Course 2021-2022 a.y.

The key topics of the course are:

• Introduction – What is sport business and management about?
• The Sports Industry
• Sustainability and Stakeholders Management in Sport
• Business Models in Sport: The North American vs International model
• The Internationalization of Sport
• Management and development of athletes and teams
• Clubs' performances and Clubs' accounting peculiarities
• UEFA Financial Fair Play and recent financial trends in European Football
• Covid-19 impact on football clubs
• Hot topics in the current football financial landscape (player valuation, media landscape and multi club ownerships)

• Recognize the specific managerial features of the sport industry, regarding multiple areas such as strategy, organization, leadership, accounting and finance
• Identify and evaluate the main topics, trends and challenges that nowadays affect the sport industry at an international level
• Compare business models in Sport (such as North American and European Model)
• Develop sport values that will enhance their opportunities for further studies, life-long learning and employment

• Apply in the sport entities theories, concepts, frameworks, methods and instruments regarding the business and the management of sports
• Combine multiple key managerial issues (such as strategy, organization, leadership, accounting and finance) in a specific and unique industry
• Face problems and questions related to managerial issues of a sport entity, such as organizational aspects, stakeholders’ management or investment decisions
• Operate effectively in sports business environments whilst aware of the moral and ethical considerations affecting sports management and management of people and services

• Face-to-face lectures
• Guest speaker's talks (in class or in distance)
• Company visits
• Exercises (exercises, database, software etc.)
• Case studies /Incidents (traditional, online)
• Group assignments
• Interactive class activities (role playing, business game, simulation, online forum, instant polls)

The teaching method is built around an intensive mixture of lectures, guest speakers, visits, group works, class participation, videos, readings and case studies.

• Students are supposed to prepare case studies before class in order to take full advantage of the in-class learning experience and participate pro-actively in the discussions. Case studies are distributed in digital copy on the Bboard platform and are discussed either individually or as group exercise. The case studies of the course are selected in order to provide the students with effective insights in the learning process of applying theoretical concepts to real situations. Furthermore, students can improve their communication and interpersonal skills during the activities related to the in-class discussions.
• The know-how of sports systems is a natural consequence of daily activities and strategic decisions of market leaders and key global players. This is the main added value of having high-level access to professionals within the sports business, ones that students have the chance to meet both during guest speakers’ in-class sessions and on field visits.
• The professors integrate speakers’ contribution with lectures in order to guarantee high standards for the students’ learning experience.
• Finally, for group case discussions and group Final Project preparation, students work as team members in analyzing problems, discussing potential solutions and preparing and presenting reports, developing soft skills that are nowadays essential in any work environment, especially in the sports industry.

With the purpose of measuring the acquisition of the above-mentioned learning outcomes, the student's assessment is based on two main components:

• 50% of the grade: written exam based on multiple choice questions (no penalties for mistakes), which aims to assess the student’s learning level of the theoretical models, concepts, methods and tools shared during the lectures;
• 50% of the grade: group Project.

Only students who have prepared the Final Project are considered as attending. Furthermore, if an attending student does not take the exam in May or June, the grade of the Final Project is lost.

Once a student passes the exam, the grade has to be accepted.

100% of the grade: written exam based on multiple choice questions (no penalties for mistakes), which aims to assess the student’s learning level of the theoretical models and the main concepts shared in the books and in the slides, as well as well the student’s ability to apply the theory to real cases.

Once a student passes the exam, the grade has to be accepted.

For attending students:

• All the materials uploaded on Blackboard
• R. HOYE, A. SMITH, M. NICHOLSON, et al., Sport Management: principles and applications, Routledge, 2018 (chapters 1, 7, 10)
• P. GUENZI, D. RUTA, Leading Teams: Tools and Techniques for Successful Team Leadership from the Sports, 2013, 1st ed., Jossey-Bass (chapter 3)

For non-attending students:

• All the materials uploaded on Blackboard
• R. HOYE, A. SMITH, M. NICHOLSON, et al., Sport Management: principles and applications, Routledge, 2018 (chapters 1, 4, 6, 7, 10, 13)
• P. GUENZI, D. RUTA, Leading Teams: Tools and Techniques for Successful Team Leadership from the Sports, 2013, 1st ed., Jossey-Bass (chapters 3, 4, 5, 6)