IDR804-017 Social Media Marketing in Sport (Autumn 2025)

The emergence of social media has had a profound impact on the way companies communicate and connect with their customers. Sport entities (i.e., teams, organizations and athletes), building on the worldwide acceptance and integration of sport in all societies, have adopted social media as part of their marketing strategy, while some of them became among the most followed online brands in the world.

This intensive attendance course aims to answer the question of how the prominence and attractiveness of sport brands can lead to an interactive and long-term relationship with their customers (fans) and capitalize on the unique and powerful marketing opportunities offered by social media. The impact of social media on the product, price, distribution, promotion and sponsorship of sport organizations as well as the challenges sport marketers face due to the growth of the social media phenomenon and the use of social media during a period of crisis will be discussed, too.

This intensive attendance course is designed to give students an overview of the concepts, tools, and issues surrounding social media and marketing, using real-case scenarios, examples and applications from the world of sport, in a truly interactive and international learning environment.

Learning outcome: Knowledge

The course aims to answer the question of how sport entities are able to capitalize on the unique and powerful marketing opportunities of social media as well as to understand the challenges that marketing managers face by the growth of the social media phenomenon. On successful completion of this course participants will be able to:

• Appreciate the size, scope and importance of social media in sport and the relevant academic discussion in the field
• Understand the role of social media within sport and event marketing
• Apply marketing theories and management concepts on the usage of social media withhin the sport and event industry environment
• Recognize potential challenges and identify the newest trends of the use of digital media in the sport and event industry

Learning outcome: Skills

At the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Evaluate relevant theoretical concepts, frameworks, and models related to social media marketing within sports and sport events
• Apply and communicate this understanding to real cases and problems

Learning outcome: General Competences

At the end of this course, students should be able to:

• Interpret research findings, draw appropriate conclusions and present those effective with high impact
• Employ the principles of good academic practice
• Design meaningful statements and reports for research dissemination by applying key academic skills and competences

The course is taught in a continuous block of time over a short period, thus intensive attendance is required. Active participation and engagement in seminar activities will promote learning and the creation of a learning community, so they are encouraged and expected. Participants must turn in all completed assignments by the due date, participate in seminar discussions, and do your best to contribute to group discussions that will take place during the seminar.

The course builds upon posted articles, outside material and additional resources as required/needed. Students are responsible to prepare with articles, videos, PPTs, etc., either located in course folders on the eLearning platform or announcements for seminar discussions.

Lectures might not always follow a strict schedule, as there might be tasks, presentations and feedback sessions scheduled requiring flexibility during seminar days and hours.

• Mandatory coursework: Assignment(s)
• Courseworks given: 2
• Courseworks required: 2
• Presence: Required
• Comment: The course is taught in a continuous block of time over a short period, thus intensive attendance is required. The coursework assignments (individual and/or team) will be marked with pass/fail. Both need to be passed in order to advance to the course exam.

• Form of assessment: Classroom/school exam
• Proportion: 100%
• Duration: 2 hours
• Grouping: Individual
• Grading scale: Letter (A - F)
• Support material: -