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Sport and International Business Course with Thomas Berger & Philipp Pilatowicz

07/05/2025

A course on the global football business, focusing on international expansion, digital innovation, and strategic management using international business theory.

On May 7, the course Sport and International Business, led by Thomas Berger and Philipp Pilatowicz, successfully concluded.

The course connected core theories of international business with current developments and challenges in the global sports industry. Key topics included international market entry strategies, economic interrelations, cultural differences, and institutional frameworks in the sports industry.
Through project-based learning, students applied these concepts in two hands-on formats:
- Transfer Market Analysis
Students analyzed five years of transfer activity between two major football leagues (e.g. Premier League vs. La Liga), using methods like OLS regression and panel data analysis to identify international best practices.
- Academic Research Design
In teams, students developed a publication concept titled "Virtual Reality in International Sports Business: A Systematic Review and Future Research Agenda", including bibliometric research and a real-world use case.

A course that bridged theory, data, and global sports business in practice.

Thank you to all guest lecturers, founders, and experts who generously shared their insights and experiences-and to the students for their strong engagement and contributions throughout the course. Special appreciation goes to the following contributors:

Thomas Freismuth - Soccer Agent
Bernhard Schmidt - Schoenherr Attorneys at Law
Marc Kluft - Founder, Padelbase
Christoph Högler - CEO & Founder, FanInvest
Gregory Gettinger, Ph.D. - CEO & Founder, VR Motion Learning
Andreas Kraus - CEO, MXR / Serial Entrepreneur
Stefan Gatterbauer - Head of Sales, e|motion
Georg Wawer - Managing Director, win2day (Austrian Lotteries)
Sigurd Meiche - Managing Director, Meiche GmbH
Max Riedl - Head of Sportsbook Insights, LiveScore Group
Mirna Jukić-Berger OLY - Olympic Medalist & Sports Advocate
Nina Gigele - Ski Expert, Entrepreneur, Consultant
Sebastian Hattinger - Boston Consulting Group
Jakob Müllner - Professor for International Business, WU (RISM)