When Theory Meets Practice: Inspiring Speakers in the “Seminar with Industry Professionals” Course in the Sports Management and Economics Program

What does running a business look like in practice? How can you protect your own idea, build and sustain a strong brand over the long term, or lead a professional sports team? These were precisely the topics covered in the October seminars featuring industry experts for students in the Sports Management and Economics program.

On October 2, Mgr. Svobodová from Jumping Fitness s.r.o. accepted an invitation to speak to the students, sharing her experiences in the field of entrepreneurship and the legal aspects of business. A particularly interesting part of the session was the discussion on protecting business ideas, along with practical examples related to patents and utility models. The students thus had the opportunity to explore topics that demonstrate that successful entrepreneurship relies not only on a good idea, but also on the ability to develop and protect it.

Two weeks later, on October 16, the seminar featured the Extraliga team Banes Motor ČB. General Manager Stanislav Bednařík, Marketing Director Tomáš Kučera, and Secretariat Head Ing. Olga Vláčilová came to speak with the students. Thanks to their diverse professional experiences, the students were able to gain insight into the inner workings of a major sports club from several perspectives.

Discussions focused on brand building and maintenance, team and player management, and the organizational aspects of hosting games. It is precisely the opportunity to hear from people who deal with these topics on a daily basis in the real-world environment of professional sports that gives students the chance to connect the theoretical knowledge they’ve gained during their studies with concrete managerial practice.

A big thank you goes to all the guests who took the time to meet with our students, openly shared their experiences, and gave them a behind-the-scenes look at the business and management of professional sports.