Nathalie Deutsch, Young Sports Maker

It was the event not to be missed at the start of the year! The second edition of Global Sports Week took place from the 1st to 5th February, under the patronage of UNESCO and the high patronage of Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic. With a new format that integrated digital and physical experiences, in Paris, Beijing, Tokyo, Milan, Dakar, Los Angeles and online, a new hybrid edition was made possible to keep the event successful, despite the current health situation.
As a new unmissable event for the global sports industry, Global Sports Week not only offers a unique opportunity for leaders in sport and business, it also provides a special stage for the younger generation to raise their voices and lead the future.
“The Young Sports Makers programme is aimed at young people from across the world - athletes, social entrepreneurs, students and young professionals - who carry the voice of the Generation Z. The Young Sports Makers were one of the breakout successes of the inaugural edition of Global Sports Week in February 2020. They participated directly throughout the programme, expressing opinions, and challenging received ideas through on-stage interactions with global leaders.” – Young Sports Maker, Global Sports Week’s website.
For this edition, a new squad of Young Sports Makers with 22 young women,12 young men and 16 nationalities represented was formed to support the new format of the event. With a mission to shape debates and challenge the speakers and leaders in person, or through virtual events depending on their location, the YSM raised suggestions for the future, especially by highlighting the changes they wanted to see in the six shifts of the event: health, lifestyle, equality, data, climate, and power.
Out of the 34 Young Sports Makers selected, one of our second year Global Sport Business Master student at AMOS London, Nathalie Deutsch, was represented.
We spoke with her about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become a Global Sports Week Young Sports Maker during this second edition of the Global Sports Week. She explains her experience representing her generation by sharing her thoughts on the insightful sessions on the topic of Data.
I have been following GSW since their first edition, as I had work colleagues who attended and I found the speakers and programme quite interesting, like a breath of renewal for this type of event (that can sometimes be “boring” and too corporate). I heard about the impact the Young Sports Makers (YSM) had in 2020 but I did not think too much of it afterwards to be honest, probably because I was only following the event from far. It is by following GSW on social media and subscribing to their newsletter that I heard about the 2021 YSM applications.
I’m in my final GSBM year and had some time to spare! (Not really). On a more serious note, I found the programme quite interesting and as an international individual I thought that it would be nice to meet sports makers from all around the world and to have an active role on the event. Learning more about current issues in sports and what the industry is doing to resolve them is also a plus and a good reason to get involved.
First, I had to apply online and answer a series of questions (why I want to join, what is the biggest challenge I find in sports etc.) and submit a video of me answering the question. Then once you have been selected – this is the first stage - you have to do a workshop with all the other preselected YSM. This year we had the chance to work with Yunus Sports Hub (a global social business network creating solutions to local problems in and through sport), and after a couple of presentations, we were put into groups and had an hour to get to know each other, solve questions and write a mini essay around the 6 shifts of the GSW (Health, Power, Equality, Climate, Lifestyle, Data). It was a hard task due to the time pressure and with everything being online, connecting with other participants behind a screen and working as a team is an extra challenge. After the group work, I had to submit another essay and answer further questions. For the 2021 edition, we were 34 YSM selected with around 200 applications.
My role would have been a bit different if we could all attend the event in-person… I chose the Paris Hub and would have been based at the Arena, but because of Covid-19 I had to change to the Digital Hub. As YSMs, we represent our Generation Z, and our main role is to let our voice be heard. Our role is to challenge speakers for more concrete answers or actions for the future of sports, meet and chat with participants, participate in talks and roundtables… Some YSMs had the chance to be on-stage live at the Eiffel Tower, either as speakers or as community managers picking out questions from the Live Chat. As for me, I had the chance to speak on the closing session, representing the Data shift, live from the Eiffel tower but from the comfort of my home.
Every YSM was assigned to a shift according to experience, preferences, and prepared questions. After being assigned to Data, I had to think about questions for the different sessions, and underline the most compelling challenges of the industry, while always keeping in mind that I represented GenZ.
#Lifestyle Storytelling is at its peak.
#Data Gamification and hyper personalisation are the future
#Power Athlete’s platforms are powerful tools for “changemaking”
#Equality Tackling issues should be considered as a team sport and what is happening on the field should be translated in governance faster (and the other way around)
#Health Physical activity is the best opportunity to recover from the pandemic
#Climate Sport has a real impact, and everyone should help out concerning climate fight, with sports events organisers needing to adorn the role.
It is a hard time for everyone, and I wish that we could all answer that question. For now, I will be interning at Rugby League World Cup 2021 as a Volunteer & Accreditation Coordinator, working on an event that is all about diversity and inclusion, social impact, and legacy. I do not know what the future holds for me after that, but I know that I want to work on major sports events so that is probably where you will find me in the next few years ;)
Do not stay passive in your studies, always grab every opportunity you can. Whether it is volunteering on events, networking with lecturers, researching new trends in the sports industry etc., always do more than you would normally do and fight for what you believe in, for sports have the power to change lives, as long as you use them selflessly.
As a new unmissable event for the global sports industry, Global Sports Week not only offers a unique opportunity for leaders in sport and business, it also provides a special stage for the younger generation to raise their voices and lead the future.
“The Young Sports Makers programme is aimed at young people from across the world - athletes, social entrepreneurs, students and young professionals - who carry the voice of the Generation Z. The Young Sports Makers were one of the breakout successes of the inaugural edition of Global Sports Week in February 2020. They participated directly throughout the programme, expressing opinions, and challenging received ideas through on-stage interactions with global leaders.” – Young Sports Maker, Global Sports Week’s website.
For this edition, a new squad of Young Sports Makers with 22 young women,12 young men and 16 nationalities represented was formed to support the new format of the event. With a mission to shape debates and challenge the speakers and leaders in person, or through virtual events depending on their location, the YSM raised suggestions for the future, especially by highlighting the changes they wanted to see in the six shifts of the event: health, lifestyle, equality, data, climate, and power.
Out of the 34 Young Sports Makers selected, one of our second year Global Sport Business Master student at AMOS London, Nathalie Deutsch, was represented.
We spoke with her about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become a Global Sports Week Young Sports Maker during this second edition of the Global Sports Week. She explains her experience representing her generation by sharing her thoughts on the insightful sessions on the topic of Data.
How did you learn about the Young Sports Makers programme Global Sports Week?
I have been following GSW since their first edition, as I had work colleagues who attended and I found the speakers and programme quite interesting, like a breath of renewal for this type of event (that can sometimes be “boring” and too corporate). I heard about the impact the Young Sports Makers (YSM) had in 2020 but I did not think too much of it afterwards to be honest, probably because I was only following the event from far. It is by following GSW on social media and subscribing to their newsletter that I heard about the 2021 YSM applications.
For what reasons did you decide to participate in the programme?
I’m in my final GSBM year and had some time to spare! (Not really). On a more serious note, I found the programme quite interesting and as an international individual I thought that it would be nice to meet sports makers from all around the world and to have an active role on the event. Learning more about current issues in sports and what the industry is doing to resolve them is also a plus and a good reason to get involved.
How were you chosen to be part of the new 34 Young Sports Makers squad?
First, I had to apply online and answer a series of questions (why I want to join, what is the biggest challenge I find in sports etc.) and submit a video of me answering the question. Then once you have been selected – this is the first stage - you have to do a workshop with all the other preselected YSM. This year we had the chance to work with Yunus Sports Hub (a global social business network creating solutions to local problems in and through sport), and after a couple of presentations, we were put into groups and had an hour to get to know each other, solve questions and write a mini essay around the 6 shifts of the GSW (Health, Power, Equality, Climate, Lifestyle, Data). It was a hard task due to the time pressure and with everything being online, connecting with other participants behind a screen and working as a team is an extra challenge. After the group work, I had to submit another essay and answer further questions. For the 2021 edition, we were 34 YSM selected with around 200 applications.
What was your role during the Global Sports Week?
My role would have been a bit different if we could all attend the event in-person… I chose the Paris Hub and would have been based at the Arena, but because of Covid-19 I had to change to the Digital Hub. As YSMs, we represent our Generation Z, and our main role is to let our voice be heard. Our role is to challenge speakers for more concrete answers or actions for the future of sports, meet and chat with participants, participate in talks and roundtables… Some YSMs had the chance to be on-stage live at the Eiffel Tower, either as speakers or as community managers picking out questions from the Live Chat. As for me, I had the chance to speak on the closing session, representing the Data shift, live from the Eiffel tower but from the comfort of my home.
Did you have any specific preparations for your participation?
Every YSM was assigned to a shift according to experience, preferences, and prepared questions. After being assigned to Data, I had to think about questions for the different sessions, and underline the most compelling challenges of the industry, while always keeping in mind that I represented GenZ.
From your perspective, what do you see as the most significant mega-trends affecting sport right now?
#Lifestyle Storytelling is at its peak.
#Data Gamification and hyper personalisation are the future
#Power Athlete’s platforms are powerful tools for “changemaking”
#Equality Tackling issues should be considered as a team sport and what is happening on the field should be translated in governance faster (and the other way around)
#Health Physical activity is the best opportunity to recover from the pandemic
#Climate Sport has a real impact, and everyone should help out concerning climate fight, with sports events organisers needing to adorn the role.
You are coming to the end of your second year of the Global Sport Business Master, what does the future hold for you?
It is a hard time for everyone, and I wish that we could all answer that question. For now, I will be interning at Rugby League World Cup 2021 as a Volunteer & Accreditation Coordinator, working on an event that is all about diversity and inclusion, social impact, and legacy. I do not know what the future holds for me after that, but I know that I want to work on major sports events so that is probably where you will find me in the next few years ;)
As a great representative of the new generation in the sports industry, would you like to give some advice to AMOS students and those who desire to pursue a career in sports in the future?
Do not stay passive in your studies, always grab every opportunity you can. Whether it is volunteering on events, networking with lecturers, researching new trends in the sports industry etc., always do more than you would normally do and fight for what you believe in, for sports have the power to change lives, as long as you use them selflessly.

Written by Victoria Chacon, Communication and Events Officer AMOS London.
Plus d'actus :
03 Apr 2023
ACE Education X ELEVATE : la bonne connexion !
AMOS Sport Business School, une école du groupe ACE Education
La principale ambition d’ACE Education est d’assurer une formation de qualité, des expériences enrichissantes et un avenir serein à nos milliers d’étudiants. Notre promesse est de transformer leur passion pour le sport, l’hôtellerie, la mode ou le design, en un métier durable. C’est pourquoi, nous sommes heureux d’annoncer le nouveau contrat que nous venons de signer avec Elevate jusqu’en 2024, dans le cadre du plus grand évènement sportif qui aura lieu en France et auquel Elevate aura l’occasion de contribuer. Elevate est une agence internationale centrée sur l’humain, et spécialisée dans le recrutement, la formation et le management du staff événementiel. Elle met en relation les talents, les données et les marques afin d'optimiser l'impact des activations marketing. Ce partenariat prometteur permettra le recrutement des étudiants de nos écoles AMOS Sport Business School, CMH Centre de Management Hôtelier, ESDAC Ecole Supérieure de Design, sur les événements sportifs majeurs en 2023 et 2024, ainsi que sur d’autres secteurs allant de l’hospitalité à la mode. Toutes les écoles du groupe ACE Education ont pour vocation d’aider les jeunes à réussir leur entrée sur le marché du travail, et de leur permettre d’évoluer rapidement vers des postes de Top Management, dans leurs domaines de prédilection. « Ce partenariat majeur rapproche deux entités qui se développent en Europe et à l’international et marquent leur volonté commune de renforcer leur capacité à développer et soutenir l’employabilité et les expériences professionnelles des étudiants dans l’évènementiel sportif et haut de gamme. Elevate, agence de staffing événementiel présente en France, aux Etats-Unis, en Allemagne, en Autriche et en Grande Bretagne, propose des solutions innovantes en termes de recrutement à ses clients. ACE Education par ce partenariat plonge ses étudiants dans des expériences professionnelles immersives en lien direct avec leur formation. » Audrey Léger, Directrice des Partenariats ACE Education. « Le rapprochement entre ACE Éducation et Elevate est à nos yeux un partenariat qui a beaucoup de sens tant en France qu’à l’international. Elevate a pour ambition de contribuer à la formation professionnelle des jeunes et des étudiants et de leurs permettre d’acquérir une première expérience professionnelle sur le terrain dans le cadre d’évènements prestigieux. Ce partenariat a un double enjeu car au-delà d’être porteur d’opportunités professionnelles pour tous ces étudiants et de participer à l’éco système sportif, il nous permet également de mieux faire connaître le secteur de l’évènementiel dans sa globalité » Julie Reed, Directrice Générale Elevate France & DACH.À propos du Groupe ACE Education
ACE Education est un acteur majeur de l'enseignement supérieur en France, proposant des formations certifiées de Bac+3 à Bac+5 à plus de 7 000 étudiants dans les domaines du management du sport, de l’hôtellerie, du tourisme de luxe, des arts appliqués, du design et de la mode, au travers de ses six écoles : AMOS Sport Business School et ESBS, écoles de sport management, ESDAC, école de design, CMH, Centre de Management Hôtelier International de Luxe, EIDM, Ecole Internationale de Mode et Luxe, ENAAI, Ecole d’Arts Appliqués, BD et Illustration. Le groupe offre une variété de programmes sur ses 42 campus en France et à l’étranger. Il met l'accent sur les expériences internationales et sur la professionnalisation au cœur même de l’expérience étudiante.03 Apr 2023
ACE Education X ELEVATE : la bonne connexion !
AMOS Sport Business School, une école du groupe ACE Education
La principale ambition d’ACE Education est d’assurer une formation de qualité, des expériences enrichissantes et un avenir serein à nos milliers d’étudiants. Notre promesse est de transformer leur passion pour le sport, l’hôtellerie, la mode ou le design, en un métier durable. C’est pourquoi, nous sommes heureux d’annoncer le nouveau contrat que nous venons de signer avec Elevate jusqu’en 2024, dans le cadre du plus grand évènement sportif qui aura lieu en France et auquel Elevate aura l’occasion de contribuer. Elevate est une agence internationale centrée sur l’humain, et spécialisée dans le recrutement, la formation et le management du staff événementiel. Elle met en relation les talents, les données et les marques afin d'optimiser l'impact des activations marketing. Ce partenariat prometteur permettra le recrutement des étudiants de nos écoles AMOS Sport Business School, CMH Centre de Management Hôtelier, ESDAC Ecole Supérieure de Design, sur les événements sportifs majeurs en 2023 et 2024, ainsi que sur d’autres secteurs allant de l’hospitalité à la mode. Toutes les écoles du groupe ACE Education ont pour vocation d’aider les jeunes à réussir leur entrée sur le marché du travail, et de leur permettre d’évoluer rapidement vers des postes de Top Management, dans leurs domaines de prédilection. « Ce partenariat majeur rapproche deux entités qui se développent en Europe et à l’international et marquent leur volonté commune de renforcer leur capacité à développer et soutenir l’employabilité et les expériences professionnelles des étudiants dans l’évènementiel sportif et haut de gamme. Elevate, agence de staffing événementiel présente en France, aux Etats-Unis, en Allemagne, en Autriche et en Grande Bretagne, propose des solutions innovantes en termes de recrutement à ses clients. ACE Education par ce partenariat plonge ses étudiants dans des expériences professionnelles immersives en lien direct avec leur formation. » Audrey Léger, Directrice des Partenariats ACE Education. « Le rapprochement entre ACE Éducation et Elevate est à nos yeux un partenariat qui a beaucoup de sens tant en France qu’à l’international. Elevate a pour ambition de contribuer à la formation professionnelle des jeunes et des étudiants et de leurs permettre d’acquérir une première expérience professionnelle sur le terrain dans le cadre d’évènements prestigieux. Ce partenariat a un double enjeu car au-delà d’être porteur d’opportunités professionnelles pour tous ces étudiants et de participer à l’éco système sportif, il nous permet également de mieux faire connaître le secteur de l’évènementiel dans sa globalité » Julie Reed, Directrice Générale Elevate France & DACH.À propos du Groupe ACE Education
ACE Education est un acteur majeur de l'enseignement supérieur en France, proposant des formations certifiées de Bac+3 à Bac+5 à plus de 7 000 étudiants dans les domaines du management du sport, de l’hôtellerie, du tourisme de luxe, des arts appliqués, du design et de la mode, au travers de ses six écoles : AMOS Sport Business School et ESBS, écoles de sport management, ESDAC, école de design, CMH, Centre de Management Hôtelier International de Luxe, EIDM, Ecole Internationale de Mode et Luxe, ENAAI, Ecole d’Arts Appliqués, BD et Illustration. Le groupe offre une variété de programmes sur ses 42 campus en France et à l’étranger. Il met l'accent sur les expériences internationales et sur la professionnalisation au cœur même de l’expérience étudiante.09 Feb 2023
GSBM student interview Maxime, a strong passion for NFL
The Super Bowl is coming...
This 12th of February, 11:30pm, is the kick-off of one of the most anticipated sporting event of the year: the Super Bowl. This mega event which was viewed by over 200 million people last year will oppose the Chiefs to the Eagles, at the State Farm Stadium in Arizona. Many of our students are fan of American sports, and this is the case for Maxime Jos - a Global Sport Business Master - 1st year student, from the London campus.A strong Passion for NFL
« I discovered American Football when I was a teenager by watching movies such as Maxi Papa and Always America. There is a fighting spirit in this sport that I love. I started to play when I moved to Lille, where I played for 2 years as a line backer, it was a dream. The number of strategies that go into one game has always fascinated me. » Maxime Jos Currently, he does not have the opportunity to play... « I am focusing on martial arts, notably boxing, which I practice a few times a week, but hopefully in the years to come I will get back into it. » Maxime Jos « When I was at PACE University, New York City, I went to watch the homecoming game of my university. It was an interesting experience. As I had been playing this sport for the last 2 years, I understood the several aspects of the games. » Maxime Jos
Working experience for an NFL agency
During the third year of the Bachelor programme, our students have the occasion to travel overseas and study for a semester in a partner university. Maxime took this option and fulfilled his dream by heading to the US. Maxime went to PACE University (New York City), and, thanks to the J1 Visa, he was able to work for companies on the American soil once his semester was over. An opportunity that he seized, to discover a new market and to develop his NFL passion and knowledge. « I did work for an NFL agency in New-Jersey. It was a great experience, I earned a lot about marketing, branding and prospecting. The job, at the time, was prospecting brands for the players. Players have their own interests, and they want to represent brands they feel comfortable with, so our job was to find these companies and negotiate for them. If I had the opportunity to do it again, I would seize the chance again, of course! » Maxime Jos
09 Feb 2023
GSBM student interview Maxime, a strong passion for NFL
The Super Bowl is coming...
This 12th of February, 11:30pm, is the kick-off of one of the most anticipated sporting event of the year: the Super Bowl. This mega event which was viewed by over 200 million people last year will oppose the Chiefs to the Eagles, at the State Farm Stadium in Arizona. Many of our students are fan of American sports, and this is the case for Maxime Jos - a Global Sport Business Master - 1st year student, from the London campus.A strong Passion for NFL
« I discovered American Football when I was a teenager by watching movies such as Maxi Papa and Always America. There is a fighting spirit in this sport that I love. I started to play when I moved to Lille, where I played for 2 years as a line backer, it was a dream. The number of strategies that go into one game has always fascinated me. » Maxime Jos Currently, he does not have the opportunity to play... « I am focusing on martial arts, notably boxing, which I practice a few times a week, but hopefully in the years to come I will get back into it. » Maxime Jos « When I was at PACE University, New York City, I went to watch the homecoming game of my university. It was an interesting experience. As I had been playing this sport for the last 2 years, I understood the several aspects of the games. » Maxime Jos
Working experience for an NFL agency
During the third year of the Bachelor programme, our students have the occasion to travel overseas and study for a semester in a partner university. Maxime took this option and fulfilled his dream by heading to the US. Maxime went to PACE University (New York City), and, thanks to the J1 Visa, he was able to work for companies on the American soil once his semester was over. An opportunity that he seized, to discover a new market and to develop his NFL passion and knowledge. « I did work for an NFL agency in New-Jersey. It was a great experience, I earned a lot about marketing, branding and prospecting. The job, at the time, was prospecting brands for the players. Players have their own interests, and they want to represent brands they feel comfortable with, so our job was to find these companies and negotiate for them. If I had the opportunity to do it again, I would seize the chance again, of course! » Maxime Jos
26 Jan 2023
GSBM alumni interview Nathalie, FIFA 2022 World Cup
The view of an insider on how things went in Doha
On the 18th of December 2022, at the Lusail Stadium, the 22nd Men Football World Cup ended on a dramatic final, which saw Lionel Messi and his teammates winning the most desired trophy. Never in history, the attribution and the preparation of a World Cup had provoked this many reactions from governments, organisations, newspapers, and people all around the world. It was, within this tense climate, a little over a month ago, that our alumni Nathalie Deutsch, Workforce Operations Manager at TMS, was getting ready to live the biggest experience of her young career. A month later, we are reaching back to her, to have the view of an insider on how things went in Doha - Capital of the Qatari Peninsula. For our former Global Sport Business Master student, the general mood around the World Cup changed when the competition started. « A lot of people have criticized the competition, wanted to boycott, and they had their reasons for it. As a member of the staff, we did not agree with everything that happened here, however, at our level, we made sure to deliver everything ethically, and in a way, it was successful ».
Fan experience
Over the past 4 months, I had the chance to write a couple of articles on her adventures, which taught us a lot about the organisation of such an event, notably the fact that changes are made up to the very last minute, and the result is never guaranteed. However, the hard work and dedication of the teams paid off as the fan experience received great feedback. « I had the opportunity to see a few games, especially the semi-finals and the final, and I have to say, apart from a few things that you will always have in this kind of competition (queueing to get into the stadium, customer service that could be improved...), the services were great. Overall, it was super easy to get around and there was a great atmosphere ». Regarding the games she attended, one obviously stuck to her: the final! « 80% of the stadium was filled with Argentinian fans, they were good fun! Every time Messi touched the ball, the whole stadium was like… wow! It was special moment ».
Collaboration between multiple stakeholders
Organising a Global Sporting Event is about finding a way to successfully collaborate with multiple stakeholders. And we have known from previous interviews and the international press that it is not an easy process. Multiple newspapers relayed the difficult relations between FIFA and the Qatari Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy during the build-up of the competition. However, according to Nathalie, once the competition started, the momentum took over and everyone found a way to work together. « When the operations come live, the collaboration between stakeholders gets better. We have meetings, and every time there is a problem, a representative of each entity is present to discuss it and find a solution. Everyone came together and worked closely to get things done. The approaches are sometimes different from a stakeholder to another, but the end goal is the same, having a wonderful competition. I think that the World Cup brought the best out of Qatar, and that is what everyone saw, whether they were there or in front of their television ».
The World Cup Legacy
According to the Qatari’s ambassador in Russia, the total cost of the world cup is around $200bn, which is according to Sky Sports, « many times higher than any budget spent on similar events in history ». Qatar has built 8 stadia, over 100 hotels to host the teams and the fans, as well as a brand-new underground for the crowd to navigate easily. With all these news infrastructures, the question that is yet to be answered is the one about the legacy. For Nathalie, everything was planned. « In terms of transport, the metro is something that was needed, whether international competitions are happening or not, it will still be of great use for the locals and tourists ». « Regarding the stadia, from what we know, they will have a capacity reduction and will be used for local or international events » (as mentioned in the previous articles, Qatar will host the upcoming international Asian Games as well as the Asian Football Cup AFC). The Education City stadium will become part of the wider Qatar Foundation facilities for university students.
Post World Cup Duty
In the mind of most spectators, once the final is over everything ends and their lives go back to normal, and the only things remaining are memories. But for the managers on the field, it is another story. The work there isn’t quite finished, it is even the beginning of a new adventure. The first two weeks after the competition consisted of sending her staff home, and since the new year Nathalie has been focusing on a legacy job. « I am currently busy compiling information and data from the competition, then writing action reports, preparing handovers for whoever wants to know about the event, because there are other events coming up, and even if my team will not be there, someone will need to use what we built to deliver the future events ».
26 Jan 2023
GSBM alumni interview Nathalie, FIFA 2022 World Cup
The view of an insider on how things went in Doha
On the 18th of December 2022, at the Lusail Stadium, the 22nd Men Football World Cup ended on a dramatic final, which saw Lionel Messi and his teammates winning the most desired trophy. Never in history, the attribution and the preparation of a World Cup had provoked this many reactions from governments, organisations, newspapers, and people all around the world. It was, within this tense climate, a little over a month ago, that our alumni Nathalie Deutsch, Workforce Operations Manager at TMS, was getting ready to live the biggest experience of her young career. A month later, we are reaching back to her, to have the view of an insider on how things went in Doha - Capital of the Qatari Peninsula. For our former Global Sport Business Master student, the general mood around the World Cup changed when the competition started. « A lot of people have criticized the competition, wanted to boycott, and they had their reasons for it. As a member of the staff, we did not agree with everything that happened here, however, at our level, we made sure to deliver everything ethically, and in a way, it was successful ».
Fan experience
Over the past 4 months, I had the chance to write a couple of articles on her adventures, which taught us a lot about the organisation of such an event, notably the fact that changes are made up to the very last minute, and the result is never guaranteed. However, the hard work and dedication of the teams paid off as the fan experience received great feedback. « I had the opportunity to see a few games, especially the semi-finals and the final, and I have to say, apart from a few things that you will always have in this kind of competition (queueing to get into the stadium, customer service that could be improved...), the services were great. Overall, it was super easy to get around and there was a great atmosphere ». Regarding the games she attended, one obviously stuck to her: the final! « 80% of the stadium was filled with Argentinian fans, they were good fun! Every time Messi touched the ball, the whole stadium was like… wow! It was special moment ».
Collaboration between multiple stakeholders
Organising a Global Sporting Event is about finding a way to successfully collaborate with multiple stakeholders. And we have known from previous interviews and the international press that it is not an easy process. Multiple newspapers relayed the difficult relations between FIFA and the Qatari Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy during the build-up of the competition. However, according to Nathalie, once the competition started, the momentum took over and everyone found a way to work together. « When the operations come live, the collaboration between stakeholders gets better. We have meetings, and every time there is a problem, a representative of each entity is present to discuss it and find a solution. Everyone came together and worked closely to get things done. The approaches are sometimes different from a stakeholder to another, but the end goal is the same, having a wonderful competition. I think that the World Cup brought the best out of Qatar, and that is what everyone saw, whether they were there or in front of their television ».
The World Cup Legacy
According to the Qatari’s ambassador in Russia, the total cost of the world cup is around $200bn, which is according to Sky Sports, « many times higher than any budget spent on similar events in history ». Qatar has built 8 stadia, over 100 hotels to host the teams and the fans, as well as a brand-new underground for the crowd to navigate easily. With all these news infrastructures, the question that is yet to be answered is the one about the legacy. For Nathalie, everything was planned. « In terms of transport, the metro is something that was needed, whether international competitions are happening or not, it will still be of great use for the locals and tourists ». « Regarding the stadia, from what we know, they will have a capacity reduction and will be used for local or international events » (as mentioned in the previous articles, Qatar will host the upcoming international Asian Games as well as the Asian Football Cup AFC). The Education City stadium will become part of the wider Qatar Foundation facilities for university students.
Post World Cup Duty
In the mind of most spectators, once the final is over everything ends and their lives go back to normal, and the only things remaining are memories. But for the managers on the field, it is another story. The work there isn’t quite finished, it is even the beginning of a new adventure. The first two weeks after the competition consisted of sending her staff home, and since the new year Nathalie has been focusing on a legacy job. « I am currently busy compiling information and data from the competition, then writing action reports, preparing handovers for whoever wants to know about the event, because there are other events coming up, and even if my team will not be there, someone will need to use what we built to deliver the future events ».