Center for Sports and Business at the Stockholm School of Economics

Exploring Esports in Society: SSE Hosts Industry Roundtable The Stockholm School of Economics (SSE) recently hosted a roundtable dinner with representatives from leading organizations in the esports and gaming industry. This event marked the launch of a collaborative effort to explore the societal impact of esports, spearheaded by SSE’s Center for Sports and Business?and House of Innovation. “The Nordic countries have consistently led the way in shaping the global gaming industry, fostering innovation, and building a vibrant esports ecosystem. For many talented engineers, gaming was where their passion for technology started. My hope is to leverage our collective experience to examine the future role of esports in society and explore how we may drive sustained growth and collaboration.” says Andjela Kusmuk ?? industry veteran and new PhD student. Organizations in trippel-A game development, technical platforms and top esports teams joined pro-players and investors to start ?the discussion. Topics ranged from globalization, monetization and cross-industry opportunities in the gaming landscape. With esports as a growing global phenomenon, this initiative aims to uncover new ways the industry can drive societal progress and bridge divides. #Esports #GamingIndustry #Innovation #SSE #HOI #CSB Martin Carlsson Wall Stefan Haefliger

CSB PhD student Fanny Almersson traveled with Hammarby Fotboll and its partners to Manchester for the Women’s Champions League match against Manchester City. Ahead of the game, Hammarby hosted a conference with partners to discuss the future of women’s football. Fanny presented on the business potential of women’s football, highlighting the need for a strong culture, sustainable growth, and balanced development between women’s and men’s football. She also introduced UEFA’s “Unstoppable” initiative—a €1 billion investment in women’s football from 2024–2030. Despite a 2–0 loss, Hammarby made history with over 600 traveling fans, setting a new benchmark for supporter culture in women’s football. #CenterForSportsAndBusiness #WomensFootball #UEFAUnstoppable #Hammarby #ChampionsLeague #supporterculture

???? SSE’s sports students recently gathered for an inspiring lunch seminar, where Clara H?rdling shared her journey from the football field in Sweden and UCLA to her role as SASSE president. Clara emphasized the importance of micro-breaks, the power of community, and how together we can create a positive environment at SSE for high performance and well-being. At Center for Sports and Business, we firmly believe in SSE’s dual talents – those remarkable students who balance high-level athletics with their academic pursuits. We look forward to more gatherings and shared insights ahead! #SSE #DualTalents #Community #HighPerformance #sportandbusiness #sportandstudies

?? Center for Sports and Business participated at this year’s Impulse Summit in St Gallen, Schweiz ?? Under the theme "Game Changer Generation", we explored how a new wave of leaders is set to reshape the sports industry. The focus was on placing passion for sports and athletes at the center while empowering future leaders with tools to drive both profit and lasting change. A special congratulations to Oliver Lindqvist Parbratt for winning a competition with his innovative ideas and to Fanny Almersson , who had the honor of introducing a session on the main stage alongside BBC legend David Eades! “I connected with students and experts in the field, and it’s fascinating to see what happens when we build bridges between academia and practice.” Fanny Almersson “While sport and business can sometimes clash in culture, they share a powerful common ground. Openness and continuous learning are essential to unlocking future opportunities.” Anna Laurell Nash OLY I met many fantastic individuals - both students and professionals within the sports industry - with whom I look forward to maintaining contact. It was especially nice that several were directly engaged in topics closely aligned with my research interests, such as the impact of digitalization and data in sports, the valuation of investment objects within the sports sector, and the important role of financial management as a foundation for the future of sports." Oliver Lindqvist Parbratt #ImpulseSummit #GameChangerGeneration #FutureOfSports #nextgeneration #innovation #sportsispassion

?? Currently at Impulse Summit in St. Gallen, Switzerland – “Where Sports and Business meet the Next Generation.” ????? Our PhD student Oliver Lindqvist Parbratt made us proud by winning a competition where he presented innovative ideas on how FIS can reach the next generation and strengthen its brand ahead of the World Championships. Focusing on gamification, Oliver showcased how snow sports and their athletes can gain more visibility and engagement. ?????? The conference runs until November 6th, and we’re excited for more inspiring conversations and connections! ???? #ImpulseSummit #SportsBusiness #Innovation #CenterForSportsAndBusiness #Gamification #FutureOfSports #nextgeneration

?? In recent weeks, CSB had the opportunity to host two engaging modules for our MDA students, where we explored essential topics such as business strategy, AI, mental fitness, and finance, along with a hands-on simulated business journey. ???? ??The Management Diploma for Athletes (MDA) is an ongoing annual program at the Handelsh?gskolan i Stockholm , designed to help elite athletes transition into new career paths. Throughout the year, participants gain valuable skills to leverage their strengths, enhance their employability, build a solid foundation for potential entrepreneurial ventures, and deepen their understanding of both the Swedish and global business landscape. ???? We’re proud to be part of these driven individuals' journeys and excited to watch them thrive, both within and beyond the sports arena! ?? ?? A heartfelt thank you to AI Lab Sweden AB | AI-labbet Upotential Nina Wennerstr?m Peter Rovér Anders Sewerin Anna Laurell Nash OLY Martin Carlsson Wall and ofcourse our fantastic MDA students Lisa Norden Anja P?rson ?sa Svensson Johanna L. Michelle Coleman OLY Niklas Hjalmarsson Henrik Karlsson Petter Menning, OLY Jens Byggmark for making these sessions truly inspiring and educational! ?? #CSB #MDA #SSE #CareerTransition #Entrepreneurship #EliteAthletes #DualCareers #Strength #AI #MentalFitness

??The Center for Sports and Business is proud to collaborate with ENABLE Sverige ?? The Swedish sports model, based on cooperation between elite and grassroots sports, volunteer engagement, and member democracy, has been successful but now faces challenges such as declining volunteer participation, funding needs, demands for professionalization, and increased international competition. Through this collaboration, we aim to combine tradition with innovation to strengthen the competitiveness of Swedish sports both nationally and internationally. Link to news: https://lnkd.in/da-rFqvx https://lnkd.in/gGzMZyeK #swedishsports #enable #centerforsportsandbusiness

?? Some of SSE’s sport students came together to discuss the value of creating a shared platform where they can learn from one another. During the session, Prof. Martin Carlsson Wall gave a brief talk about the role of the Center for Sports and Business (CSB) and highlighted the exciting opportunities ahead. ?? SSE sport students aren’t just excelling academically—they’ve also competed or are currently competing at an elite level in sports. We call them "dual talents" because they demonstrate excellence both in the classroom and in sports. We’re excited to see where this new forum will take them! ?? #DualTalents #SSESportsInitiative #StudentAthletes #SportStudents #CenterForSportsAndBusiness #CSB #EliteAthletes #SSE

?? Inspiring Day at the Elitfotboll Dam Sustainability Seminar! A big thank you to Elitfotboll Dam (EFD) for organizing a day that brought together a diverse group of stakeholders and fantastic speakers. The energy in the room made it clear—this is where real change can happen. ?? The day began with powerful speeches from Jenny Mitton and Michele Kang, setting a tone of optimism and forward-thinking. One of the highlights was PhD student Fanny Almersson from Center for Sports and Business at the Stockholm School of Economics, who delivered a brilliant presentation exploring the economic and cultural dynamics of dual clubs through her research with Hammarby Fotboll ??? Prof. Martin Carlsson Wall from the Center for Sports and Business also shared his extensive insights, drawing from years of sports and business research and offering both Swedish and international perspectives during one of the panel discussions. ?? Key takeaway: ?? "Don’t just shrink it and pink it." Women represent a vibrant, untapped community and market. ?? Now is the time for action. ?? We must learn from the past, collaborate, and make long-term investments to develop tomorrow's sustainable players, role models, and organizations. ?????? #WomenInSport #Sustainability #Football #SportsBusiness #Leadership #Innovation #Future #CenterForSportsAndBusiness #CSB #rolemodels?

Don’t miss this chance to connect, learn, and be inspired by our alumni's success stories. Together, let’s explore the future of the sports industry! Register for the webinar about ESPB - European Sports Business Program October 1 17.00 here https://lnkd.in/gn_BfQ7X