MSc Football Business & Leadership

This module explores the evolving landscape of football fan engagement within the global sports industry. It offers a critical examination of how football organisations cultivate, maintain, and measure relationships with fans across multiple touchpoints, using both traditional and emerging strategies. Beginning with an introduction to fan culture and the historical context of sports marketing, the module then progresses through key themes including fan behaviour, segmentation, and match-day experience. Students engage with contemporary challenges and opportunities in digital fan engagement, including the use of social media, websites, apps, and email campaigns. Globalisation and inclusivity are central themes, as students explore how cultural differences, identity, and accessibility shape engagement. The module further investigates the role of community engagement, supporter groups, and reputation management. Students also examine metrics that matter—KPIs, CRM systems, and data analytics—to assess the effectiveness and ROI of engagement strategies. In the final weeks, the module turns toward the future of fan engagement, introducing innovations such as AR/VR, AI, NFTs, and gamification. 

In this module you will appraise operations management principles in the wider football industry. The module will cover a broad selection of topics including, but not limited to, stadium technology, multi-use stadium operations, matchday experience, stadium capacity calculations, sustainable development policies, football facility financial management, event management principles and community engagement.

The aim of this module is to assess multiple approaches of operations management for football organisations and football facilities. You will be introduced to academic theories which will be related to case studies from the global football industry. You will be expected to critically explore academic theories, governance regulations, and industry practices related to the content of this module.

The module will help you to explore, interpret and apply operations management principles and consolidate these into long-term strategies for a football organisation.

This module explores the key components that contribute to the creation and maintenance of high-performance clubs and organisations, with a particular focus on football and team-based environments. Participants will critically examine the characteristics of high-performing environments and the strategies used to build and sustain them.

The module begins by defining what constitutes a high-performance organization and explores the aims and objectives that guide their development. Students will investigate organisational politics, leadership approaches, and strategic planning as tools to drive performance both on and off the pitch.

A significant focus is placed on organisational culture including values, beliefs, and behaviors and how culture is developed and embedded over time. The module also examines the role of talent management in nurturing both individual and collective potential within the organisation. By the end of the module, learners will understand how to design, implement, and sustain high-performance environments that achieve success in all areas of operation.

This module provides an opportunity to undertake an applied professional project that bridges academic learning with real-world practice in the sports industry. It is designed to enhance your professional skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities by engaging with a current issue or challenge within a sporting context.

You will take ownership of a sustained, independent project that draws on the knowledge, competencies, and experiences developed throughout your programme. Working within a live or simulated sports environment, you will apply theoretical understanding to practice, with the aim of generating meaningful insights or solutions that have direct relevance to coaching and performance, or sports business and management, marketing or media.

The module fosters experiential learning by encouraging reflection on your personal development and professional impact. Through this process, you will demonstrate leadership, initiative, and the ability to manage and deliver a project from conception to completion, all of which are highly valued by employers in the sport sector.

Your chosen project will allow you to explore an area of personal or professional interest, showcasing your ability to integrate academic knowledge with industry practice. By presenting your findings and outcomes, you will contribute to the enhancement of professional standards and demonstrate your readiness to influence and improve sporting environments.

Successful media relations and solid communication strategies are vital for all sport organisations. Media managers must understand how the media works and have a toolbox of skills to be able to manage and deliver successful communications. Media managers who combine strategic planning, relationship building, creative thinking and outstanding organisational skills – and who have the ability to work under pressure – can help navigate clients through the trials and potential pitfalls of a career in sports media, as well as maintaining and enhancing the brand image of an organisation through effective communications. An effective media manager should possess a keen interest in shaping the brand image and reputation of individuals and organisations through insightful and powerful communications, and be able to not only cope in a crisis situation, but have the ability to develop a strategy that can mitigate reputational damage and rebuild the client’s corporate and social identity.

This module explores how sports organisations develop and manage effective global strategies in an increasingly complex and competitive environment. Students will analyse the macroenvironment (e.g., economic, political, and cultural forces) and the microenvironment (e.g., industry dynamics and stakeholder relationships) to understand external influences on strategic decision-making. Core topics include business and corporate strategy, focusing on how organisations position themselves competitively and manage multi-level operations. The module also examines international strategy, with an emphasis on global expansion, market entry, and adaptation. Students will explore the role of entrepreneurship and innovation in driving growth, particularly through digital disruption and emerging trends in sport. Strategic growth through mergers, acquisitions, and alliances is evaluated alongside the broader strategy development process, from formulation to execution. Finally, the module addresses how to organise and evaluate strategy, and the critical role of leadership, governance, and strategic change in ensuring long-term success in global sports organisations.

2:1 degree, or 2:2 degree and experience criteria (below) met.

Experience: Experience of sports industry or business – evidenced by prior professional experience or relevancy of degree. Applicants without this but strong profile to still be considered.

English Language Requirements: English language qualifications: Applicants from non-majority English speaking countries will be asked for an English qualification which tests Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing and will be asked to achieve an overall IELTS score of 6.5 (minimum of 6.0 in each section) or recognised equivalent. Note that applicants from these countries who have studied to degree level in English to be accepted

Offers to applicants currently studying an undergraduate degree will be conditional on them going on to achieve the entry requirements on completion of their degree.

Applications that do not meet the standard entry requirements but demonstrate relevant education and/or work and/or life experience in the course subject area are welcomed.

Eligibility will be assessed on the basis of the information provided in the application – in particular the personal statement.