15 Guest Speakers, Industry Mentors and Live Sport at the National Stadium: Semester One on Our Toronto MBA

After the exciting launch of our MBA Sports Management programme in Toronto, the Global Institute of Sport (GIS) are proud to share details of the student experience as students progress through their first semester.

In partnership with the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University, the course combines a coveted MBA with GIS’ specialism in sport, providing students with the chance to prepare themselves for careers in the industry.

“The students have had the opportunity to connect with a wide range of people” said GIS Director Barry MacLean. 

“They’ve had access to a number of big sporting events and they settled into the class nicely. They’ve got their feet under the table now, so it’s pretty much their programme as it moves along!”

During welcome week, students described the experience as the ‘best first day of school ever!’ So what have they been up to since then in Toronto?

Exclusive Industry Speakers

As part of the industry immersion students receive, the inaugural MBA class have had access to numerous high-profile professionals from a range of disciplines across the Canadian and international sports industries.

Multiple special guests have provided insight to the students, who have been “very enthusiastic” according to Barry MacLean and labelled the speakers as a highlight so far.

“The speakers have grabbed attention, the students are very much engaged and ask a lot of questions. They’ve loved all the speakers!”

Providing expertise and advice from roles students aspire to hold in the future, speakers have represented a host of organisations from GIS partner Maple Leaf Sports Entertainment (MLSE) to the National Hockey League (NHL). Discussions have covered governance, marketing, operations and administration, and speakers have included:

    —  Chris Shewfelt: VP Business Operations, Toronto FC

    —  Anton Wimmer: VP Global Partnerships, Toronto FC

    —  Jason Hernandez: General Manager, Toronto FC

    —  Steven Caldwell: TSN Analyst and Best Athletes CEO

    —  Luke Wileman: TSN Commentator

    —  Dwayne De Rosario: MLSE and FIFA World Cup 2026 Ambassador, former Canadian footballer

    —  Michael Bartlett: CEO, Canada Basketball

    —  Tania Pedron: Senior Director Administration and Operations, Toronto FC

    —  Devin Pleuler: Senior Director Research and Development, MLSE

    —  Kathleen McGinn: Board Chair, Rugby Canada

    —  Sophie Kotsopoulos: Group VP Integrated Marketing, NHL 

    —  Jennifer Quinn: VP Communications, Toronto Raptors

    —  Marika Warner: Executive Director, MLSE LaunchPad

    —  Katie Reed: General Counsel, Tottenham Hotspur

Alongside this action-packed first semester, students have also embarked on their bespoke mentorship programme, which pairs students with one of six mentors from MLSE who provide guidance and support throughout their studies.

“It’ll be almost at a two-to-one ratio of students to mentors,” Barry told GIS. “They’ve got to meet them, and now they will have more access to them as we move forward.”

Industry Events

As well as learning about the industry in the classroom, students have been experiencing the Canadian sports scene first-hand. 

Since beginning the programme less than two months ago, the Toronto cohort have attended two Toronto FC games at BMO Field, their study hub, an MLSE e-sports event, as well as the historic England vs Canada women’s rugby union fixture that ended England’s 41-match unbeaten streak.

In addition, the students have been a part of several Lunch and Learns hosted by Wilfrid Laurier University, where special guests meet with students and share industry expertise or discuss career planning.

Adding to a series of behind-the-scenes opportunities, students will next return to BMO Field to see Canada play Guatemala in the Concacaf Nations League.

The Student Perspective

Though the students began their studies recently, their enjoyment of the programme has already shone through.

Owen McGowan, one of the new cohort, told GIS about his experience so far, saying: “My initial impressions of the programme have been spectacular! Working from a campus like BMO Field is pretty special.

“It’s been a very tight-knit and intimate community, and the support we’ve received from GIS and Laurier has been great so far. You can see the opportunities that are going to come from this programme!”

Evan Phillips, who is also on the programme, echoed this positive feedback, commenting on what has stood out to make the MBA special so far.

“Building connections with the class has been my favourite part! 

“Everyone’s got such a diverse background which is one of the main takeaways. Getting a lot of different perspectives and thoughts on how things run is so valuable!”

“Going to some of the games is one of the main highlights, and the guest speakers have been really valuable. Learning from people in the industry about what worked for them, what didn’t work, and what they value in the organisation really helps solidify the skills that I should be building.”

What Makes Industry Access so Important?

Owen and Evan then commented on their favourite modules, marketing and analytics respectively, both explaining that the guest speakers have shone a light on aspects of the industry they had never considered.

“I think it’s multifaceted,” Barry MacLean added, reflecting on the benefits students receive from the speakers and events they’re exposed to.

“One aspect is the networking opportunity to be able to connect directly with some of those people. As well as the executives and board members, we’ve also had interns or past interns speaking to the group about how they got into the equation to really understand how they got in the door and what the experience is like. 

“As for the live events, they’ve got to see a number of sports and understand how it looks from behind-the-scenes, not just what you see on the TV screen.”

Interested in learning more? Discover the MBA Sports Management. Or, stay up to date with GIS students, lecturers, and industry stories on our news page.