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Course 2022-2023 a.y.

20552 - SPORTS BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT

Department of Management and Technology

Course taught in English

Go to class group/s: 31

MM (6 credits - II sem. - OP  |  SECS-P/10)
Course Director:
CATALDO RUTA

Classes: 31 (II sem.)
Instructors:
Class 31: CATALDO RUTA


Class-group lessons delivered  on campus

Mission & Content Summary
MISSION

The course is dedicated to the analysis of management issues and value creation mechanisms in the sport industry. Most popular sports and sport events have, without doubt, sociological implications and economic importance in direct and indirect effects that are undeniably complex to investigate. The 2021 turnovers of the following leagues can explain the relevance of sport business worldwide. The total turnover of the National Football League (NFL) was $17.2 bn, in the Major League Baseball (MLB) it was 9.56 bn, in the Premier League it was 6.74 bn, in the National Basketball Association (NBA) the turnover was 6.42 bn and in LaLiga it was 3.67 bn. Sport organizations - mainly Federations, Leagues and Clubs - must be able to influence and address the evolution of the world of sport and demonstrate that they know how to leverage and balance the economic, sporting and cultural dimensions. High-profile competitive sport and sport events furthermore require systems, facilities and infrastructures that consequently make the specific public policies and managerial practices essential. For all these reasons, the sport industry deals with different types of managerial and leadership skills that determine the uniqueness of the industry and as a consequence the agenda of the strategic issues. The course objective is to combine a genuine passion for sports, seen and practiced, with solid managerial skills that will help you approaching the labor market of the sport.

CONTENT SUMMARY

The key topics of the course are:

  • Introduction: What is sport business and management about?
  • 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 team
  • Clubs’ performances and clubs’ accounting peculiarities
  • UEFA Financial Sustainability Regulations and the evolution of European football business in the last decade
  • COVID-19 impact on football clubs
  • The role of the transfer market as a revenue redistribution mechanism between different levels of the European football pyramid: a five-season overview (2018/19 – 2022/23)
  • Three hot topics in the current football landscape: 1) Player Valuation, 2) New types of investors in football, and 3) Multi club ownerships

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
At the end of the course student will be able to...
  • 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
APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
At the end of the course student will be able to...
  • 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

Teaching methods
  • 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)
DETAILS

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.

Assessment methods
  Continuous assessment Partial exams General exam
  • Written individual exam (traditional/online)
  •     x
  • Group assignment (report, exercise, presentation, project work etc.)
  •     x
    ATTENDING STUDENTS

    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 Final 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.

    NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS

    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.

     


    Teaching materials
    ATTENDING STUDENTS
    • Case studies, slides (professors’ and speakers’), papers, reports, academic papers uploaded on Blackboard
    • R. HOYE, A. SMITH, M. NICHOLSON, et al., Sport Management: principles and applications, Routledge, 2015 or 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)
    NOT ATTENDING STUDENTS
    • Slides (professors’ and speakers’), papers, reports, academic papers uploaded on Blackboard
    • R. HOYE, A. SMITH, M. NICHOLSON, et al., Sport Management: principles and applications, Routledge, 2015 or 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)
    Last change 16/12/2022 12:03