The Durban Sports Business Program is a Georgetown McDonough initiative designed to prepare students to lead across the sports business ecosystem. Through coursework, mentorship, speaker events, career advising, and industry connections, students examine how business, leadership, markets, technology, media, finance, policy, culture, and global opportunity shape the sports industry. 

No. The Durban Sports Business Program is a business-first program. Students build a Georgetown McDonough business foundation and apply it to the sports industry ecosystem, including finance, media, technology, real estate, operations, risk, policy, fan engagement, and global markets.

The program is currently designed for Georgetown McDonough undergraduate students.

The fellowship program is available exclusively to Georgetown McDonough undergraduate students. Current Business and Global Affairs and International Business, Language, and Culture students are also eligible to participate.

Students must be able to complete the 9-credit requirement before graduation. First-years and sophomores are encouraged to apply. Juniors may apply, although they will have less time to access the benefits of the fellowship and complete the required coursework.

The inaugural cohort included 40 undergraduate Durban Fellows selected for academic excellence, leadership potential, and passion for the sports industry.

Durban Fellows complete sports business coursework grounded in business disciplines such as finance, strategy, analytics, marketing, operations, leadership, decision-making, and values-based judgment.

Durban Fellows complete 9 credits of sports business coursework before graduation. The current structure includes one required core course, STRT 2220: The Business of Global Sports, and 6 credits of approved electives.

The current approved coursework includes STRT 2220: The Business of Global Sports; ACCT 3230-10: Performance Pay in Pro Sports; OPAN 3242-10: Applied Data Viz for Sports; FINC 3231-20: Finance & Decisions in Sports; STRT 3235-20: Business of Sports Ethics; MGMT 3232: Sports Decision Making; and MARK 3233: Sports Marketing Strategy.

Durban Fellows may participate in coursework, mentorship, speaker events, career advising, industry connections, career treks, site visits, conferences, applied projects, and networking opportunities.

Durban Fellows engage with sports industry leaders and organizations through mentorship, speaker events, career treks, site visits, applied projects, internships, career advising, and partner-connected opportunities. These experiences help students understand how the sports industry works, build professional relationships, and prepare for internships and future career paths.

Durban Fellows build a foundation for careers across the sports business ecosystem, including teams, leagues, venues, media and technology companies, investment firms, consulting, marketing, operations, analytics, real estate, risk management, and global sports organizations.

Sports business belongs in Fields of the Future because sport has become a visible, complex, and consequential global industry shaped by finance, media, technology, real estate, investments, data, policy, fan engagement, women’s sports, and global markets.

Georgetown McDonough is not positioning sports business as a narrow sports management track. It is positioning sport as a global business ecosystem and preparing students as business leaders first.

The program includes career advising, industry connections, networking, career treks, site visits, and engagement with industry leaders.

The program is designed to expose students to the sports industry through coursework, industry engagement, and domestic and global opportunities.

The program leadership includes Luis Maes, executive director, and Michael O’Leary, academic director.

For academic questions, students should contact Professor Michael O’Leary. For admissions or application support, students should contact the Undergraduate Programs Office.

Organizations can partner with the program through internships, student projects, recruiting, mentorship, speaker events, site visits, research collaboration, case studies, treks, and other forms of student and industry engagement.