MICA adds sports business to its curriculum, offers sports, gaming, and e-sports business

Tapping on the recent transformations in the sports sector and advancements leading to significant developments, MICA Ahmedabad has added sports business  specialisation to its curriculum. The B-school has renamed one of the most prominent areas, ‘Media and Entertainment Management’ to ‘Media Entertainment and Sports’, which will  now offer multiple courses like the sports business, gaming, and e-Sports, to name a few.

Speaking of this move, Dr Shailendra Raj Mehta, President and director of MICA, said, “The transformation of the Indian sports ecosystem is happening rapidly. Emerging trends such as virtual reality experiences, esports, and digital streaming revolutionise how sports are played, consumed, and monetised. MICA’s move to reorient our specialisation will ensure our students stay ahead of  the curve.”

Dr Githa Heggde, dean of MICA, said, "MICA has been catering to the management of the creative industry and its business since its inception. The media department at MICA has undergone multiple transitions from media planning to media management to media and  entertainment management, and this year, we go a step forward by integrating sports and experiential business as the core of the department."

"As the sports sector continues to evolve, the industry will need professionals with a comprehensive  understanding of sports business models and a diverse skill set; and this approach will not only add  value for stakeholders but unlock numerous professional opportunities for our students,” she added.

The institute will interweave ‘sports’ into its current offerings. Students opting for the new specialisation will get exposed to various dimensions of sports like monetisation, franchising, club management, etc. The students recently attended a workshop on ‘Sports Marketing’ by Mr. Vinit  Karnik, Head of Sports, ESports and Entertainment at GroupM.

Delving more, Professor Santosh Kumar Patra, head - Media Entertainment and Sports Management, shared, “25% of the total business classified under experiential  business is primarily driven by sports, gaming, live events, and categories allied to these segments. Sports as a sector is not only growing exponentially in India but also growing beyond cricket. As a  young sports nation and a new experience-driven category of entertainment business, it requires  special knowledge and skill to manage the business. Considering the need of the growing industry trends and after getting inputs from multiple stakeholders including alumni, advisory committee, and industry leaders, we decided to reorient our focus to sports business in India”.

Interestingly, in the past year, the Centre for Media Entertainment and Sports (CMES) undertook a few case studies on IPL valuation and annual sports and published e-sports and gaming reports.

Dr Bhaskar Das, mentor - MESM area and governing council member of MICA said, “The future lies in becoming an excellent manager, financier, or marketer with an understanding of sports management. The media and Entertainment industry, enabled by experience-led companies in sports, gaming, e-sports, etc., will touch Rs 3 trillion in business in the next couple of years. It is essential to note the growth of the industry and the need for the required knowledge and skill set to  manage the rapidly growing sector in India.”