Professor Mark Francis has joined Concordia University Irvine as Assistant Professor and Sport Management Program Director fulfilling the role previously held by Dr. Curt Cattau. Professor Francis has been an active Adjunct Professor at Concordia University Irvine for the last several years, contributing not only in the classroom but also through supporting and expanding our co-curricular activities in Sport Management.
He holds an MBA and MA in Sports Administration, a Diploma in University Teaching, Graduate Diploma in Sports Administration and undergraduate degrees in Secondary Business Education and Physical Education respectively at the University of New Brunswick as well as a Certificate in Marketing from UCLA Extension with specialties in Social Media Marketing and Brand Management. He has led the Sports Business program at UCLA Anderson School of Management’s Center for Managing Enterprise in Media, Entertainment and Sports.
His involvement in local, regional, national and international sport management has led to his success with the professional sports community throughout Southern California to secure high-level professional internships for students highlighted by the LA Angels, LA Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Steinberg Sports & Entertainment, Golden Boy Promotions, Sports 1 Marketing, LA Galaxy, Rose Bowl and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Additionally, he serves as an online course developer and adjunct professor as part of the MBA Program in the Business of Hockey for Athabasca University and the Business of Hockey Institute in Edmonton, Canada as well as serving in a similar capacity for the University of California Irvine (UCI).
Since 2018, he has worked extensively as the Director of Curriculum with UCLA academic partner Athleta-Ed, in the development of a new undergraduate Business of Sport minor through the Anderson School of Management. As part of this role he co-authored and taught the first asynchronous undergraduate business course in UCLA history in 2019.
During his tenure as an adjunct professor at Concordia University Irvine, he worked with the CUI Sport Management Club in organizing symposiums with high-level industry speakers including NFLPA Executive Director, DeMaurice Smith; CEO of Steinberg Sports & Entertainment, Super-Agent Leigh Steinberg; and former New Jersey Devils owner, Marc Wade. Additionally, outside of his academic experience and pursuits he is the Founder & Principal of Mark One Sports Entertainment Inc.
In addition to his classroom responsibilities, Professor Francis will also be the Faculty Advisor for the Sport Management Club (SMC) and the Internship Director for sport management internships.