Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management Partners with India's Global Institute of Sports Business

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As part of an increasingly global focus on educational enrichment opportunities, the Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management has entered into a multi-year educational partnership with the Global Institute of Sports Business (GISB), a program developed by the sport management agency India On Track. The partnership provides GISB students with exposure to top-tier sport management coursework taught by full-time professors from the world’s top ranked sport management master’s program. GISB students and faculty will be challenged and trained by UMass faculty in select subject areas, while studying in India – one of the fastest growing sports markets.

The partnership is the latest global sports education initiative of the McCormack Center for Sport Research and Education, an interdepartmental agency focused on delivering customized educational programs to partners domestically and abroad. As part of the partnership, GISB will host UMass faculty in Mumbai multiple times a year for week-long, on-ground master’s level seminars.

“In GISB, we see a trusted partner that is committed to providing substantive, industry-designed training for intelligent and driven students looking to impact the Indian sports ecosystem,” said Will Norton, director of the McCormack Center, who brokered the partnership with GISB. “With more than 50 years of proven thought leadership and academic excellence, the McCormack department is excited to further enrich the educational experience for GISB students and deliver unique content for the future leaders of the commercial sport industry,” Norton added.

Commenting on the partnership, GISB program director Neel Shah commented, “UMass offers the best post-graduate sport management program in the world and I am thrilled that they have made a long-term commitment to educate and empower our future global sports industry leaders at GISB. This partnership aligns with GISB’s vision to provide our students with access to world-class education and experiences.”

GISB students will be immersed in specialized sport management modules covering topics such as sport marketing, consumer behavior, corporate sponsorship, strategy and leadership. Students will also have access to an online learning platform, as well as the recently launched McCormack Case Study Collection, housed within the McCormack Center. UMass faculty will add support to the planning and execution of any GISB international study trips organized within North America, building a bridge between GISB students and the McCormack department’s unparalleled sport industry alumni network.

This partnership provides added support to GISB’s educational offering, which, in 2018, established India’s first internationally certified sports management course. Located in a state-of-the-art campus in the heart of India’s business capital, Mumbai, GISB has been created as an industry-driven approach to sports management education focused on furthering individual growth, fostering student employability and generating sector impact. The institute was established to address the growing demand for professionals with relevant educational background and training to join the $700 billion global sports industry.

Steve McKelvey, McCormack department associate chair for external engagement, noted, “When our department procured Mark McCormack’s IMG archives, one of the goals was to continue to expand his innovation legacy on an international level. This multi-year relationship with GISB provides a unique platform for us to further this objective and positively develop India’s future sport management leaders.”