2 The commercial playbook – your opportunities
As outlined in the introduction, this session will provide you with the opportunity to explore avenues for developing some of these less obvious components of the OU Employability Framework. This particular section will focus on encouraging you to contemplate how you can enhance your commercial awareness skills through sport. By doing so, you will have examples to refer to in Session 5 and look to develop a skill that employers desire (McConnell, 2022).
Activity 3 Cracking the commercial code
This task will call for your creative and analytical abilities. Presented below are headline suggestions outlining how coaches or players can grow their commercial awareness in sports. However, specific examples will largely depend on the sport, level of involvement, and broader circumstances. Reflect on any opportunities available to you within each suggestion and pinpoint a few instances where you could enhance your commercial awareness skills.
| Suggestions | What could you do? |
|---|---|
Learn about sponsorship and endorsement |
|
Networking with others |
|
Building personal branding |
|
Stay up to date with emerging technologies |
|
Study successful athletes and teams |
|
Attend conferences and workshops |
Comment
Given the diverse range of learners taking this course, not all of the suggestions provided will be applicable to everyone engaging in this course. Nonetheless, we encourage you to consider whether any of the following examples can be adapted and applied to your specific context and circumstances.
- Learn about sponsorship and endorsement – familiarise yourself with the concept of sponsorship, how it works, and its impact on athletes and teams. Understand the importance of personal branding and how athletes can leverage their image and reputation to attract sponsors and endorsements.
- Networking with others – actively engaging with others within sport. Attending industry events, connecting with others on social media, and seeking mentorship opportunities can provide valuable insights into the business aspects of the sport.
- Stay up to date with emerging technologies – explore technological perspectives within your sport and examine the current developments. Is there any technology available that could enhance your own performance or that of your team? Consider if there are any tools or innovations that could be utilised to improve overall performance and outcomes.
- Study successful athletes and teams – take a closer look at what other teams nearby are doing and explore if there are any valuable insights or strategies that can be adopted or adapted to enhance your own team’s performance and commercial awareness.
- Attend conferences and workshops – seek out opportunities to attend conferences, workshops, or seminars focused on your sport. Are there any local governing body initiatives that you could get involved in?
In conclusion to this section, commercial awareness cultivated through participation in sports can serve as a valuable transferable skill in the realm of employment. The business aspects of sports require athletes and coaches to understand sponsorship, branding, and the broader landscape of the sports industry. These skills can be seamlessly transferred to various professional fields, providing individuals with a competitive advantage and enhancing their employability.