Chicago and its surrounding suburbs offer a plethora of spectator-sport experiences. With major-league franchises in football, baseball, basketball, hockey, and soccer; minor-league franchises in baseball, basketball, and hockey; and NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics programs, the competition among organizations who deliver spectator-centered sport experiences is fierce.

However, in 2018 the crowded landscape did not deter sport and recreation industry veteran, Shawn Hunter, and his business partners from creating the Chicago Dogs. The Dogs, an independent baseball team playing in the American Association of Professional Baseball, began competing in May of that year. A Forbes article by Jason Belzer shares that Hunter’s belief in the team’s ideal location and newly constructed stadium were key ingredients to the organization’s planned success. More importantly, the article highlights the team’s customer-first-and-last business model as the driver behind memorable fan experiences that other teams in the market would not be able to deliver. 

As the Dogs prepared for their inaugural season, Mackenzie Thomas (UISRM BS 2017, pictured below right) was coming off an internship with the Kenosha Kingfish of the Northwoods Baseball League. Knowing the endurance and commitment it takes to work in baseball, Mackenzie was intrigued by the possibility of working for the Dogs. This intrigue led her to apply for the position of Group Account Executive. After earning the opportunity to join the Dogs in the role, she began her career with the team in January 2018. On beginning her career with the Dogs, Mackenzie has this to say: 

Luckily, upon my graduation, the Dogs were gearing up for their inaugural season. I had been keeping an eye on the organization since they had announced their team name a few months prior and I knew that the brand they were building was going to be special. The team's name itself captures the true spirit and culture of Chicago. Impact Field is also one of the nicest, if not the nicest, minor-league stadiums in the country. It was hard not to fall in love with this place from the start. 

Since the 2018 season, the Dogs have grown into a family-favorite destination for summer fun in the area. Similarly, Mackenzie has continued to grow within the Dogs organization, becoming a Senior Account Executive in January 2020, and the team’s Sales & Events Manager in May 2022. On why she remains loyal to the Chicago Dogs, Mackenzie says: 

I am in my 6th season with the Dogs and every year it just gets better. We have a great culture where we are all passionate about seeing this organization succeed. Attendance and sales each season have grown substantially. We also have taken on a winter light festival in conjunction with the Village of Rosemont, named “Sparkle Light Festival”, for the months of November and December.  

This organization has been incredibly loyal to me even during the trying years of the pandemic and that is something I don’t take lightly and will never forget. The people here have become more than just coworkers as they are more like family to me. 

In addition to Mackenzie Thomas’ success with the Chicago Dogs, Robert Laible (UISRM BS 2021) joined the Dogs’ front office in December 2021 and recently completed his second season with the team. Furthermore, the Dogs welcome aspiring sport and recreation professionals to learn as interns and deliver the top-notch fan experiences that serve as the foundation of the team’s business model. Since their inception, the Chicago Dogs have hosted a total of fifteen UISRM students for experiential learning credit who have gone on to work in the NHL, MLB, NBA, and Fortune 500 companies.

This past summer, Madison Pronek (ex. BS 2025, pictured right), Liam Moran (ex. BS 2025), Constantine Pantazis (ex. BS 2025), Zach Goldstein (ex. BS 2024), and Eric Skala (ex. BS 2024) earned independent field experience toward their UISRM degree with the Chicago Dogs. Of the experience, here is what Madison and Eric had to say: 

"Working for the Dogs this past summer was a great experience filled with a lot of learning. I enjoyed getting to know the operations of a baseball stadium during the season, as well as getting to learn from experienced professionals in the sport industry." -Madison Pronek

"The Front Office Internship with The Chicago Dogs is great for UISRM students who are looking for direction in their career. This internship has shown me every different aspect of a professional baseball team such as marketing, sales, broadcasting, promotions, etc. The most important thing with any internship is to have a willingness to learn and go the extra mile." -Eric Skala 

Thank you to the Chicago Dogs for providing experiential learning opportunities to aspiring sport and recreation professionals. Congratulations to UISRM alum Mackenzie and Robert for your professional success with the Chicago Dogs and thank you for reaching back to bring additional Hawkeyes to the organization that you call family. There is no doubt that the Chicago Dogs and #UISRMatwork are creating lasting memories for families and aspiring sport and recreation professionals at the ballpark.