European Sports Business Program

Content
Format & Modules
Faculty
Benefits
Participant Profile

About the Program

The Executive Education divisions of three leading European Business Schools, WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, Stockholm School of Economics (SSE), and ESSEC Business School, joined forces to offer a program for leaders in sports business:
Over 3 x 3-day modules, participants learn how to systematically look into the future and translate vision into action, informed by the tools and insights of an AI-driven world. Furthermore, they study how to turn strategy concepts into commercial success and they will experience sports business as a people business, even in an increasingly digital and AI-enabled world. Participants will not only discover new skills and explore new ways of thinking but also have the opportunity to expand their network through a diverse group of international peers and world-class experts.

Participants will be awarded an Executive Education Certificate from each business school after successfully completing the program.

Program Content

The European Sports Business Program (ESBP) aims to prepare high potentials in sports business for the (future) challenges within their industry through a tailor-made executive education program. The program consists of 3 x 3-day on-site modules at the most prestigious European business schools specializing in sports business.

Module I – “Corporate Foresight & Strategy Making” at WHU in Dusseldorf:

Nurture a strategic mindset to leverage change into progress
Aspire to digitize and globalize sports in an era shaped by data analytics and intelligent technologies
Follow a systematic strategy process to translate vision into action, informed by the tools and insights of an AI-driven world

Module II – “Management & Execution” at SSE in Stockholm

Focus on strategy implementation in the fast-paced and competitive world of sports
Learn about the evolution of "sport as an asset class" and how this has had both positive and negative effects
Discuss how AI can be used to support the implementation of effective performance measurement systems, involving both operational and financial issues

Module III – “Leadership & Culture” at ESSEC in Paris

Experience sports business as a people business, even in an increasingly digital and AI-enabled world
Create engaged, adaptive, and thriving teams to drive innovation and change in a technology-driven environment
Promote a sense of purpose to lead organizations into the future

Learn from renowned faculty – full professors specialized in sports business will facilitate the learning process.

Benefit from experienced leaders – world-class experts share insights in guest speaker sessions.

Be challenged by your peers – the diverse cohort of ambitious peers will provide a network of new opportunities.

This sports leadership program includes a mix of in-class teaching, case studies, group work, guest speakers, applied projects, and networking sessions.

Program Format and Module Dates

The program consists of 3 x 3-day on-site modules taking place in Düsseldorf, Stockholm, and Paris.

Module I – Corporate Foresight & Strategy Making
March 9, 2026 - March 11, 2026, Düsseldorf

Module II – Management & Execution
April 27, 2026 - April 29, 2026, Stockholm

Module III – Leadership & Culture
June 15, 2026 - June 17, 2026, Paris

Program Faculty

WHU-Speaker

About

Sascha L. Schmidt is a Professor, Chair Holder and Director of the Center for Sports and Management (CSM) at WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management in Düsseldorf, Germany with the “Future of Sports” being his key research area. He is a lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sports Entrepreneurship Bootcamp as well as a member of the "Digital Initiative" at Harvard Business School in Boston. Schmidt is the editor of the book “21st Century sports: How Technologies will Change Sports in The Digital Age,” and based on this book, he developed the online course “Transformational Technologies: Applied Lessons from Sports” with MIT xPRO. He regularly publishes his work in various books and peer-reviewed journals, including Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Sloan Management Review, and Applied Psychology.

Guest-Speaker

About

Karoline Strauss is Professor of Management at ESSEC Business School and holder of the ESSEC Sports Chair. She teaches leadership, organizational behavior, and human resource management. Her research focuses on how leaders and employees bring about change and shape the future, such as by contributing to (or resisting) change and innovation. Professor Strauss has collaborated with organizations from a wide range of sectors, including health care, policing, telecommunications, and sports.

Guest-Speaker

About

Martin Carlsson-Wall is Professor of Accounting at Stockholm School of Economics (SSE) and Director of the Center for Sports and Business at SSE. In 2015, he founded the Stockholm School of Economics' Center for Sports and Business. It is an inter-disciplinary research center with faculty members from all over the world. It is supported by the Swedish Olympic Committee and many of the large Swedish sports (e.g., football, ice hockey, golf, equestrian, skiing, parasport, trot racing). Martin's research interests are in accounting, sports organizations, and in the areas of management control, innovation, growth, and risk management.

Program Benefits

After the course, participants will be able to:

Module I – “Corporate Foresight & Strategy Making”:

Execute a systematic, AI-informed four-step strategy making process from Purpose to Evaluate to Architect to Kickstart (PEAK)
Explore new paths for growth to unlock value streams for a future-ready organization
Evaluate strategic opportunities using AI-enhanced foresight to prioritize scarce resources
Develop a comprehensive strategy that unlocks the full potential of new business opportunities in digital and global markets
Navigate strategic uncertainty in a world shaped by rapid technological and AI-led disruption
Validate their mastery of modern strategy making with an official certificate from WHU Executive Education

Module II – “Management & Execution” at SSE in Stockholm

Implement strategies in a rapidly changing sport industry to remain fit for the future
Analyze funding options for a sports business in a professionalizing investment environment
Set appropriate performance metrics using AI to continuously evaluate and navigate the transformation journey
Manage risk during strategy implementation to balance up- and downside potentials
Prove their knowledge on Management & Execution with an official certificate by Stockholm School of Economics

Module III – “Leadership & Culture” at ESSEC in Paris

Lead and motivate high-performing teams to drive change in times of digital acceleration
Create a culture of initiative and innovation to unlock new potential based on both creativity and technology-enabled possibilities
Foster openness to change and resilience in their teams and organizations as new tools and intelligent systems reshape the workplace
Inspire a sense of purpose and meaning to help teams thrive in the future of work
Prove their knowledge on Leadership & Culture with an official certificate by ESSEC Business School

Participant Profile

Distinct growth mindset
Undergraduate degree
Minimum of 2 years of postgraduate work experience, ideally in sports business related areas

Exceptions may apply for outstanding candidates with a strong track-record in sports.

A limited number of slots is available. You can expect to be part of a diverse cohort due to prorated allocation of participant slots to the home markets of WHU (DACH), SSE (Nordics), and ESSEC (Southern Europe).

About ESSEC Business School

Founded in 1907, is one of the world’s top management schools and holds the “triple crown” accreditation from EQUIS, AACSB and AMBA. With 7,400 participants across 4 campuses (France (2), Morocco and Singapore); a faculty comprised of 169 full-time professors, 23 of which are emeritus professors, in France and Singapore, recognized for both the quality and influence of their research; a wide range of management training programs; partnerships with the world’s best universities; and a network of 69,000 alumni, ESSEC continues to foster a tradition of academic excellence and a spirit of openness in the fields of economics, social sciences and innovation.

ABOUT SSE EXECUTIVE EDUCATION

Stockholm School of Economics Executive Education is Northern Europe’s leading partner for executive education and ranked number one in the Nordics according to the Financial Times. The wide range of programs offers training in leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship, sustainable growth, and financial economics, as well as specialist programs in finance and insurance.

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