Global Sports Management and Leadership Program
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Program Overview: Global Sports Management and Leadership Program
The Global Sports Management and Leadership Program from USC Marshall School of Business Executive Education is a five-month blended program designed for senior leaders and high-potential professionals seeking to shape the future of the global sports industry. Combining interactive live sessions with an in‑person immersion on the USC campus in Los Angeles — the international epicenter of sports and entertainment — the learning journey equips you with expertise in leadership, finance, artificial intelligence (AI) and global best practices in sports management.
As digital transformation and shifting fan expectations redefine the business of sports, leaders are challenged to drive growth while balancing governance, innovation and trust. This program prepares you to meet these demands with cutting-edge insights on revenue diversification, athlete welfare, cross-cultural management and the impact of emerging technologies on performance improvement and fan engagement. The comprehensive curriculum integrates faculty-led instruction, experiential learning and immersive projects, along with exclusive access to USC’s world-renowned sports ecosystem and industry network.
Key Takeaways: Global Sports Management and Leadership Program
Through this five-month blended learning experience, you will learn to:
Develop integrated strategies that align leadership, marketing, branding, fan engagement and legal and governance frameworks for sustained impact
Leverage innovation and emerging technologies, including AI, virtual reality (VR) and data analytics, to enhance event planning, performance, fan engagement and operations
Navigate media rights, sponsorships and partnerships by analyzing and managing complex media deals, global partnerships and sponsorship arrangements
Engage with global and cross‑cultural sports markets by adapting strategies for global expansion and managing multicultural audiences and teams
Manage financial operations in sports organizations by building and overseeing sports‑specific budgets, revenue streams and financial sustainability models
Understand leadership styles and build strategies to lead sports organizations
Key Program Highlights
Experience a five-day immersion at the USC Marshall campus in Los Angeles, and engage with USC’s extensive ecosystem of professional sports franchises, venues and influential media partners.
Engage with sports executives, innovators and leaders of professional sports teams and global sponsors through fireside chats and networking sessions in Los Angeles.
Gain leading insights on how AI, data analytics, augmented reality (AR), VR and digital platforms are transforming fan engagement, performance and sports operations.
Apply your learning through projects, supported by experiential labs, workshops and field trips to leading sports media organizations and iconic venues, including Crypto.com Arena and Dodger Stadium.
Learn from USC Marshall’s renowned faculty while collaborating with a diverse international cohort of senior professionals from across the sports ecosystem.
Build a powerful global network, and explore new leadership, entrepreneurship and innovation opportunities within the sports business ecosystem.
Program Learning Journey: From Immersion to Impact
The Global Sports Management and Leadership Program unfolds in three phases, combining five days of experiential campus learning with eight live online sessions.
What You Will Learn
The program curriculum blends live online sessions with a five-day, on-campus immersion, equipping senior leaders with the strategic insights, leadership skills and technology expertise needed to excel in the evolving sports landscape.
Build the strategic and analytical fundamentals needed to lead high-performing sports organizations. Through live sessions, connect management strategy, leadership frameworks and data-driven decision making to the real challenges shaping the future of the industry.
Sports Strategy and Management - Part 1: Explore strategies for building winning sports organizations.
Sports Leadership: Understand leadership styles and build strategies to lead sports organizations.
Advanced Leadership and Global Best Practices: Analyze leadership models and benchmarks against global best practices.
Technology in Sports: Explore cutting-edge technologies shaping the future of sports, including AI, VR and wearable technology.
Data Analytics in Sports - Part 1 & 2: Use analytics to enhance team performance, fan engagement and operations.
The five-day, on‑campus immersion offers an intensive, real-world experience in exploring innovation, governance, branding, stakeholder engagement and experiential marketing.
Innovation and AI Technology Workshops: Apply emerging tech trends to solve real-world sports challenges.
Sports Law and Governance: Understand legal frameworks, contract negotiations and compliance issues.
Sports Marketing and Branding: Explore branding techniques, sponsorship strategies and fan-driven marketing strategies.
Stakeholder Management: Learn to identify, engage with and balance the needs of internal stakeholders, including teams and management, and external stakeholders, including fans, sponsors and the media, to ensure alignment and trust.
Partnerships and Media Rights: Dive into the complexities of media rights, sponsorship deals and global partnerships.
Fan Engagement and Experiential Marketing Lab: Build experiential marketing strategies to captivate sports audiences.
The final phase focuses on strategy frameworks and reflection on the lessons learned.
Sports Strategy and Management - Part 2: Study frameworks for building winning sports organizations and strategies. Explore the future of the sports industry.
Reflections
On-Campus Learning in Los Angeles
Immerse yourself in the global sports capital of Los Angeles — a city where sports, media and innovation intersect. During the five-day in-person immersion, you will engage with USC Marshall’s distinguished faculty, thought leaders and industry experts from across the sports ecosystem. Explore how global sports organizations are adapting to shifting market dynamics, emerging technologies and the evolving expectations of athletes and fans.
This immersive experience is designed to broaden your strategic perspective and bridge theory with real-world application. Collaborate with global peers, gain fresh insights from industry leaders and return equipped with new ideas and strategies to drive growth and innovation within your organization and the wider sports ecosystem.
Who Is the Global Sports Management and Leadership Program For?
The program is ideal for:
C-suite executives and senior decision-makers leading sports organizations and teams who are responsible for setting strategic direction and driving high‑impact initiatives
Functional leaders and heads of strategy across sponsorship, marketing, public relations, media rights and distribution aiming to broaden their strategic outlook and deliver sustainable value for their organizations
Mid-level to senior leaders and entrepreneurs developing and launching transformative offerings in the sports industry or adjacent sectors, who seek to expand career possibilities and drive growth across the global sports ecosystem
Note: The categories above are indicative and not exhaustive. The program is also relevant for professionals across various connected areas of the sports industry, including, but not limited to, consulting, fan engagement, sports analytics, merchandise, facilities management and regulatory bodies.
Alumni Benefits
Receive up to 20 % discount for future open-enrollment executive education programs, making it easier to continue your development journey with USC Marshall School of Business Executive Education.
Meet the Faculty Director
Assistant Professor of Clinical Management and Organization, Department of Management and Organization
Courtney Brunious teaches courses in strategy, sports business, and leadership, drawing on his extensive experience in executive roles within the sports business industry to d...
Key Faculty
Founder and Director, Trojan Sports Research Lab; Assistant Professor of Clinical Data Sciences and Operations
Lorena Martin is the Founder and Director of the Trojan Sports Research Lab at the University of Southern California, an industry-facing applied research and analytics hub wit...
Associate Professor of Clinical Marketing
Arianna Uhalde is a consumer psychologist specializing in consumer-brand relationships and consumer wellbeing. She teaches several courses at USC Marshall, including Marketing...
Associate Professor of Clinical Management and Organization
Christopher Gerald Bresnahan teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in organizational behavior and leadership at USC Marshall School of Business, with a focus on understan...
Associate Professor of Finance and Business Economics
Tom Chang is a research fellow at the Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics and the Dornsife Center for Economic and Social Research. His research focuses on indivi...
Former Executive Director of NFL Player’s Association; Former Assistant US Attorney, Columbia
DeMaurice F. Smith is a business innovator, trial lawyer and former Executive Director of the NFL Players Association, where he served from 2009 to 2023. During his tenure, he...
Program Calendar
The program includes insights from USC Marshall Exec Ed faculty, interactive live online sessions with industry leaders, peer discussions and applied learning projects to deepen your understanding of key concepts. It consists of three phases, featuring live online sessions, group collaboration and an immersive experience on the USC campus in Los Angeles.
Date | Experiential Elements | |
|---|---|---|
Introduction | 9 June, 2026 (9:00am- 10:00am PST) | Live online session |
Sports Strategy & Management-1 | 23 June, 2026 (9:00am- 11:00am PST) | Live online session |
Sports Leadership-1 | 25 June, 2026 (9:00am- 11:00am PST) | Live online session |
Advanced Leadership & Global Best Practices | 30 June, 2026 (9:00am- 11:00am PST) | Live online session |
Technology in Sports | 2 July, 2026 (9:00am- 11:00am PST) | Live online session |
Data Analytics in Sports-1 | 7 July, 2026 (9:00am- 11:00am PST) | Live online session |
Data Analytics in Sports-2 | 9 July, 2026 (9:00am- 11:00am PST) | Live online session |
Innovation & AI Technology Workshops | 20 July, 2026 (9:00am- 5:30pm PST) | Campus Tour |
Sports Law & Governance | 21 July, 2026 (9:00am- 1:00pm PST) | Reception Dinner |
Sports Marketing & Branding | 21 July, 2026 (2:00pm- 5:30pm PST) | |
Stakeholder Management | 22 July, 2026 (9:00am- 1:00pm PST) | Fireside Chat with Industry Leaders |
Partnerships and Media Rights | 22 July, 2026 (2:00pm- 5:30pm PST) | |
Fan Engagement & Experiential Marketing Lab | 23 July, 2026 (9:00am- 5:30pm PST) | Company/ Ecosystem visit |
Capstone Project Presentations | 24 July, 2026 (9:00am- 5:30pm PST) | |
Sports Strategy & Management-2 | 18 August, 2026 (9:00am- 11:00am PST) | Live online session |
Reflections | 20 August, 2026 (9:00am- 11:00am PST) | Live online session |
Note: *sample schedule is subject to change as details are finalized.
Lifelong Learning with USC Marshall Executive Education
Shareable digital badge
Obtain a verified digital credential to display on LinkedIn, your resume or internal organization profiles, making it easy to showcase your achievement.
Lifelong professional connections
Learn alongside and network with executives and professionals from a diverse range of industries, and continue to benefit from these connections long after the program ends. Please note that the program does not confer USC degree status or an official alumni association membership.
Ongoing learning benefits
Receive special discounts toward future open-enrollment executive education programs, making it easier to continue your development journey with USC Marshall Executive Education.
Certificate
Upon successful completion of the program, USC Marshall Executive Education grants its participants a certificate of completion.
Note: After the successful completion of the program, a verified digital certificate will be emailed to participants, at no additional cost, with the name used when registering for the program. All certificate images are for illustrative purposes only and may be subject to change at the discretion of USC Marshall Executive Education.
Why USC Marshall?
Positioned at the intersection of sports, business and innovation, the USC Marshall School of Business is an ideal destination for advanced learning in sports management as it offers unique access to professional teams, media organizations, marquee events and global sports brands. Through the USC Sports Business Institute and strategic partnerships with leading organizations, participants gain exclusive exposure to major leagues, top teams and emerging technologies that are shaping the future of sports.
Located in Los Angeles — one of the world’s most dynamic sports, entertainment and media capitals — USC Marshall provides immersive learning experiences that combine academic rigor with direct industry engagement, enabling participants to translate insights into immediate strategic impact.
FAQs
A sports management course would ideally cover leadership, governance, innovation and stakeholder management within the sports industry. The Global Sports Management and Leadership Program offers hands-on experiences and strategic models designed to build a strong foundation in these topics. However, this program is an executive-level certificate program and not a degree program.
Unlike a conventional sports management degree, this program is designed specifically for experienced professionals and senior leaders. It equips professionals in the sports industry with foundational knowledge in strategic leadership, innovation and business transformation in a blended format that allows them to balance learning with professional commitments.
The Global Sports Management and Leadership Program is ideal for sports administration professionals, senior executives, entrepreneurs and leaders from sports organizations who are responsible for driving growth, managing global partnerships and leading transformation. It also benefits professionals in related sectors, including media, sponsorship, technology and fan engagement, who wish to deepen their expertise in sports management and sports leadership.
Participants gain unparalleled access to the sports business ecosystem in Los Angeles — home to major professional sports teams, global sponsors and media partners. The on-campus immersion connects participants with sports management professionals, faculty experts and peers from around the world, building a powerful global network within the sports world. Supported by the distinguished legacy and extensive industry relationships of the USC Marshall School of Business, participants further benefit from the school’s established connections across intercollegiate athletics and the global sports, media and entertainment sectors, enhancing opportunities for collaboration and career advancement.
While this program is not a degree, it provides a strong foundation for navigating complex challenges in the sports ecosystem. It enables leaders to gain real-world experience in strategy, technology integration, global partnerships and sports business transformation, supported by a certificate of completion from USC Marshall Executive Education.
Connect with a Program Advisor for a 1:1 Session
Email: uscm_aspo@emeritus.org
Phone: +1 315 631 0734 (U.S.) / +44 2046 341844 (U.K.) / +971 80 00321208 (UAE) / +52 33417 12686 (LATAM)
Schedule a Call: Click Here
We encourage early application due to limited cohort capacity.
Flexible payment options available.
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