Wednesday, Oct 30, 2024
The partnership between Rider and the Giants is now in its second year
by Adam Grybowski
Clinton Asante-Addo ’24 has a voracious appetite for learning.
“I like to learn a lot of different things across a wide range,” says the recent graduate of 鶹. “That’s who I am as a person.”
As a full-time intern with the New York Giants in the NFL team’s corporate partnerships office this season, Asante-Addo has immersed himself in the business side of professional sports, gaining experience in client relations, marketing strategies and ensuring sponsors receive maximum exposure during games. He participates in meetings with executives, manages a group of interns and conducts market research.
“To be working for the Giants, it’s an amazing opportunity,” he says. “I’m around the players and the higher-ups in the organization, and a lot of things I do in this position are things I like to do. I’m always learning new things.”
Asante-Addo is part of the second group of Rider Broncs to intern with the Giants since the school became the football team’s official higher education partner in 2023. The partnership provides opportunities to gain hands-on experience across the team’s business operations through part-time, full-time and game-day internships.
To be working for the Giants, it’s an amazing opportunity...I’m always learning new things."
“It’s a very fast-paced environment,” says Asante-Addo, who received a bachelor’s degree in marketing and is now pursuing a Master of Business Administration from Rider. “Especially during game day, there’s no time for slow, nonchalant movement. You have to be on your toes and be able to do many things at once.”
Asante-Addo has been working full-time as an intern since mid-July, less than two months after graduating. Despite having a previous internship in digital marketing and being a lifelong football fan, the sports industry was new to him when he learned he had earned a spot with the Giants.
“I was ecstatic, but it was also surreal,” he says. “At first, I couldn’t believe it. Football is one of my favorite sports, and this internship tied together my past internship experiences and the classes I really liked.”
Two other Broncs are also working with the Giants this season as interns. Sophomore Michael Steinhauser is a game-day intern for the team, while Angelina Leunes '24 serves as a part-time corporate partnerships intern. The experience has made them active participants when the team takes the field at MetLife Stadium.
One of Steinhauser’s main tasks is ensuring that the team’s corporate sponsors are properly represented around the stadium on all graphic boards, LED displays, TVs and other signage. He also acts as a field pass escort, which has brought him into close proximity of notable figures like Eli Manning and Post Malone.
This isn’t Steinhauser’s first internship in sports. His previous experience includes working with a sports marketing company and a sales internship with the New York Boulders, and he currently has a second internship with the NFL, working in guest services for the New York Jets. He is also involved with Rider Athletics, working up to 20 hours a week.
“I’ve loved everything I’ve done so far, and I’ve learned that corporate partnerships, in particular, are an insightful and valuable field,” he says. “Sponsorships pay for everything, and I want to be part of creating the best possible experience for fans.”
Steinhauser has long been excited about the prospect of working in the sports industry. Growing up as an athlete in Bergen County, just 10 minutes from MetLife Stadium, he was immersed in a saturated sports market. At Rider, he decided to pursue a dual major in business analytics and sports management, setting his sights on a career that fused data analytics with professional sports. However, as a result of his internship experiences, he’s glimpsed other areas of the industry that might be of interest.
“I’ve always been a numbers person, but there’s more out there than just analytics, and all these different experiences have made me more open to exploring other fields,” he says.
In addition to internships, Rider students have gained hands-on experience across various business functions of the Giants organization, including case study projects with the team’s leadership and community service events. One such event was a recent sports clinic with athletes from Special Olympics New Jersey on Oct. 10.