The 2026 WNBA All-Star Weekend brought together some of the biggest names in women's basketball, passionate fans from across the country, and brands dedicated to growing the game. Among those brands was Playa Society, a women-led apparel company committed to celebrating women's sports through fashion, community, and storytelling.

UISRM Advisory Board member and Founder of Hometeam, LLC, Tara Carsner, facilitated the opportunity for Emma Eltoft (ex. BS 2028), Suazanna Huffins (ex. BS 2026), Phoebe Loth (ex. BS 2028), Ella Raef (ex. BS 2027), and Aubrey Stark (ex. minor 2027) to serve as Brand Ambassadors for her client, Playa Society, during WNBA Live at the WNBA All-Star Game. Throughout the week, they worked alongside the Playa Society team to support retail operations, merchandise sales, customer engagement, and special player appearances while gaining firsthand experience at one of the largest events in women's sports.

From setup to teardown, students were involved in every aspect of the activation. Responsibilities included organizing inventory, assembling merchandise displays, operating the point-of-sale system, assisting customers with apparel sizing, restocking products, and ensuring fans had a positive shopping experience. The booth remained busy throughout the event, with more than 90% of items selling out supporting both the WNBA and Playa Society.

One of the week's biggest highlights was welcoming WNBA superstar A'ja Wilson to the Playa Society booth for the launch of her newest collaboration with Nike and Playa Society. Student ambassadors helped prepare the activation, manage guest flow, and support the successful unveiling of the collection. Seeing the planning and teamwork behind a high-profile athlete's appearance provided valuable insight into professional event operations and brand activations.

Experiential learning opportunities like WNBA All-Star Weekend continue to prepare UISRM students for successful careers in the sports industry by providing hands-on experience, professional networking, and exposure to large-scale sporting events. Through partnerships like this, students can apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings while building the skills and confidence needed for their future careers.

A pair of students who served as Playa Society Brand Ambassadors had this to say:

I truly had the best week of my life and am grateful for the amazing experiences I was able to be a part of. Running POS was one of my main jobs throughout the week which I loved because I got to talk to fans from all over the country and chat with each person for a couple of minutes at a time. I’m endlessly grateful to Tara and UISRM for introducing me to this wonderful opportunity and believing I would be a good fit to help with such a wonderful event! – Aubrey Stark (ex. minor 2027)

This was an incredible experience I won’t forget: working with great teammates, strengthening my skill toolbox, and working with such a great brand that Playa Society is. Thank you, Tara and UISRM, for continuing to make these opportunities possible for us. I am incredibly grateful!  - Phoebe Loth (ex. BS 2028)

Thank you to UISRM Advisory Board Member Tara Carsner for providing Emma, Suazanna, Phoebe, Ella, and Aubrey this transformative experiential learning opportunity. We hope you enjoy the highlight video and photo gallery (photos courtesy of Playa Society’s Briele Chanel).