accadis graduate students visit exclusive sports venues and make valuable contacts in the sports industry
In the specialization module "Global Sports Events" of the degree program "Global Sports Management M.A." we undertook an eight-day excursion with the thematic focus "Key Stakeholders in Sports Events" under the guidance of our lecturer, Prof. Holger Preuß, and together with some graduate students of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. Our initial expectations were more than exceeded: We were treated to an extremely varied program with a balanced mix of interesting presentations by high-ranking event stakeholders from the world of sports, as well as exciting guided tours and workshops.
Sports expertise from the Rhine-Main region
The Rhine-Main region is home to countless companies, clubs and associations with expertise in the sports events sector, so it made sense for us to head for stops very close to our university during the first few days of the excursion. Experts from 1. FSV Mainz 05, Eintracht Frankfurt Stadion GmbH, Deutsche Sport Marketing GmbH, the DFB or even Euro 2024 gave exciting presentations on the topics of "Stadiums as Event Locations" and "Security and Communication with Event Partners". Needless to say, the two upcoming major soccer events Qatar 2022 and Germany 2024 were also at the center of our attention. Other highlights of the first two days were definitely the tours of the Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt and the MEWA Arena in Mainz.
Next stop: The Olympic Stadium in Munich and the Olympic ski jump in Garmisch-Partenkirchen
After the promising start in the Rhine-Main area, the excursion picked up speed in two respects: We set off together for five more days in the direction of Munich and nearby Garmisch-Partenkirchen. In the Bavarian capital, we first visited the heart of sporting Munich: the Olympic Park, built in 1972 for the Olympic Games, whose complex is still considered a prime example of the continued use of sports facilities after major sporting events. In addition to general insights into the Olympic Park as a venue, we also learned a great deal about sustainability, project management and sponsoring. The workshop "Future Workshop - Attractivity of Future Sport Events" challenged not only our attentiveness while listening, but also our own creativity. And, of course, our topics kept revolving around the European Championships Munich 2022, which will take place in the summer exactly 50 years after the Olympic Games.
Other highlights included presentations by the German Alpine Association, the Bavarian Ski Association and the sports city of Munich. Finally, we visited the "temple" of FC Bayern Munich, the Allianz Arena. Our excursion ended spectacularly at the Olympic ski jump in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, where the New Year's event of the Vierschanzen Tour takes place every year.
Welcome change: Third division match and Lake Starnberg
In addition to all the interesting and instructive program elements, the free evenings and especially the free Sunday were a welcome change for us students. For example, we watched the third division soccer match Türkgücü München against 1. FC Saarbrücken in the Olympic Stadium and used the time off Sunday for a day trip to Lake Starnberg.
The renowned sports economist Prof. Holger Preuß makes it possible
Our conclusion: The excursion was a complete success! In addition to all the topic-specific and practical input and the exclusive insights into the world of sports events, the week offered an excellent opportunity to make valuable contacts in the sports industry - both with the lecturers and with our fellow students from Mainz. We were all very enthusiastic about the excursion program and extremely grateful for this successful change of pace. A big thank you to our experienced and so well-connected lecturer, Prof. Holger Preuß, one of Germany's best-known sports economists.
Bianca Katzer and Florian Hiller, Global Sports Management 2023
*The seminar was conducted under strict distancing and hygiene procedures and the participants had themselves tested daily at a certified testing station.