Post by Birkbeck Sport Business Centre

Sport today extends far beyond the field of play, bringing together athletes, brands, supporters, and business strategy. On Friday 19 June, Birkbeck was honoured to host Joyce Havemeier, Bethany Hushon, and Darnelle M. for an engaging, student-led roundtable discussion on “The Commercial Game.” Facilitated by Tosin Gbaja, a Birkbeck MSc Sport Management student and recipient of the Birkbeck Women in Sport Scholarship, the conversation covered everything from the online profile of professional athletes to the future of grassroots sports organisations. Birkbeck MSc Sport Management and the Business of Football students Jack Jones, Riccardo Russo and Biel Uguet Bonet co-organised the event with Tosin and the team did themselves and the Birkbeck Sport Business Centre proud. Following the dialogue, audience members were invited to ask questions of their own, prompting a further exploration of subjects such as athlete branding, fan engagement, and the future of community sport through the eyes of professionals in the field. The Q&A session invited students and other attendees to consider how the commercial side of sport extends beyond media visibility, affecting athletes, organisations, supporters, and local communities. The event was particularly valuable for students interested in pursuing careers in sport management, marketing, or the business of football, all of which are offered as postgraduate courses at Birkbeck. By hearing directly from professionals in the field, attending students were able to connect classroom learning with real-world industry experience through an event organised by their peers. Additionally, the networking introduction before and the drinks reception afterwards provided opportunities for attendees to connect with one another, develop valuable professional contacts, and discuss other related topics of interest. Overall, the roundtable highlighted the value of student-led industry engagement and offered insight into the evolving relationship between sport, business, and community.