Two MSc in Sports Industry Management Students Launch Their Podcast
emlyon business school is will-reputed for its international diversity, evident in its professors, students, and through the various global learning experiences offered. The MSc in Sports Industry Management program is no exception and is where two bright, international students crossed paths and formed not only a lasting friendship but also a podcast!
Current MSc in Sports Industry Management students, Lorenzo Tortora from Lodi, Italy, and François Legoedec from Normandy, France, met on their first day of class and have grown to become close friends. We wanted to learn about their experience in the program, the podcast, their future plans, and any advice they could give future students.
First and foremost, why did you choose to join emlyon’s MSc in Sports Industry Management program?
Lorenzo: I would say there were two decisive factors. The first is that the program is very international, from the diverse cohort to the international field trips, and the semester spent in another country. This was very important because I want to work around the world. The second factor is the program’s emphasis learning through the use of practical, hands-on projects, which is very helpful in retaining concepts.
François: I was looking for a program that would enable me to find a good job in the sports industry right after graduation. It had to include a big international dimension and be marketing oriented as well.
How has your experience been thus far? Any highlights?
François: So far, my experience of the program has been contrasted. Just like in any program there are things that you like and others that you don't. The high points are the projects that we're able to do with major companies in the industry.
Lorenzo: I would say overall good. The highlight would definitely be the two-months long project I did with Adidas for our “Transforming Early Makers” course, something I had been looking forward to since enrolling in the program.
Regarding your podcast, how did you get the idea?
Both: We were inspired by our professor of “Geopolitics of Sports,” Simon Chadwick. Through his classes we learned that there are a lot of underlying issues going on in sports and it drove us to want to reveal, discuss, and share them with others that are also interested. For example, we realized that was a real gap in the understanding of what is going on in sports and what truly drives decision makers; the purchase of PSG by the Qatari government is a perfect example. A lot of underlying issues exist, and the business transaction is not as straightforward as people may think. Ultimately, the different courses throughout the program really helped us to understand that it's never all “black or white” on these subjects.
How can we listen to your podcast, “Game.Set.Deal.”?
Both: We recorded our first episode on March 24th, revolving around the Russian invasion of the Ukraine and how sports organizations are reacting to it, which can be found with all of our future podcasts on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFHglPMtvgLtk_MT-ALUAwA.The topics covered in the podcast will vary but will center around the context in which sports are currently played and how they’re impacted by all of the different decisions being made. We will also post content on our Instagram page, @gamesetdeal.
Looking to the future, what are your long-term career goals after graduation?
Lorenzo: My goal is to work in different parts of the world, and I’d like to start by completing my internship in the US. This a country that has always been a leader in the sport industry, particularly in the concept of leagues operating as whole entities, something that really fascinates me. My long-term goal is to bring all this knowledge back to my country (Italy) and work towards increasing the popularity abroad of our football league.
François: Ideally, I would like to do my internship in a different region of the world (the Middle East or East Asia) to discover new ways of thinking and doing things. My interests lie mainly in football and in geopolitics, so I would like to work in business development for a major football entity, whether that be a club or a federation, to promote the interests of a sport that I believe is a massive tool to bring people together and accomplish diplomacy.
Do you have any advice for future potential students to the program?
Both: The biggest piece of advice, apart from encouraging them to join the program, would be to experiment and take risks as much as possible in all the courses. Work with different people and ask the professors questions because they have tons of knowledge to share.
