Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
Sport Management
Other languages of instruction: Catalan, English,
Teaching staff
Introduction
Over recent decades, sport has evolved from an activity mainly associated with participation and leisure into a global industry where consumption, entertainment, health, technology, tourism, media, brands, investment and services converge.
This growth has significantly increased the number and diversity of organisations operating in the sector: clubs, federations, leagues, competition organisers, sports facilities, gyms, brands, sponsors, media outlets, audiovisual platforms, technology companies, public administrations, agencies, suppliers and hospitality operators, among others.
In this context, education and managerial talent are essential. Sports organisations need to apply rigorous principles of strategy, business models, marketing, operations, leadership, innovation and control, while remaining mindful of the distinctive characteristics of sport.
The content of UIC Barcelona’s SPORT MANAGEMENT course addresses this need through an applied approach that combines academic concepts from Business Administration and Management with the analysis of real cases, decisions and professional experiences.
Throughout the course, the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell - Trofeo Conde de Godó will be used as one of the main case threads, complemented by first-hand experience in VIP hospitality services for major international events (UEFA Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland, 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, FC Barcelona / Real Madrid CF, Mútua Madrid Open), sponsorship (LaLiga, Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell), sports brand marketing (DUNLOP – SLAZENGER), sustainable sports event management (Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) - Sustainable Sports Event), governance (Real Club de Tenis Barcelona 1899) and internationalisation, among others.
Objectives
The objective of this course is to present, in a highly practical way and through real examples, the basic concepts of SPORT MANAGEMENT and the management resources required to perform leadership and management roles in sports industry organisations. The course will cover tools to analyse the environment and stakeholder groups, define strategies, understand business models, generate revenue, develop marketing and sponsorship initiatives, design customer experiences, manage operations and events, lead teams, and address innovation and internationalisation processes.
Throughout the sessions, particular emphasis will be placed on understanding theoretical concepts and applying them in practice. Students will learn to analyse situations with limited information, propose alternatives, prioritise, accept trade-offs and defend decisions as a manager would.
Learning outcomes of the subject
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
- Understand and position the sports industry within the field of management.
- Identify the main actors in the sports ecosystem and understand their relationships and interests.
- Analyse who creates value and who captures revenue within a sports business or event.
- Understand what strategy is and apply concepts of positioning, differentiation and competitive advantage.
- Understand the main revenue sources in sport: ticketing, sponsorship, media rights, hospitality, merchandising, membership fees, licences and subsidies.
- Understand sports consumer behaviour and apply segmentation, engagement, loyalty, data and CRM principles.
- Understand the logic of sports sponsorship, distinguish between rights and activation, and propose ways to measure return.
- Design customer and hospitality experiences by identifying friction points and premiumisation opportunities.
- Understand how a sports event is planned and executed, including suppliers, temporary infrastructure, security, catering, logistics and risk management.
- Understand the role of management, leadership, teams, culture and governance in sports organisations.
- Analyse the impact of data, artificial intelligence, new formats, streaming and eSports on sport management.
Syllabus
The course is delivered in 12 two-hour sessions. The structure follows a progressive approach: understanding the industry; working on strategy and business models; exploring marketing and experience in greater depth; addressing management and execution; and concluding with innovation, internationalisation and integrated application.
The 12 sessions are divided into the following blocks:
Block I. Understanding the industry
Block II. Strategy and business models
Block III. Marketing, brand and experience
Block IV. Management and execution
Block V. Future and application
Block I. Understanding the industry
Session 1. Sport as an industry (1 two-hour class)
- Introduction to the course, lecturer and students.
- Methodology, class dynamics and working system.
- What we mean by the sports industry.
- Actors and relationships.
- Economic and social scale.
- Who creates value and who captures revenue.
- Introduction of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell - Trofeo Conde de Godó as the guiding case.
Session 2. The ecosystem and stakeholders (1 two-hour class)
- Clubs, federations, leagues, brands, media, institutions and fans.
- Stakeholders.
- Conflicts of interest.
- Governance and power.
- Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell stakeholder map: who decides, who influences and who observes.
Block II. Strategy and business models
Session 3. Strategy and competitive advantage (1 two-hour class)
- What strategy is and is not.
- Positioning.
- Differentiation.
- Competitive advantage.
- Decisions and trade-offs.
- Positioning of the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell against other ATP tournaments of a comparable category.
Session 4. Sports business models (1 two-hour class)
- Value proposition.
- Customers.
- Revenue.
- Costs.
- Key resources.
- Risks.
- Business Model Canvas applied to clubs, tournaments or gyms.
Session 5. How sport makes money (1 two-hour class)
- Ticketing.
- Sponsorship.
- Media rights.
- Hospitality.
- Merchandising.
- Membership fees.
- Licences.
- Subsidies.
- Revenue structure of a tennis tournament and the factors explaining its evolution.
Block III. Marketing, brand and experience
Session 6. Marketing and sports consumer behaviour (1 two-hour class)
- Motivations.
- Segmentation.
- Communities.
- Fan engagement.
- Loyalty.
- Data and CRM.
- Design and discussion of Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell audience segments.
Session 7. Sponsorship and brand activation (1 two-hour class)
- What a sponsor is really buying.
- Rights and activation.
- Objectives.
- Commercial proposal.
- Measuring return.
- Deliveroo + LaLiga case.
Session 8. Customer experience and hospitality (1 two-hour class)
- Experience economy.
- Customer journey.
- Service.
- Premiumisation.
- Designing memorable experiences.
- FIFA, UEFA and Nectar Sports case: VIP experiences at major international sports events.
Block IV. Management and execution
9. Operations and event management (1 two-hour class)
- Planning.
- Production.
- Suppliers.
- Temporary infrastructure.
- Security.
- Catering.
- Logistics.
- Risk management.
- Operational sustainability of sports events.
- Nectar Sports case at FIFA, UEFA, Davis Cup and Olympic Games events.
- Reference to the sustainable management sport event standard, developed with Planet Fair Play for the Spanish Olympic Committee.
Session 10. Leadership, teams and governance (1 two-hour class)
- Management function.
- Teams.
- Culture.
- Conflict.
- Decision-making.
- Boards of directors.
- Relationship between ownership, management and stakeholders.
- Real Club de Tenis Barcelona 1899 case.
Block V. Future and application
Session 11. Innovation, artificial intelligence, data and internationalisation (1 two-hour class)
- Data and AI applied to sport management.
- New formats, streaming and eSports.
- New consumers and sports entrepreneurship.
- Internationalisation of sports business: market entry, product adaptation and management of local distributors.
- Planet Fair Play and World Padel Tour cases, and market-entry experiences in Europe, Asia and Africa.
Session 12. Management committee: final project presentation (1 two-hour class)
- Groups act as consultants to a real or fictional sports organisation.
- Diagnosis.
- Problem.
- Strategic proposal.
- Business model.
- Action plan.
- KPIs.
- Risks.
- Critical use of AI.
- Final integrative case: Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell, closing the case thread introduced in the first session.
Teaching and learning activities
In person
The teaching approach is primarily practical, participatory and experiential, grounded in rigorous use of management concepts and analytical tools applied to sports organisations. To develop the intended competencies and ensure the learning outcomes, classes combine content presentation with professional examples, guided discussion, questions, group work and the resolution of mini-cases or proposed situations.
As a general rule, each session is structured around a central question or dilemma, a block of applied theory, a guiding case linked to the content, a discussion and a practical mini-case during the final 30 minutes. Students must make a specific decision and defend it. The exercise will conclude by comparing alternatives and, when the case is based on a real experience, explaining the decision taken by the organisation and its consequences.
Priority will be given to students’ ability to connect theory with practice and develop managerial judgement. Participation will not be understood merely as frequency of contributions, but in terms of preparation, reasoning ability, listening, quality of contributions and collaboration.
Evaluation systems and criteria
In person
Knowledge and competencies in this course will be assessed through practical cases, a final project and a final individual assessment, as well as preparation for and participation in the sessions.
|
Activity |
Weight |
Type |
|
1. Class participation |
10% |
Individual |
|
2. In-class practical cases |
30% |
Individual or pairs/groups |
|
3. Team project |
30% |
Team |
|
4. Individual practical case – final exam - |
30% |
Individual |
1. Class participation will be assessed according to four levels:
- Excellent: the student contributes their own arguments, connects theory and practice, and moves the discussion forward
- Adequate: the student demonstrates preparation and contributes to the case
- Basic: the student contributes mainly when asked and their contribution is superficial
- Insufficient: the student does not participate meaningfully or does not demonstrate preparation
2. For the in-class practical cases developed during the sessions, particular attention will be paid to the ability to diagnose and analyse the situation presented, correctly apply the concepts and tools covered in the course, consider different alternatives, and assess the quality, feasibility and possible implementation of the proposed decisions. The use of indicators, where appropriate, and the student’s ability to argue, communicate and defend their decisions will also be taken into account.
3. The final team project will not have a single correct solution. Its resolution must integrate the knowledge and tools developed throughout the course and apply them to a specific sport management situation. Students must carry out a diagnosis, identify the main challenges, propose and assess different alternatives, and formulate a viable strategic proposal. The project will be submitted and defended before the lecturer towards the end of the course, simulating a management committee in which students must justify and defend their decisions, priorities and recommendations in response to questions raised.
4. The individual practical case (final exam) will be completed in person in class and will assess the student’s ability to independently apply the knowledge acquired during the course. Based on a specific situation or problem related to sport management, the student must analyse the available information, make a diagnosis, identify the relevant issues, propose possible alternatives and justify the decision or proposal they consider most appropriate. Particular emphasis will be placed on reasoning ability, application of the concepts covered during the course, coherence of the argument and feasibility of the proposed solutions.
FINAL EXAM:
The final exam will account for 30% of the course grade.
Students who, for justified reasons approved by UIC, have been unable to attend any of the course sessions will be assessed solely through the final exam, which they must pass.
SECOND EXAM SESSION
In the second exam session, passing the final exam is sufficient.
In general, assessment will prioritise the ability to apply knowledge, analyse situations and make well-founded decisions rather than simply memorising concepts.
The use of artificial intelligence tools must be critical and responsible throughout the course. The use of AI tools will not be permitted during classes. When their use is authorised for assessed activities, students must be able to explain and defend the content submitted and verify the information used.
Bibliography and resources
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Páginas web de consulta recomendada
- www.2playbook.com
- www.palco23.com
- www.cmdsport.com
- www.tradesport.com
- Spanish National Sports Council (Consejo Superior Deporte).
- Sports Statistics Yearbook and Sports Habits Survey.
- Websites, annual reports and public reports of clubs, federations, leagues, organisers, brands and operators analysed during the course.