Karim is excited to bring his passion for both soccer and football to the Haslam Sports Group fellowship program. Delgado Karim grew up in St. Louis and worked as an intern for the Los Angeles Football Club in 2023.

Delgado Karim appreciates how sports provide ways for a diverse group of fans to connect over their love of the game.

“It just goes to show how much deeper it is than just sports,” Delgado Karim said. “It’s awesome to be able to go somewhere and it’s people of all different races, of all different backgrounds being able to cheer on the same thing.”

Delgado Karim is looking forward to the chance to work with both a professional soccer and professional football team across different departments.

“For me, it was just trying to get a foot in the door in the sports industry,” Delgado Karim said. “I think it can be one that’s pretty difficult, especially for minorities, to get into. So just seeing this opportunity having that focus and also just being able to do rotations was something that piqued my interest.”

Delgado Karim will be working in marketing and business analytics over the course of the one-year program.

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