VSD - Berufsverband der Sportmanager in Deutschland

Name

VSD - Berufsverband der Sportmanager in Deutschland

Legal name

VSD e. V. – Verband für Sportökonomie und Sportmanagement in Deutschland

Website

https://vsd-online.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Trade Association (Sports Management)

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Sports Compliance, Governance & Integrity Services (Safeguarding, Anti-Doping, Match Integrity) (MPAKAKAM)

Keywords

• Professional sports association
• Sports management membership
• Career networking services
• Sports industry events
• Professional development programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Heidelberg

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: VSD generates revenue through annual membership fees. Members receive benefits including networking events, job board access, podcast content, mentorship programs, free tickets to trade shows (ISPO, FIBO, OutDoor, Eurobike, boot Düsseldorf), welcome gifts (sponsor news subscription, Sponeo Sports Business Morning Briefing access), and discounts on partner seminars.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

VSD is a professional membership association (Berufsverband) that sells annual memberships to sports managers in Germany. The core offering bundles access to a job board (powered by jobsimsport.de), free tickets to major sports trade shows (ISPO Munich, FIBO Köln, OutDoor by ISPO, Eurobike, boot Düsseldorf), the VSD-Podcast, Digital Sports MeetUp networking events, VSD-Stammtisch meetups, career tours (VSD-Karrieretour), SMAB ProMentoring with the University of Bayreuth, a VSD Students Club, the VSD-Stipendium scholarship, and welcome gift subscriptions (sponsor news, Sponeo). It is Germany's largest cross-sport professional association in this space.

Product overview

VSD – Verband für Sportökonomie und Sportmanagement in Deutschland is Germany's largest cross-sport professional association for sports managers, founded in 1997. Rather than a traditional software product, VSD offers a comprehensive membership ecosystem comprising networking events (VSD-Podcast, Digital Sports MeetUp, VSD-Stammtisch), career development services (Karrieretour career tours, Jobbörse job board), trade show benefits (Freikarten free tickets to ISPO Munich, FIBO, OutDoor, boot, Eurobike), mentorship programs (SMAB ProMentoring), student services (VSD Students Club), and professional development resources including industry news and scholarship opportunities. The association connects sports clubs, companies, agencies, and media through its platform while advocating for sports managers' professional interests.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VSD-Mitgliedschaft (VSD Membership) Annual professional membership in Germany's largest cross-sport employers' association for sports managers, bundling access to the Jobbörse, trade show tickets, podcast, networking events, career tours, mentorship, and welcome gifts. Targeted at individual sports managers across Germany.
• VSD-Podcast ("Power Break") Recurring podcast delivering sports business insights, interviews, and industry analysis for sports management professionals.
• Digital Sports MeetUp (DSMU) Digital networking and discussion events featuring expert panels on sports business innovation, sustainability, and industry trends.
• Jobbörse (Job Board) Online job board powered by jobsimsport.de, providing sports business job listings across sports, fitness, and sports business sectors in German-speaking regions.
• VSD-Karrieretour (Career Tour) Organised career tours at major sports trade shows (including ISPO Munich, FIBO, OutDoor by ISPO) enabling member networking with sports employers and industry leaders.
• VSD-Stammtisch Regular networking meetups (both in-person at trade shows and digital online) for sports managers to connect and exchange industry knowledge.
• SMAB ProMentoring Mentorship program pairing MBA Sportmanagement students at the University of Bayreuth with experienced VSD sports managers for career guidance and knowledge exchange.
• VSD Students Club Dedicated membership program for students pursuing sports economics and sports management studies, providing access to networking, mentorship, and career resources.
• Freikarten (Free Trade Show Tickets) Complimentary admission tickets to major German sports trade shows — ISPO Munich, OutDoor, FIBO Köln, boot Düsseldorf, Eurobike — distributed as a member benefit through VSD's event partnerships.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ISPO MunichcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVSD partners with ISPO Munich for career tours and member free ticket programs. The association has participated in ISPO for over 10 years, using the trade show for member networking and employer branding.
• SportyjobcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint career tour events (VSD x Sportyjob) at trade shows, connecting students and young professionals with sports industry employers.
• SMAB | Akademie für Weiterbildung (University of Bayreuth)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSMAB ProMentoring program pairs MBA Sportmanagement students with VSD board members and experienced sports managers as mentors. VSD also offers scholarships and cooperates on career events.
• jobsimsport.decoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPowers the VSD job board (Jobbörse), providing sports business job listings exclusively for members.
• sponsor newsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWelcome gift partnership offering new VSD members a 3-month trial subscription to sponsor news, the leading trade publication for sports sponsorship in German-speaking markets.
• SponeominorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital news partner providing VSD members with 3-month free access to Sports Business Morning Briefing, then discounted rate of 5.99 EUR/month (regular 7.99 EUR).
• DIFG (Deutscher Industrieverband für Fitness und Gesundheit e.V.)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership through which VSD members received 50% discount on BIG BANG KI Festival tickets in 2024.
• FIBO KölncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVSD organizes career tours at FIBO (Fitness Expo in Cologne) and provides free tickets to members, networking with fitness industry employers.
• OutDoor by ISPOcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVSD Stammtisch networking events at OutDoor trade show, plus free ticket distribution to members.
• Eurobike FriedrichshafenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFree ticket distribution to VSD members for Eurobike cycling trade show.
• boot DüsseldorfminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFree ticket distribution to VSD members for boot Düsseldorf water sports trade show.
• Phygital Sports League Deutschland (PSL Deutschland)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVSD featured PSL Deutschland at Digital Sports MeetUp to discuss hybrid digital-physical sports formats, exploring innovation in sports business.
• ESB AcademyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVSD members receive 20% discount on ESB Academy seminars such as 'So findet man Sponsoren' workshop.
• devonSPORTminorGTM or Marketing PartnerVSD member company offering sales training and masterclass programs. VSD provides free tickets to One Day Sales Academy and 25% member discount.
• Sports PioneersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCompany of VSD Vorstand Stephan Peters, organizing golf events and sports business seminars. VSD promotes these as member benefits.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Stadionwelt: Stadionwelt is a German sports venue and stadium industry media and services company, listed as a VSD partner. Comparable as a thematic media partner in the German sports business ecosystem, focused on stadium/venue infrastructure rather than sports management careers.
• sponsor news: sponsor news is the leading German trade publication for sports sponsorship, partnering with VSD to offer new members a 3-month trial subscription. Comparable as a thematic media partner in the German sports business ecosystem, focused on sponsorship news rather than career development.

Broad incumbents

• Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund (DOSB): DOSB is the umbrella organization of German Olympic sports covering 27 million members across 91,000 clubs. It is comparable to VSD as a German sports industry body, but DOSB is a much larger federation representing clubs and athletes rather than individual sports managers.

Direct peers

• Sport-Job.de: Sport-Job.de is a German online job portal for the sports industry, listed as a VSD partner. Comparable to VSD's job board functionality but as a standalone commercial posting site rather than a member-only benefit.
• SportBusiness: SportBusiness is a UK-based sports industry media and events company producing industry insights, conferences, and networking platforms for sports business professionals. Comparable to VSD's information and networking role for sports managers, with a stronger commercial/market-intel focus.
• jobsimsport.de: jobsimsport.de is a German sports industry job board that powers VSD's job board via partnership. Directly comparable in scope to VSD's job board offering, but operates as a standalone commercial platform rather than a member benefit.
• European Association for Sport Management (EASM): EASM is a Europe-wide association for sport management academics and practitioners. It is comparable to VSD as a professional community for sports management professionals, though EASM is more academically oriented and covers a broader European geography.
• World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI): WFSGI is the global industry body for sports equipment and apparel companies. Comparable to VSD as a membership-based industry association serving sports business professionals, though WFSGI focuses on sporting goods manufacturers rather than individual sports managers.
• Sportyjob: Sportyjob is a sports industry career platform specializing in recruitment and job postings across sports business. Comparable to VSD's career tour and job board offerings, with a more international scope and stronger commercial focus.

Regional players

• North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM): NASSM is the leading professional association for sport management scholars and practitioners in North America. It is comparable to VSD as a professional community serving sports management professionals, but operates in a different geographic market (US/Canada vs. Germany).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vsd-sportmanager

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 VSD - Berufsverband der Sportmanager in Deutschland