Master in Sports Management: A revolutionary programme by ESEI

Sports is no longer just a physical activity. It has evolved into an immensely complex industry that incorporates business, technology, medicine, nutrition, media, marketing, and much more.

The problem is, sports centres in Spain – and many other areas of the world – haven’t been able to keep up with this rapid development. They don’t understand the complexity of the sports industry and don’t have the expertise to cover all the bases.

That’s the gap that ESEI hopes to fill with its Master in Sports Management programme.

Whether you have a background as a professional athlete or you’re just casually interested in sports and want to pursue a career in the sports industry, this programme will equip you with all the skills you need to succeed.

To find out more about the programme, we asked Jordi Estera, ex-professional tennis player and co-director at ESEI.

1. A holistic view of the world of sports

“Today, the world of sports is extremely complex. It’s a science of its own, with many different areas and specialisations,” says Jordi.

At ESEI, we want you to have a holistic view of the different aspects of sports. We offer a 360-degree programme that gives you insight into all the disciplines that make up the world of sports today.

Once you graduate, you’ll be able to integrate your knowledge of the different aspects of sports in a superior, elevated manner.

“Traditional business schools approach everything from the angle of 1+1=2. At ESEI, we believe that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts,” says Jordi.

The holistic knowledge you acquire with us will prepare you for a thriving career in the ever-innovating global sports industry.

2. 100% sports-focused programme

What differentiates ESEI’s Master in Sports Management is that it’s not just a variant of a master in business management – it’s laser-focused on sports.

“The sports management programmes of other business schools consist of 70% business administration and 30% sports management studies,” says Jordi.

“At ESEI, we offer a 100% sports-focused programme where every single business module is adapted to the world of sports.”

This arena is not only complex, but it also has particular characteristics that general business management doesn’t cover.

Instead of wasting your time with outdated, irrelevant, theoretical studies, we’re offering you a chance to completely immerse yourself in a new world: the world of sports.

Our programme includes the following modules:

• New Trends in the Business of Sport
• Sports Media
• Sports Governance and Leadership
• Sports Law, Ethics and Social Responsibility
• Sports Marketing
• Events and Facilities Management
• Financial Management in Sports
• Technology in Sports
• Management of High-Performance Athletes
• Strategic Sports Management

3. Invaluable networking opportunities

The only way to open yourself up to a new world is by surrounding yourself with people who are already in it. This is the opportunity that ESEI is offering you.

We can give you access to Barcelona’s lively and colourful sports scene – and the people who make it so.

The networking opportunities that we provide will play an instrumental role in your career. As you meet the experts and sports professionals who lead the industry today, you’ll start to understand the dynamics of sports business.

By the time you get your first job interview after graduation, you will have immersed yourself in the sports community and you’ll feel confident talking about any aspect of sports business.

“Until we can return to organising in-person events, we will have online conferences where you can listen to some of the most influential figures in the industry give presentations. You can participate in discussions and establish connections. We will also try to organise visits to companies and sports facilities in small groups, as soon as we are allowed,” says Jordi.

This way, you’ll get to become a part of the world of sports while you’re studying.

4. Professors who are experienced sports professionals

Some of the most important links in our network of sports professionals are our professors themselves.

They each have an extensive background in the sports industry and have created highly specialised lesson plans for you.

Here are some of our excellent tutors:

Aarthi Rajaraman. Aarthi is a freelance sports producer who’s worked with HBO Sports, ESPN, CNN and CBS.

Frank Hendrickx. Frank has held key finance positions at several multinational companies around the world. He is a Partner at Podoactiva Elite Barcelona, a company that specialises in sports biomechanics, injury prevention and podiatry. He is also Co-Founder at Ausum Global, a Barcelona-based company specialised in sports sponsorship and sports communication.

Antoine Delmas. Antoine is an entrepreneur specialised in tech, hospitality and experiential marketing. He manages several projects including Ibiza Essentials Experiential Marketing and B2BEAT Entertainment Marketing Agency.

Jordi Cañellas. Jordi is a sports business professional with more than 22 years of experience working with companies such as Adidas, Octagon, Diario Sport, Circuito de Barcelona and ACB (Asociación Clubs de Baloncesto). He is the Commercial Director at Aquilo Sports Sarl and Founder at JCSPORTSBARCELONA, a company specialising in sports marketing, consulting, sponsorship and helping elite athletes boost their personal brands.

Stephan van Uijtregt. Stephan is a sports data and technology specialist. He has extensive experience working with captains of industry, athletes, team managers and technical staff. He is the Owner of Nuevola Sports Technology, a high-performance sports product development, event management and new media management company.

Natalia Ribas Pueyo. Natalia is an expert in marketing and CSR. She is the Projects Director and Deputy Manager at Dharma Factory, specialising in designing and implementing communication campaigns that bring value to people, society and brands.

In case you missed our interview with sports media producer and ESEI professor Aarthi Rajaraman, we suggest you read it now!

5. Practical classes and interactive discussions

COVID-19 dealt a heavy blow to the sports industry – and things are rapidly changing.

“We live in a VUCA world – a world full of Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity. The sports industry must be entirely reimagined,” says Jordi. “And we invite students to participate in the discussion.”

At ESEI, we won’t bore you with endless theoretical classes. We believe in providing a practical, hands-on education that involves debating current issues and participating in conversations around the present and future of the industry.

Led by our professors, you will have the chance to discuss real business cases. We’ll simulate real-life situations so that you will be equipped to deal with them once you start your career as a sports manager.

The brainstorming sessions and problem-solving activities will equip you with the skills you need to succeed in this exciting profession.

If this sounds like the right programme for you, sign up now and get a discount of €930 (10% of the tuition fee) if you sign up by Tuesday, October 13th!

The fall semester starts next week, so this is your last chance to enrol!