With just three months under her belt as president and CEO of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Miami Host Committee, Alina Hudak joked that she might not seem like the logical choice for keynote speaker at a global sport industry conference.
For Hudak, a double Cane alumna who has repeatedly broken new ground in her decades-long career, the world of sports is hardly a new one. After all, she led Miami-Dade County through six Super Bowls as the county's first female manager.
However, Hudak's message to students at the 10th annual Global Sport Industry Conference transcended the sports world, offering insight into leadership in almost any kind of career.
"My background is in public service, public administration," Hudak explained. "You have to understand leadership, management, budgeting, finances ... but also how to leverage the resources and relationships you have to accomplish what you need to accomplish."
Success for the 2026 World Cup means "making sure everyone who comes to Miami has an amazing experience participating in a sport that brings so many people together," Hudak added. She said she hopes the "energy and momentum of (the games) makes everyone in South Florida proud to be a host of the World Cup."
It's a tall order but one Hudak and her "small but mighty team" say they are ready to deliver.
One of 11 host cities in the U.S., Miami is "conservatively" projected to see more than $1.3 billion in economic impact from seven World Cup matches, including a quarterfinal and a bronze match, plus a month of fan "activation" events, Hudak said.
When asked about getting into the sports business, Hudak mentioned her daughter Kristina, a graduate of the University's sport administration program, as an example of why it is so important to "do whatever it takes" to get the experience you need in any industry.
While in college, Kristina Hudak interned with the University's Athletic Department and later with the Miami Super Bowl Host Committee. She also assisted Major League Baseball with its all-star games in Miami and Washington, D.C.
When it came time to apply for full-time jobs, Hudak said her eldest daughter set her sights on a sports management position with the Boston Red Sox.
"She applied online and, three interviews later, they hired the girl from Miami," Hudak said proudly. "She's been in Boston five years, and she loves it. She's doing great things."
Helping students achieve their goals in the world of sports is what the conference is all about, said Erin McNary, an associate professor of practice who has led the sport industry conference for eight years.
"I see so many of our students, whether in our graduate, undergraduate, or online program, networking with sport industry leaders and gaining insight into the sport business and it is so exciting," she said.
"These are the future superstars in the industry. I challenge you all today to think about how this event can help lift you up and put you on a path to success."
McNary added that it was exciting to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the conference at the same time the University is celebrating its centennial.
"This is by far the most packed crowd we have had," she said, taking time to thank her many student organizers and colleagues who help bring the event to life. "I think we may have outgrown our space."
Jeffrey Jordan, a UOnline sport administration student who graduates in May, traveled from his home in New Jersey to attend the conference.
"Being an online student, I place a tremendous value on community and connection," said Jordan, who is the athletic director at New Jersey City University. "Any opportunity to come down to campus, to feel a part of it, is a no-brainer to me. The networking, the diversity of speakers, this was a fantastic event."
