LAW3504 Good Company, Good Game: Law, Ethics and Leadership in Sports Business
4 Advanced Management Credits
Following 2-3 preparatory classes held in Boston, students will travel to the Atlanta, Georgia area over a ~7-day period in order to develop a comprehensive understanding of how business leaders navigate legal, ethical and management decisions in sports businesses by studying the Arthur M. Blank family of businesses. Students will visit AMB Sports + Entertainment businesses, including the Atlanta Falcons, Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta United and PGA Tour Superstore, and meet with organization leaders in a variety of roles, including executive leadership, legal, human resources, sales, events management, etc. Other meetings could include visits with other sports businesses headquartered in Atlanta, such as the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, and Atlanta Dream.
Participants will examine the way sports business leaders use legal, ethical and values-based decision-making frameworks to further their business success while also being good neighbors to their communities and forces for good in society at large. By first understanding the legal, regulatory and league requirements of sports business, students will be able to analyze challenges faced by these organizations and apply ethical and values-based leadership principles to determine whether a potential option is “lawful but awful” or a good strategic, ethical and values-based decision for a business and its stakeholders, including shareholders, employees and the larger community.
Virtual Option: If COVID-19 restrictions prevent travel to Atlanta, the course can be held in a virtual format. Guest speakers from the AMB Sports + Entertainment businesses can join the class via WebEx. There may also be opportunities for optional cultural experiences in the Boston area (e.g. touring a Boston area stadium or attending a Red Sox game as local rules permit) for students taking the course on campus or living in the Boston area.
(Course description to be revised once the logistics are worked out with the Blank team and in light of the pandemic.)
Prerequisites: LAW1000