SportsBizEdu 2024: Transforming Indian Landscape of Business, Education & Sports

SportsBizEdu is a great initiative in the research field of sports academia by the International Institute of Sports & Management.

The sports industry is more than games and athletes, it spans the business of products, teams, athletes, sports leagues & events, broadcasting, PR, and whatnot! And, like every industry, it has opportunities and challenges too. The purpose of SportsBizEdu is to analyze the challenges and untapped opportunities in the sports business industry, thus creating a platform for future leaders, educators, and researchers.

Held at the IISM campus on 31st August 2024, SportsBizEdu conducted its first research conference. Along with IISM faculties, many academicians, expert researchers, and scholars from the sports education industry across and outside India were present at the meeting. Not to mention, our esteemed jury graced the event with their warm presence.

1. Dr. Dhangauri Shenvi- Professor & Head of Physiology at the prestigious GS Medical College ;
2. Mr. Sandip Tarkas– Former President (Customer Strategy) for the Future Group, Ex-CEO Bengal Warriors, Ex-Director and Ex Treasurer IITBAA Board of Directors;
3. Mr. Rajesh Srivastava– Former CEO of JK Helene Curtis, Adjunct Faculty at IIM Indore (2008-2015), Corporate Trainer, Coach/Mentor to Startups, and Penguin Best Selling Author of ‘The New Rules of Business’ & ‘The 10 New Life Changing Skills’;
4. Dr. Anil Karnik– Former Professor and Head of the Department of Chemistry, University of Mumbai, Former In-Charge Director of Garware Institute for Career Education and Development, University of Mumbai, Author, and PhD Guide;
5. Dr. Keyurkumar M Nayak– Director, Garware Institute of Career Education and Development (GICED), University of Mumbai.

The Vision Behind SportsBizEdu:

Research and development go hand in hand. Any domain or industry requires expansion to sustain the business ecosystem. Hence, it needs to understand the gap, need, and untapped opportunity of the market. SportsBizEdu has created a platform to explore the integration of sports, education, and business sectors, assessing the implications of the National Education Policy. It’s a common platform for researchers from each domain to showcase their research or understanding of an unexplored topic. Further, the data and information yielded for the research will upgrade the faculties’ knowledge base and help them instil the same in the academic area of sports management or sports science or an overall academic area.

The Notable Research by IISM Academicians:

Educators & researchers showcased their thoughtful research papers to the jury in the seminar.  Ms. Avanti Desai, Ms. Kinjal Mehta, Mr. Karan Mange, Mr. Rohit Walavalkar, Ms. Ayushi Dhakate, Ms. Harshada More, and Ms. Nidhi Kothari -the IISM faculties were amongst the academicians to present their research papers in the conference.

Let’s check out the brief about a few of the research papers:

1. Role of Athlete Managers in Modern Sports by Ms. Avanti Desai (Program Head)

​Synopsis: Her research paper explored the significance of representing athletes in the modern world and the importance of the dual roles athletes play as sports figures and influential cultural icons. Further, the study aimed to provide valuable insights into the evolving dynamics of sports marketing and celebrity endorsements.

Insights: a. There is an opportunity to develop programs or courses to train future athlete managers.

b. Skilled professionals must navigate the complex landscape of sports representation, branding, and endorsements.

c. The role of athlete managers not only highlights the symbiotic relationship between athletes and their representation but also reveals broader implications for marketing strategies, consumer behavior, and the changing nature of celebrity culture.

2. Football Transfer Market by Mr. Rohit Walavalkar (Assistant Professor)

Synopsis: This research paper aimed to find out the reasons behind a player’s transfer to another club beyond the transfer window, which happened for the first time in the history of Indian football. This research paper also aimed to understand FIFA’s transfer regulations behind the transfer exception, and the legality of a player in this scenario.

Insights: The research pointed out the causes behind such cases and essential sports laws that a sports manager or athlete manager must have the knowledge & skill while working in the industry.

3. A Review on Chronic Kidney Disease, Malnutrition, Inflammation and Functional Capacity in Hemodialysis Patients with Malnutrition By Ms. Ayushi Dhakate (Assistant Professor)

Synopsis:

Her research has showcased the review on health deficiency, which is a vital topic in the nutrition study. The research illustrated how the rise of chronic kidney disease can cause death worldwide by 2040. It also talks about malnutrition and inflammation in CKD patients. Further, it evaluates the fact that nutritional management therapies might be beneficial in reducing the intensity of the disease or slowing its progression.

Insights: The research pointed out the possibilities of decreasing chronic kidney diseases and other diseases related to it in the future if nutritional management therapies can be considered as health aids.

Besides the invaluable market research & insights, SportsBizEdu represented a one-of-a-kind platform for peer networking and collaborations with leading academicians.

Finally, the seminar concluded with a prize distribution ceremony for the best research papers. Dr. Shivani Naik, Ms. Avanti Desai, and Mr. Rohit Walavalkar won the first, second & third prizes in the Sports Management category, and for the Sports Science category, Ms. Iti Sasane, Mr. Tanmay Kulkarni & Ms. Ayushi Dhakate won the first, second and third prizes, consecutively.