EASM Summer School of Sports Management in Madrid
Adam Jacko, a doctoral student in the Department of Management Theories at the Faculty of Management and Informatics, University of Žilina, attended the 17th annual EASM Summer School of Sport Management in Madrid from May 13 – 17 May 2026, attended the 17th annual EASM Summer School of Sport Management in Madrid, organized by the European Association for Sport Management (EASM).
The summer school offered a series of specialized lectures led by industry experts. Héctor Coronel discussed the development of Madrid itself in the context of tourism, Mark LaSota focused on leadership and building resilience in a changing environment, Carmen C. Acebes Paskarbis presented approaches to activating sponsorships in sports, Pedro Díaz Ridao spoke about talent development, Ricardo Macías Pla discussed the future of golf as entertainment, and Robert Kok addressed building brand value through fan interaction. The program also included a panel discussion focused on students’ experiences with internships in sports management.
In addition to the academic program, participants engaged in group work on a real-world case study. At the end of the summer school, they took a final written exam, followed by a presentation of the group case studies evaluated by a panel of experts consisting of Prof. Dr. H. Woratschek (University of Bayreuth) and Ricardo Macías Pla. EASM representatives, Student Representative Ashlinn Walsh and Treasurer Irena Valantine, subsequently presented the association’s programs for students and the upcoming EASM 2026 conference in Thessaloniki.
The program included professional excursions to the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu and Riyadh Air Metropolitano. Participants took a guided tour of the historic Madrid de los Austrias district, which took place during the city festival La Fiesta de San Isidro, and visited Parque del Retiro. The program also included padel lessons at Las Tablas Sport Club.
The summer school concluded with a certificate ceremony and a group photo at the Areia club. The extensive knowledge gained will be utilized in the department’s research activities and in the teaching of the Sports Management course.
