ESBS European Sport Business School

What ESBS European Sport Business School does

ESBS European Sport Business School is a private higher-education institution headquartered in Valencia, Spain, specializing in postgraduate and undergraduate education for the sports management industry. Founded in 2009, it operates physical campuses in Valencia and Madrid and has been part of the ACE Education group since 2021. The school is operated through a Spanish private limited company, Aidea Develop S.L. (CIF B-98.540.792). Its core product portfolio consists of three flagship programs: the 9-month Professional Master's in International Sports Management (MISM, priced €8,850–€9,450, delivered in partnership with Valencia CF Foundation across onsite, hybrid, and online modalities); the 2-year Global Sport Business Master (GSBM, English-language, with academic visits to USA, Seoul, and Amsterdam, and dual titles including a GSIC/Microsoft-issued digital transformation certification); and the 3-year European Bachelor in Sports Marketing and Event Management (English-language with AMOS-partner mobility). A short-program portfolio (eSports Management at €1,500, Digital Transformation, Sports Representation Agency, Summer Programs) and paid specialization add-ons (AI in Sport €400, Data Analysis & PowerBi €950, Advanced eSports, Specialized English) generate supplementary revenue per enrolled Master's student.

Technology infrastructure is built on a LearnWorlds-based virtual campus integrated with Microsoft Teams for hybrid classroom delivery; the platform supports video tutorials, self-paced learning, community features, and serves both on-site and online cohorts. The underlying differentiator described by ESBS is ease-of-use and integration of this hybrid modality rather than proprietary IP. Faculty is composed entirely of current industry practitioners from organizations including Valencia CF, Rayo Vallecano, Villarreal CF, Levante UD, and Eurosport — positioning the school as practitioner-led rather than academic-theory-led.

The business model is B2C tuition-driven. Pricing is one-time per program/module. Customer segments are recent university graduates, working professionals seeking career transitions into sports, international students (85% of cohort, 40+ nationalities), and mid-career sports industry executives. Revenue mechanics: MISM intake ~2x per year (October / February), plus GSBM, Bachelor, and short-program enrollment cycles. GTM combines direct admissions (field/enterprise style for on-site), self-serve online application, webinars, content marketing via a blog and social channels, alumni referrals, and event-driven lead generation at industry conferences (World Football Summit, Social Football Summit). Customer concentration risk is low by construction — student-paid tuition across many cohorts and nationalities — although 85% internationalization creates regulatory/visa and FX exposure. Reported outcomes: 91% sports-industry employment within 12 months, 85% international composition, 17th graduating cohort in 2026, and consistent #1 Spain / Top 3 Europe SportBusiness rankings since 2017.

Name

ESBS European Sport Business School

Legal name

Aidea Develop S.L.

Website

https://esbs-spain.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ESBS European Sport Business School is a Valencia, Spain-based private institution founded in 2009, specializing in postgraduate and undergraduate sports management education. It serves recent graduates, career-changers, and international students (85% international, 40+ nationalities) through Master's, Bachelor's, and short programs delivered on-site, hybrid, and online within the ACE Education group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Management Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Hospitality, Tourism & Sports Management Schools (within Business Schools) (EDAHAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Undergraduate Business Schools (BBA/BSBA Programs) (EDAHAHAA), Sports Business Consulting & Advisory (Strategy, Valuation, Due Diligence) (MPAKAKAL)

Keywords

• Sports management education
• Graduate business school
• Sports business programs
• Professional master degrees
• Postgraduate sports courses

Headquarters

HQ city

Valencia

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Master's Degree Tuition: Professional Master in International Sports Management priced at €8,850 (October 2026 intake) or €9,450 (February 2027 intake). Revenue from 60 ECTS, 9-10 month programs delivered on-campus in Valencia with academic travel modules.
2. Global Sport Business Master Tuition: 2-year master's program with two titles (Sports Manager and Digital Transformation Specialist). Revenue from tuition covering academic visits to USA, Seoul, and Amsterdam.
3. Short Program Tuition: eSports Management program at €1,500 general, €800 for ESBS students/alumni. Short programs include Digital Transformation of Sports Entities, Sports Representation Agency, and Summer Programs.
4. Specialization Programs: Additional specialization modules offered to Master's students including Data Analysis & PowerBi (€950), AI in Sport (€400), Sports Representation Agency (€800), Advanced eSports Management (€800), and English courses (€960).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ESBS European Sport Business School is a private business school in Valencia, Spain that delivers postgraduate, bachelor and short professional programs in sports management. The core offerings include the 9-month Professional Master's in International Sports Management (MISM) delivered in partnership with Valencia CF Foundation, the 2-year Global Sport Business Master with dual titles, and the 3-year European Bachelor in Sports Marketing and Event Management, supplemented by short programs in eSports management, digital transformation and sports representation. Programs are delivered on-site in Valencia and Madrid, in hybrid mode, or 100% online via a LearnWorlds-based virtual campus.

Product overview

ESBS European Sport Business School is Spain's first business school specializing in sports management, operating as a portfolio of educational programs delivered primarily through onsite campuses in Valencia and Madrid, plus a virtual online campus. The core portfolio consists of three main programs: the 9-month Professional Master's in International Sports Management (MISM) delivered in partnership with Valencia CF Foundation; the 2-year Global Sport Business Master with dual titles including digital transformation certification from GSIC/Microsoft; and the 3-year European Bachelor in Sports Marketing and Event Management with international mobility. Supporting these are short professional programs covering eSports Management, Digital Transformation, Sports Representation, and summer experiences. All programs feature industry practitioners as faculty, practical methodology, and global industry exposure through academic visits and partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Master in International Sports Management (MISM): Flagship professional master's programme in sports management, delivered in partnership with Valencia CF Foundation, recognized as Spain's #1 and Europe's top 3 programme.
• Global Sport Business Master (GSBM)
• European Bachelor in Sports Marketing and Event Management

Products and services

• Professional Master's in International Sports Management (MISM) Flagship 9-month postgraduate program delivered in partnership with Valencia CF Foundation, ranked as Spain's #1 Master in Sports Management (2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2024). Available in onsite, hybrid, and online formats in Spanish or English. Awards titles 'Sports Manager' and 'Junior in Digital Transformation of Sports Entities'.
• Global Sport Business Master Two-year master's program offering dual titles ('Gestor de organizaciones deportivas' and 'Junior en Transformación Digital de Entidades Deportivas' certified by GSIC powered by Microsoft). Includes academic visits to USA, Seoul, and Amsterdam. Entirely in English.
• European Bachelor in Sports Marketing and Event Management Three-year bachelor's degree preparing students for management roles in global sports organizations. Fully delivered in English with international mobility options across AMOS partner campuses in Europe.
• Master en International Sports Management Online Online version of the flagship MISM program designed for active sports industry professionals, offering flexible scheduling without sacrificing career obligations. Operates through virtual campus platform.
• ESBS Sports Business Summer Program 2026 Short professional summer experience program held in Valencia, designed to provide insight into European and global sports business management.
• PBS – Programa Avanzado en Gestión Deportiva Advanced sports management program designed in collaboration with Porto Business School. Delivered in hybrid format with joint certification.
• Transformación Digital de Entidades Deportivas Short program focused on leading innovation and digital transformation in sports entity management.
• Programa Agencias de Representación Short program for individuals wanting to create a sports representation agency or develop within athlete representation.
• Gestión de eSports Professional program in eSports management covering esports ecosystem, business models, marketing, event management, contracts, player welfare, and emerging technologies. 40 hours, online, priced at €1,500 (€800 for ESBS alumni).

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% of students employed in sports industry within one year of program completion
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, minor and core.

• FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 June 2026FIA Scholarship partnership for Master's in International Sports Management. FIA funds full tuition plus travel/living costs for emerging nation motorsport talent. First scholarship awarded to Omani Sanad Al Rawahi in June 2026, creating pathways into motorsport leadership.
• La VueltaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2025Collaboration agreement signed June 2025 for contribution to sports industry development. ESBS students and graduates gain access to La Vuelta events and learning opportunities through this alliance.
• ImpulsynminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 March 2025Collaboration for Alumni Week featuring podcasts and career insights. ESBS alumni participate in Impulsyn's professional development platform through exclusive content and networking opportunities.
• Argentina Football Association (AFA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 August 2024Partnership announced August 2024 uniting ESBS and AFA for sports education. ESBS provides educational programs while AFA contributes industry expertise and opportunities for Argentine sports professionals.
• IGNITXminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023Mentorship program partnership launched March 2023. IGNITX provides 10 selected MISM students with mentorship from international sports events experts. Daniela Negreda serves as bridge between organizations. Pilot program running March-July 2023 with evaluation for expansion.
• Valencia CF FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary institutional partner providing training center facilities at Estadio Mestalla and Av. de Cataluña. Joint development and delivery of the Master's in International Sports Management (MBA Valencia CF). The foundation co-certifies the degree and provides industry access through academic visits and guest lectures.
• ACE EducationflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational educational group ESBS joined in 2021. ACE Education is the largest sports management business school network in Europe with 13 campuses in France, 2 in Spain, and 1 in UK. ESBS and ESAT integrated into ACE Education in July 2024.
• GSIC powered by MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital transformation certification partner for the Global Sport Business Master. Provides expertise in business intelligence, big data, analytics, and digital transformation specific to sports industry. Franco Segarra serves as Innovation Director from GSIC.
• AMOScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational partner network enabling student mobility across European campuses. Bachelor students can move between ESBS and AMOS partner campuses in France and other countries for international exposure and diverse sports industry learning.
• Porto Business SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for PBS (Programa Avanzado en Gestión Deportiva) - Advanced Sports Management Program delivered in hybrid format. Joint certification and expertise sharing between institutions.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• EAE Business School: Spain-based business school offering master's programs with sports management specializations. An established Spanish private school that has begun to expand into sports-specific tracks, representing partial overlap with ESBS's target market.

Others

• World Football Summit: Global industry conference for the football business. ESBS actively participates as an event partner and educational thought leader, but WFS is an event and media business, not a competing school — included as an ecosystem peer rather than a direct competitor.
• GSIC (Global Sports Innovation Center powered by Microsoft): Madrid-based sports industry innovation hub that provides digital transformation certification for ESBS's Global Sport Business Master. Operates as an enabling partner in the sports tech ecosystem rather than as a competing educational institution.

Direct peers

• Sport Management School (France): France-based private business school exclusively focused on sports management with bachelor's and master's programs. Direct competitor for European students and for the ESBS Global Sport Business Master, particularly in the French-speaking market.
• UCAM Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia: Spanish private university with a strong sports identity (sponsorship of UCAM Murcia CB and other teams) and dedicated sports management degrees. Competes with ESBS for Spanish and international students seeking sports business education.
• St Mary's University Twickenham: UK university with a dedicated Sport, Health and Applied Science faculty offering undergraduate and postgraduate sports management programs. Comparable as a UK-based, English-language competitor in European sports business education.
• Real Madrid Universidad Europea: Universidad Europea's sports management programs co-branded with Real Madrid, leveraging the brand of one of the world's largest football clubs. Directly comparable to ESBS's Valencia CF Foundation partnership model.
• AMOS Sport Business School: France-based sport business school offering master's and MBA programs in sports management with campuses across Europe. Direct peer in product offering, geography (sister school under ACE Education network), and target market.
• University of Liverpool (Laureate Online Education): UK university delivering online master's programs in sports management and related disciplines through partnerships. Competes with ESBS's online MISM and the Global Sport Business Master for international, English-speaking students.
• Johan Cruyff Institute: Barcelona-based private business school specializing in sports management education with master's, bachelor's, and online programs. Closest direct competitor to ESBS in the Spanish and European sports business education market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/esbs_sport
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ESBSSpain
• Facebookfacebook.com/EuropeanSportBusinessSchool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/esbs-european-sport-business-school
• Instagraminstagram.com/esbs_sport
• TikToktiktok.com/@esbs_sport

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ESBS European Sport Business School