The first soccer league to partner with Columbia, the program will focus on training professionals in all sectors of the league’s sports business directives
New York, NY – LaLiga North America today announced its partnership with Columbia University’s globally renowned Master of Science in Sports Management program, which marks the first graduate experience of this kind that the program has explored with a soccer league.
Taking place through 2021, this multifaceted partnership will allow Columbia students the unique opportunity to work directly with the best soccer league in the world and gain educational experiences in global sports marketing, digital sports media and sports analytics, all using LaLiga’s expertise. In return, LaLiga will deepen its focus in the U.S. and will be able to utilize the fresh perspectives put forward by graduate students and faculty participating in the program.
Specific initiatives within the partnership include classroom sessions on digital media, public relations, negotiations, marketing, sales, contracts, organizational background and context, and sponsorship, multiple workshops throughout the year that will provide hands on experience around LaLiga global operations, and visits to LaLiga offices, stadiums, and training facilities—in the US and in Spain.
LaLiga is no stranger to top of the line educational experiences, as their LaLiga Business School department has been developing worldwide initiatives since its inception with the aim to educate future professionals in the sports business industry. With the ideology that education is the first step to professionalization, this new partnership with Columbia University’s Master of Science in Sports Management is the first step in educating North American participants. Similarly, Columbia University’s Sports Management program is no stranger to top-level soccer. The partnership with LaLiga - along with existing ones with Real Madrid Graduate School and FC Bayern Munich - further expands the global reach of the Ivy League's only Sports Management Program and the program's offerings in and around the business of soccer.
“It’s an honor to be partnering with one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the world,” said LaLiga North America CEO Boris Gartner. “This is a true win-win collaboration, with LaLiga offering its expertise and students offering fresh idea that we will incorporate into our business strategy.”
“LaLiga is one of the most respected and successful professional sports leagues in the world,” said Scott Rosner, Academic Director of the Master of Science in Sports Management program. “This will be an invaluable experience for our students and faculty to work with LaLiga as they build out their strategy to grow their brand in North America.”
Students will also be eligible to receive internships at the New York office of LaLiga North America, as well as qualify to visit the Spanish headquarters of LaLiga in Madrid. The next aspect of the partnership will begin with a case study and workshop in November and December, around club expansion into US markets. This arrangement is the most recent endeavor bringing LaLiga North America’s mission to the forefront of their business strategy, which is to grow the awareness of the brand and of the sport of soccer to US audiences at a grassroots level.
About LaLiga North America
LaLiga North America is a joint venture between LaLiga, Spain’s top-flight soccer competition and professional association, and Relevent Sports Group, the premier soccer events and media business in North America and Asia, which serves as the exclusive representation of LaLiga in the U.S. and Canada for all business and development activities. The operation supports the league’s growth in the region through consumer related activities including content development, events and activations, marketing agreements, youth academies, development of youth soccer coaches, exhibition matches and plans to have an official LaLiga Santander match played in the U.S.
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About Columbia University’s Master of Science in Sports Management Program
Columbia University’s master’s degree program in Sports Management, available part-time and full-time, trains professionals in all sectors of the sports industry by teaching specific management skills in the areas of finance, analytics, business intelligence, digital media, leadership, law, sports marketing, and sports facility and event management. This combination of broad-based and specific skill training is a hallmark of the program and is evident in both the content and sequencing of courses. sps.columbia.edu/sports | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook
