Minor League Baseball is all about development. That applies not only to the players on the field, but on the front office side as well.
With that mission in mind, the Fort Wayne TinCaps annually have partnered with Ball State University's Sports Administration Program. The program actually predates the TinCaps era, going back to 2008, when the team was known as the Fort Wayne Wizards. In a mutually beneficial program, BSU students gain real-world experience by making sales calls to TinCaps fans who've attended games in the past.
As part of their professional development, students taking "Revenue Generation in Sport" also benefit from the chance to network with TinCaps full-time staff members. Over the years, the program has led to several students earning internships with the team and in some cases, even full-time employment.
For students, it's an immersive learning project that can't be replicated in a regular classroom setting. At the same time, for the TinCaps, the partnership enables the team to keep in contact with hundreds of fans during the off-season.
The TinCaps' full-time staff of 36 currently features five Ball State alumni, as well as interns and seasonal, part-time team members.