Master in Sport Management Amsterdam

introduction

The Master in Sport Management in Amsterdam is tailored for people with a passion for sport who value professional career development in the sports industry. This 10-month intensive program in Amsterdam is delivered in English and explores through unique ‘Cruyffian’ teaching methods the most important aspects of management applied in sport, where personal development of each student is key.

Master students develop business plans and strategies for sporting organizations during the program. They are eager to address the challenges facing the international sport industry, whether developing a new product or service, advising a club or sport facility, or even starting their own company. Many students walk away with the next step in their sport business career already in hand.

Throughout the academic year we motivate and support students, to facilitate their personal development. Professors and staff ensure all students, each with a different background and experiences, will be challenged in their learnings. It will be a new step in your personal development towards achieving your dream position in the sports industry.

Objectives

The Master in Sport Management aims to provide students with an in-depth knowledge of sport management and the necessary skills for a professional career in the world related to sport.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

• Understand and apply strategic, global and objective vision to the sport industry from a business perspective.
• Create new market opportunities by applying an entrepreneurial spirit and a culture inclined towards innovation in sport organizations.
• Use the most innovative practices in sport marketing and be more effective in brand strategy and sponsorship execution.
• Detect the key factors to lead professional teams and obtain the best results.
• Interpret the financial statements of a sport organization and create financial strategies for new products and businesses.
• Optimize the management of a sport facility and sport event.

Those who complete the program will emerge fully prepared to access a wide variety of business opportunities that await in the international sport industry, whether managing a company or organization, directing a club or sport facility, or even starting their own company.

Aimed at

This Master in Sport Management is designed for ambitious athletes and sport and business professionals from different levels of education, nationalities and professions. We aim for a balanced mix of students with various sport and/or business backgrounds, which enables them to share their unique experiences and learn from each other. In all editions there have been several students with different nationalities and several athletes who have competed at the Olympics or international level, seeking their next career opportunity.

Notable alumni who have studied the Master in Sport Management in Amsterdam are for example: Esther Vergeer (wheelchair tennis), Justin Reid-Ross (field hockey), Edwin van der Sar (football), Ernesto Hoost (kick boxing), Lauren Silver (water polo USA), Jochem Schellens (Director, Sport Centre Papendal, Centre for Sporting Excellence and Education).

The Master in Sport Management at Johan Cruyff Institute is for you, if:

• You are an athlete or former athlete who is looking for academic training in management to give your professional career a boost.
• You have know-how in the sport management sector and would like to formalize your experience with a Master, boost your future and/or expand your network.
• You wish to complete your education with a postgraduate degree specializing in sport management to create a future for yourself in the sport industry.
• You are working in the business sector and wish to focus your career in the sport industry.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTSTo be admitted, you must meet one of the following requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree (Netherlands: HBO) or equivalent, or
• Three years of professional career experience in the (sport) industry*, and
• Fluent in English

* Note: Experience as an elite athlete is not required, but having developed a career as a professional athlete will be valued as work experience, depending level and commitment.

In addition, Johan Cruyff Institute is looking for people who:

• Have an interesting motivation to attend the Master program.
• Have a passion for sport. We believe that a passion for sport drives education and development to become a leader in sport management.
• Are ambitious and wish to develop yourself for a professional career in sport management.
• Enjoy learning in a practical environment.
• Value an individual oriented approach.
• Are not afraid to step out of their comfort zone to be able to make a personal growth.

ADMISSION PROCEDUREThe admission procedure consists of:

• Please complete the enrollment form if you are interested in studying this program.
• We will contact you for an interview with the program manager.
• The Admissions Committee will evaluate if your achievements as well as your aspirations and motivations in pursuing this degree, are in line with the objectives of the program, and decides on approval of your admission.
• Student contract will be sent to you, formalizing your student status at Johan Cruyff Institute Amsterdam.
• Accepted participants will be notified by e-mail, along with further information about the next steps of the admission process.

Do you have any doubts or questions? If you are interested in attending the program, but you still have questions after reading this page, please use the contact form at the bottom of the page.

Program

The curriculum of the Master in Sport Management consists of 7 mandatory instructional modules. The Master is completed by developing and presenting a final plan or business plan.

STUDY TRIPS AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIESOur on campus program in Amsterdam offers visits to sport organizations, clubs and facilities so that students can experience the challenges confronted by sport managers on a daily basis.

The program includes an international study trip early on in the study year. The study trip contributes to various modules in the Master in Sport Management program, delivered via guest presentations, site visits and workshops. It also stimulates bonding and friendships in the student group, and many alumni consider this study trip as one of the highlights of their study experiences during the program.

Learning model

Johan Cruyff Institute uses a rich learning environment that fosters educational tools based on a student interaction model, which also enables students to share their unique experiences and learn from each other. Students will engage actively in creative challenges that require effort, commitment and intuitive thinking.

Through the academic year we focus on the personal development of each student. The professors and staff ensure that everyone is challenged in their learning. All the theory studied will be relevant, tangible, fun and enjoyable to learn by responding to the latest news, using case studies and having guest lectures from key note speakers from the sport management industry.

In order to stimulate personal development, one-to-one sessions can be arranged between students, Johan Cruyff Institute staff and professors for those who need a little extra support or guidance during the program.

Professors and staff encourage students to become a ‘Cruyff family member’ for life. Johan Cruyff Institute will do everything to help students from different backgrounds and nationalities feel welcome and comfortable from the moment they step into our office. We know all our students individually and maintain contact with them during and after the study program.

Faculty

The modules are delivered by professors who have held, or currently work in key positions across different areas of the sport industry and combine vast experience from sport, business and education. We believe in small classes, where the professors facilitate and assess the development of the personal competencies of each student to coach them through a challenging program with enjoyment and personal experiences. Professors know who you are and support each student in their own personal journey.

	Richard Denton ­Richard has been working in the sport marketing and entertainment business since 1989. He has worked for global brands such as Canon, Philips, Omega, ABN AMRO, Heineken and Unilever, across a variety of sport and events including the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, Formula 1, Volvo Ocean Race, PGA European golf tour, the Ryder Cup, Wimbledon, Roland Garros and the Olympic Games. Richard used to be managing director of one of Holland’s leading sport marketing agencies, Trefpunt-PRISM, from November 2009 until September 2015. His most recent position was Manager Sponsorship and Partner Sales at Vitesse Arnhem. Richard is professor of the module Marketing of Sport and the academic director of the Master in Sport Management.
	Henk Verschuur ­Henk is president of the largest Martial Arts Federation, a member organization of the Dutch Olympic Committee NOC*NSF. He has fulfilled several key functions in (inter)national sport federations, where he has been instrumental in international negotiations with parties like ministries of sport and international sport sanction bodies. Henk is professor of the module Strategic Management.
	Frans Boumans Frans is teaching in financial management since 1989 at different universities. In addition, he has also worked with different banks in the fields of commercial and investment banking with small and medium sized companies as well as larger corporates in the Netherlands and abroad. Frans is professor of the module Financial Management in the Sports Industry.
	Rolf Franke ­ Rolf is a former professional basketball player. He played for several Dutch clubs, winning the league title eight times. Since retiring as a player in 1999, he has held different senior roles within the ABN Amro Group, including several board member roles. He has been working in the academic field for several years and has also started a coaching career. In 2019, he won the Dutch Basketball League Coach of the Year award. professor of the module Financial Management in the Sports Industry.
	Martijn van Westerop ­ Martijn supports people and organizations in their development to achieve sustainable performance. He is a lecturer on the Master of Advanced Studies in Sport Administration and Technology at the International Academy of Sport Science and Technology in Lausanne, and co-lecturer of the HR module in the IOC MEMOS program. He is also an executive coach at IMD in Lausanne and TIAS School for Business and Society in Tilburg, and he works for various organizations such as ASML, Randstad, CloudNation and the Royal Dutch Rowing Federation. He is curious about people, organizations and cultures with the drive to have a positive impact on people. Martijn is professor of the module Applied Sports Performance Skills.
	Jessie de Booij ­Jessie is an enthusiastic digital jack-of-all-trades with more than seven years of work experience as an online marketer, digital content coordinator and social media manager at international companies such as WE Fashion, Vue, Kinepolis and Evidensia. She has a passion for digital content marketing and her expertise lies in digital marketing strategy, channels, branding, content management, publishing, and tools. She has a fondness for online analytics and the latest digital marketing trends. Jessie is professor of the module Marketing of Sport.
	Kees Verschoor ­Kees has been supporting managers, teams and students in building strong innovative relationships since 1992; to work on their own development and to build sustainable results and successes together with their stakeholders. He supports a wide range of profit and non-profit organizations in the Netherlands and abroad in his role as consultant, teacher, writer and entrepreneur. Kees is professor of the module Governance, Innovation, Leadership & Society.
	Hanna Wintzen-Kernkamp ­ Hanna has been a change manager since 2000, management consultant since 2004 and entrepreneur since 2018. She believes in teamwork and the importance of setting goals together, and that strong leaders make strong teams in which people are willing to be transparent and share. She started at corporate Delta Lloyd where she managed and implemented many big changes from IT migrations to various organizational restructures and the “new way of working”. From 2014-17, Hanna was head of CSR & sustainability at Delta Lloyd, during which time she designed and implemented the transition from actions to impact (responsible investments, insurance and organization). Hanna is professor of the module Governance, Innovation, Leadership & Society.
	Paul ten Hag­Paul was the managing director of the Dutch women’s football league. He has extensive experience as a facility manager. He worked for 11 years as director of facilities & sport services at Nike Europe. He also was facility manager at Holec Holland and Texas Instruments. Paul is an active and passionate sport fan. He was also the director of the Dutch Archery Federation. Paul is professor of the module Facility & Event Management.

Student services

ALUMNI AND NETWORKINGThe Master in Sport Management in Amsterdam averages around 30 to 40 students per year. There are now hundreds alumni from Amsterdam, and hundreds from the Master editions worldwide (on campus in Barcelona and online editions in English and Spanish), working in various positions in and outside the international sport world.

Our Johan Cruyff Institute network will give you the opportunity to connect and collaborate with other students, alumni and members of our global network, and share your passion for sport and professional experience with them. We promote and facilitate continuous academic training. The Alumni Association of Johan Cruyff Institute Amsterdam, an initiative of former students, has started recently to organize events for their members. Our community is, in this sense, a network of personal and professional relationships, and its influence expands in the sport and business sectors.

VIRTUAL CAMPUSAs a student of the Master in Sport Management, you will have access to our digital learning platform that supports your academic progress 24 hours a day, anywhere in the world. The virtual campus offers a collaborative environment between teachers and students, facilitating e-mails, chats, videos, books, articles, cases, simulations, experiences, websites, blogs and a video library. You will have a wide range of tools at your disposal to make your learning experience complete, interactive and rewarding.

CAREER SERVICESMany sport organizations and businesses with job vacancies turn to Johan Cruyff Institute when they are searching for candidates with a ‘sport mentality’. Johan Cruyff Institute can help to select and contact qualified candidates within the ‘Cruyff network’. We also announce job openings and new projects in sport throughout our media.

Moreover, Johan Cruyff Institute has a partnership with GlobalSportsJobs. This organization aims to help and guide students and alumni in the labor market. Career partners serve as a key intermediary between potential applicants of Johan Cruyff Institute and the national and international sport business industry (see also Career Services).

Venue

Most of the classes are delivered at Johan Cruyff Institute Amsterdam, located next to the Olympic Stadium. The Olympic Stadium hosted the 1928 Olympic Games, providing a link between the history and future of sport. This unique setting inspires our staff and students to excel in sport management.

Throughout the academic year some classes are held onsite at sport facilities located throughout The Netherlands, enhancing the practical delivery of the program. Find out more about the locations by asking for the Master in Sport Management brochure.

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