“Growing up in Texas, my younger brother and I were fortunate that our parents would treat us to Houston Rockets, Astros and Texans games,” Phuong says.
“Obviously I was a big fan of all those teams, but something clicked early-on beyond the games themselves…the feel of the arena/stadium, the fan experience…I developed a passion for that environment, that game-night feel and wanted to chase it down as a career.”
Now, that same environment is where Phuong goes to work every day.
Phuong’s career journey within the sport industry began by choosing to attend Temple University’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Managment (STHM). While he considered attending several programs from around the country, he was certain of his decision to attend STHM when he realized the school’s programming could provide the education he needed to break into the competitive field.
“I could not wait to attend STHM once I became aware of the impact it could have on my future,” Phuong says. “I knew the experience could offer me a path to pursue my dream job and also offer me growth, both personally and professionally.”
Phuong enrolled to study sports management, which specializes in equipping students with the skills, expertise, insights and experiences necessary to find success in the professional sport industry.
In addition to the necessary classroom education, a pillar of the program is offering students integral experiences through experiential learning and external opportunities including internships
“This industry is incredibly competitive so anything you can do to get experience before graduation is really important,” Phuong says. “STHM drives home that importance and helps you achieve it.”
Phuong took advantage of the programming to complete two key internships as a student.
After his first year as an undergraduate, he served as a corporate partnerships sales intern with Peak Sports Management. During the 2022-23 academic year, he completed a premium partnerships internship with Comcast Spectacor.
With Comcast Spectacor, the opportunity brought him to work on site at the Wells Fargo Center while completing tasks for two of the city’s professional sports teams, the Philadelphia 76ers and Philadelphia Flyers, as well as the arena itself.
Beyond the valuable knowledge and forged industry connections, this experience would help Phuong discover what kind of path in the industry he wanted to follow.
“Through that internship, I was first exposed to how important business partnerships are within the sports world,” Phuong says. “I immediately felt that area of expertise was one that I enjoyed and one that I could see myself pursuing professionally.”
Today, Phuong is an account executive in the partnership development department of the Florida Panthers of the NHL. His role involves corporate partnership sales, which sees him working with an extensive number of companies, businesses and corporations as they continue to be, or become, partners with the team.
“Essentially, my role is to help our organization identify new partners by offering those partners the chance to utilize our brand and team as a vehicle to solve their business goals and objectives in the South Florida market which includes Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach,” Phuong says.
Proud to be a representative of the 2024 Stanley Cup champion Panthers, Phuong still recalls the lessons learned through his experiences at STHM.
“Whether it was through my course work, extracurriculars like internships or involvement in the Sport & Governance Association Student Professional Organization, so many elements of my overall educational experience are things I still utilize,” Phuong says.
“STHM taught me the tools to find success within this industry: the importance of teamwork, the push to be innovative, understanding the importance of building your network and industry experiences and utilizing your peers as valuable resources.”
(Photo courtesy of Isiah Phuong)
STHM’s faculty and staff have taken notice of Phuong’s work in the industry.
“Isiah is a great example of the success that we hope all our graduates find once they enter the field,” says Andrew Eisenhart, director of undergraduate enrollment management at STHM.
“As a school, we are proud to see our graduates forge their paths in the fields they are passionate about—Isiah’s impressive resume will surely continue to grow as he showcases his driven and dedicated work ethic.”
As he continues to grow his own career, Phuong has a message for current STHM students
“I encourage all students to have the confidence that they will find success in this industry—because they can,” Phuong says. “While it takes time and requires dedication, never be afraid to ask people ‘What do I have to do to get on your radar?’ That question can really help you make connections you may have never thought possible.
“STHM is a great place to start your career in the sport industry—work hungry, stay humble and be coachable and your path will fall into place.”