Students at The Ohio State University who are interested in careers in sports management have opportunities to learn on an international scale.

The European Model of Sport program, offered through the College of Education and Human Ecology (EHE), takes students on a seminar through Europe. The program is designed to introduce students to the model of European sports management, marketing and law to provide them with a global perspective on the industry, said Brian Turner, professor of sports management and Kinesiology Program chair, who created the course.

“This was our first study abroad program in the sport industry major, which is the largest major in the College of Education and Human Ecology,” he said. “We have just around 700 students. It’s grown tremendously. This [spring] was our fifth trip, and it’s designed to expose students to other cultures, especially in regard to sport.”

The program draws students in different majors from across the university, said Erik Porfeli, chair of the EHE Department of Human Sciences.

“Study abroad trips like this one offer a really unique opportunity for students to connect with each other and for students to connect with faculty. You’re basically living and learning together for an extended period of time,” he said.

“For many students, [this is] a powerful experience that goes beyond just the classroom to the interpersonal nature of peer-to-peer relationships.”

Since 2018, the European Model of Sport program has taken students to Athens, Rome, Paris and other cities with large sports franchises and significant histories in the industry. This year, students studied in Munich, Prague and Berlin May 9-19.

Among the sites students visited was Berlin’s Olympiastadion, where Ohio State Buckeye track legend Jesse Owens made history during the 1936 Olympics by winning four gold medals. The students toured the area of the stadium that is dedicated to Owens and his achievements.

“This was a repeat of our first trip back in 2018,” Turner said, “and I wanted that Jesse Owens tie to our trip.”

Each year, EHE works with the Office of International Affairs to spread awareness of the program. Students also encourage peers to get involved based on their experiences.

Word of mouth is how Laney Simons, a third-year exercise science major, found out about the European Model of Sport. She said she decided to participate in the program because it presented opportunities to explore her intended career path in sports physical therapy.

“I found it through Ohio State’s Global Education website,” she said, adding that she applied after learning a classmate had a great experience with the program.

Cameron Thompson, a third-year sports industry and finance major, said the program offered him the study abroad opportunity he was looking for without committing to an entire semester. He said the time frame was ideal, in May after the academic year ends and before summer internships start.

“It was honestly just the perfect program for me,” Thompson said.

One of the highlights of the trip was attending a basketball game and seeing the differences in European and American games, Simons said.

“We toured the Bayern Munich basketball stadium,” she said. “We got to talk to the CEO of the Bayern basketball team, and he was really good at explaining the differences in how European sports are organized, versus American sports.”

Thompson said he enjoyed attending soccer matches where attendees showed enthusiastic team spirit equivalent to Buckeyes fans.

“The European soccer match is nothing like I’ve ever seen before,” he said. “It’s completely different than any American sport. So that was super fascinating to see – the passion among the fan bases.”

Thompson said he also enjoyed learning about how European sports teams develop talent.

“They’ll start having kids in their system from when they’re 9, 10 years old. They keep growing, getting better. When they’re 17, 18, they’re ready to go up to the major club,” he said. “And in America, that’s not really how our professional sports work. Usually, you go through high school and then you go to college and then you go into a professional sports league.”

Simons and Thompson said learning about the history and culture of each city they visited was an education itself.

“We had a really good variety of activities, so we had a lot of very informative lectures,” Simons said. “But we also had a lot of free time and went on bike tours and walking tours that allowed us to see the cities that we were staying in for a couple days.”

Visiting historical sites was profound, Thompson said.

“In Berlin, we visited a concentration camp. And while that was definitely a somber experience, it was also super eye-opening and informative, as well,” he said. “It wasn’t just a sports trip, it was a history trip, as well.”

The European Model of Sport program was as much a bonding experience as an educational journey for students, Thompson said.

“I think a lot of them are going to be friends that I keep here at Ohio State, so that’s really cool, to get closer to some of my classmates. It took going all the way to Germany to get closer to them,” he said. “I think it’s really awesome that we all got to experience that together.”