Courses and career opportunities in Sports and E-sports Management

Expanding its horizons, Whistling Woods International, a film school based in Mumbai, has recently introduced BBA and MBA courses in Sports and E-sports Management.

Edugraph caught up with C. P. Thomas, programme in-charge, School of Sports and E-sports Management, Whistling Woods International, to know how the courses can make you industry-ready and about the opportunities in sports and E-sports.

Edugraph: What exactly is E-sports? How similar or different is it to sports in general?

C. P. Thomas: The E-sports sector is broadly known as the field of online gaming. Everyone plays some kind of games on their smartphones these days and that’s why this sector has been growing rapidly. For instance, the E-sports sector covers games like PubG. The main difference between sports and E-sports is that the latter is played in a different arena — the virtual world — rather than on the ground.

What is the focus of the courses in Sports and E-sports management? What is expected of a manager in this field?

C. P. Thomas: These courses focus on the management of companies that are into sports and E-sports. The students will be taught essential topics like athlete management and training, sponsorships, and how to organise leagues and tournaments.

When a company reaches a certain size, it needs the supervision of professional managers. It’s the same for any E-sports company. Graduates from Whistling Woods International will know important management topics like Finance and Human Resource Management. In addition, they will have in-depth knowledge of both sports and E-sports companies.

Could you tell us something about the structure of the newly launched BBA and MBA courses in Sports and E-sports Management at Whistling Woods International?

C. P. Thomas: We have a three-year Bachelor’s of Business Administration (BBA) programme. It’ll help students learn professional industry skills — they will be given an overview of the whole sector. The main aim is to help them realise how this business runs. The curriculum has been designed in collaboration with the industry. On completion of this course, the students will be job-ready. Since this industry is growing rapidly, there will be a lot of jobs available in the next two to three years for professional sports and E-sports managers.

Our two-year Master’s of Business Management (MBA) programme incorporates business management courses designed to help every student become an industry leader. There will be courses on topics such as Finance, Economic Principles, Leadership and Governance, and Entrepreneurship. The aim is to create future leaders with an emphasis on innovation and entrepreneurship.

How would such courses provide a holistic ground for learning to the students?

C. P. Thomas: We would be involving a lot of industry experts in the courses from the first semester itself. There will be hands-on training and projects. If you look at sports and E-sports, there are multiple areas in which you can specialise. For instance, if you’re a good writer and content creator, you can specialise in sports-related content or even something as niche as sports movies. In the first two semesters, we would try to identify the strong points of every student to ensure that they work according to their strengths during their course. There will be a lot of emphasis on practical training and networking in the industry.

What is the process of admission to the courses?

C. P. Thomas: When a candidate registers, they go through a basic counselling process. Then there is a common admission test on paper. If the student clears the test, they have to appear for a viva voce exam and a personal interview.

The BBA and MBA courses offered by Whistling Woods International are currently open for admission. We’ll be arranging the written entrance exam at the end of this month.

Are there scholarships or internships offered by the institute during the course?

C. P. Thomas: We determine the necessity of the student scholarships on a case-to-case basis. Internships are available in both BBA and MBA courses. Apart from internships, the students would be doing a lot of projects with a lot of companies operating in the industry.

What kind of opportunities are available to Sports and E-sports Management students?

C. P. Thomas: They could join a sports association like the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). There are associations for other sports like football, badminton and kabaddi. All these associations conduct leagues, manage players and arrange tournaments — the bigger the association, the more is their need for professional managers. Then there are sports management companies that organise tournaments, sponsorships, athlete management and leagues.

Corporates and brands are now looking to invest in sports. This would open up huge opportunities. The students can, of course, opt for broadcast and streaming companies as well as for OTT platforms. They can also work for digital media companies that are looking to generate social media content for athletes and brands. There is merchandising as well. Sports tourism, sports analytics, and law and governance fields are some other fields that are going to recruit professionals with a degree in Sports and E-sports Management.