YOUR FAST TRACK INTO THE SPORTS INDUSTRY

TURN YOUR PASSION

INTO YOUR CAREER

If you've been trying to break into the sports industry and not achieving your goals quickly enough…this is where that changes.

The Sports Business Accelerator is built for people who are serious about a career in sport and want to take action today. 15 hours of insights and actionable lessons built on real deals, negotiations, partnerships, sponsorships, transfers and decisions from 20 years at the top of the sports industry.

Secure your place

Self-paced · All 10 modules + Assignments

IS THIS FOR YOU?

YOU’LL GET THE MOST FROM THIS IF...

WHY SHOULD YOU TRUST US?

BUILT FROM 18 YEARS INSIDE THE INDUSTRY

Nick Robinson started as an intern at IMG, the original sports agency, then became Head of Football at Octagon. Aged 27 he set up International Sports Consulting, where he represents players from the Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1 & the MLS. As well as international rugby players, Olympians & Paralympians. he advises clubs on recruitment strategies and has negotiated commercial deals with brands and clubs across the world…and he's still doing all of this today.

The Sports Business Accelerator is the course where he distills nearly 20 years of experience into actionable lessons for you, and he holds nothing back.

It’s the course he wished existed when he started.

DON’T JUST TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT

RESULTS FROM THE COHORT

WHAT YOU WALK AWAY WITH

6 CAPABILITIES THAT TAKE MOST PEOPLE A DECADE TO BUILD

Most people who want to work in sport spend years figuring this out by trial and error. You won't have to.

Understand where you fit across the full spectrum of the sports industry and build your career from a position of clarity rather than guesswork.

Negotiate brand and athlete contracts at the highest level, with the tools, language, and confidence to hold your own in any room.

Manage athletes effectively, from academy level through to world-class professionals, knowing what they need to succeed and how to deliver it.

Navigate how clubs really operate, from the scouting department through to the Sporting Director, CEO, and Owner, and speak to them with authority.

Anticipate the situations, challenges, and decisions that define careers in this industry, learn directly from the experience of the people at the top of the industry.

Position your personal brand so that the people who hire in this industry know who you are and what you bring to their business.

WHY THE SPORTS BUSINESS ACCELERATOR?

MOST COURSES TEACH YOU THE THEORY...

THE ACCELERATOR SHOWS YOU HOW TO SUCCEED IN THE INDUSTRY.

On a Sports Business Masters or MBA you might study the growth of MLS, or analyse a sponsorship strategy for a Premier League club. That's useful context and it should get you a qualification for your CV. But it doesn't teach you how to sign your first clients, how to negotiate 8-figure athlete or brand contracts, or how to gain respect from world-class athletes. That's a different skill entirely that no-one teaches you… because so few people have actually done it.

The Sports Business Accelerator opens the door to the industry in a way that has never been done before. It will show you the real decisions, the strategies, and the lessons from inside the rooms that take a decade to get into.

It's taught by someone who is still doing this at the top end of the industry season after season, day after day.

  • If you want to spend money learning the theory, a university course will serve you well.

  • If you want to learn how to get into this industry and suceed in this job, the Sports Business Accelerator is for you.

It's the experienced mentor I wish I'd had from the very beginning.

THE PRICE IN CONTEXT

NO OTHER PROGRAMME OFFERS VALUE LIKE THIS

NYU Tisch Sports MBA

Prestigious qualification - theory, history, and academic frameworks

$ 30,000

FIFA Master (CIES, Switzerland/Europe)

Governance, law, management, and a serious network effect

₣ 25,000

University of Liverpool, Football Industries MBA (UK)

Core MBA blocks (strategy, leadership, finance) plus football modules (management, finance, law) and industry-facing work

£28,000

Real Madrid Graduate School (Universidad Europea), MBA in Sports Management (Spain)

A club-side commercial lens, with sport-specific execution.

€32,450

THE SPORTS BUSINESS ACCELERATOR

Self-paced Course: 10 self-paced modules, 15 hours, 10 self-directed assignments

£950

Live cohort: 10 x self paced modules and assigments plus:

10 x live weekly sessions, 10 x live industry leading guest lectures + Q&A ,

10 weeks of continuous cohort, accountability and direct access to Nick + coaches, final 1:1 career strategy session.

Membership of The Game Plan Alumni Network

£2,825

WHAT’S COVERED

TEN MODULES ACROSS THE FULL INDUSTRY SPECTRUM

From entering the industry to negotiating global transfers , sports sponsorship, commercial strategy and social media - every module is built around real cases and real application.

  • Entering the sports industry

    • Industry evolution

    • Dr. Erkut Sogut's advice

    • Reality check

    The 100 point shot

    • Nick Robinson's 100 point shot

    • Daniel Geey’s 100 point shot

    • Miles Jacobson's 100 point shot

    Developing your USP

    • Your Unique Selling Proposition

    • Languages as a competitive advantage

    • Leveraging unique skills and background

    • Building a profile before you need it

    • Closing

    Getting your first role

    • The application game

    • Surviving rejection

    • Ambition v execution

    The sports industry landscape

    • Your core operators

    • Where the jobs actually are

    • The hidden reality. Glamour vs grind

    • Closing

  • The Sporting Landscape

    • Sport Isn't One Industry

    • Industry Terms

    • Football: The Transfer Market Casino

    • Rugby: The Salary Cap Straightjacket

    • US Sports: The Franchise Fortress

    • Olympic Sports: The Sponsorship Survival Game

    The Agency Game

    • More Than Negotiators

    • The Business Model

    • Layering Revenue

    • Scale vs Service

    How to Behave

    • Values & Reputation

    • Company Culture

    • Negotiating Without Burning Bridges

    • The Rainmaker Risk

    Contracts & Deal Structure

    • Transfer & Playing contract

    • Sponsorship contracts

    • Athlete sponsorship

    • You're Really Just a Dealmaker

    Building Your Client List

    • Starting From The Bottom

    • The First Client Paradox

    • Sponsorship and Rights Holders

    Developing From Here

    • Progressing through the industry

    • The Sports Framework

  • Introduction

    • Welcome to Module

    • The Core of Athlete Management

    • The “Day Job”

    • What You Will Learn

    Athlete Management Fails

    • The Recurring Mistakes

    • Friend over advisor

    • Short-term thinking

    • Susceptibility to intimidation

    • Negotiation

    • Market Knowledge

    • Sponsorship

    • Off-field Aspects

    • Entourage

    • Greed

    • Behaviour Management

    The Total Life Manager

    • Beyond the Highlights Reel

    • The Global Network Example

    • Closing

    Young Talent and Managing Sudden Wealth

    • The Young Striker example

    Career-Damaging Blind Spots

    • The Risks they don't see coming

    • Betting

    • Social Media

    • The Company You Keep

    • Contracts They Didn't Understand

    • Tax and Financial Structures

    • When Silence Is the best plan

    • The Broader Point

    Strategic Player Acquisition

    • Strategic Player Acquisition

    • Pillar One: Talent

    • Pillar Two: Character

    • Pillar Three: Strategic Fit

    • The Framework in Practice

    • Signing Your First Players

    • Representation Agreements and Mandates

    Career-Long Partnership

    • The Foundation of my Business

    • The 4 Phases of a Player's Career

    • The Emotional Side

    • The Hard Conversations

    • Closing

    The Global Network Model

    • The Global Agent

    • How to Build Real Infrastructure

    • Strategic Deal Architecture

    • Reading the Market - Chain Reactions

    Cultural Intelligence

    • Why it is Important

    • Culture Shapes Career Priorities

    • Clubs’ cultural differences

    • The Narcissistic President

    • The Stalemate

    • Communication Styles and Negotiation

    • Beyond Culture: Personality Still Rules

    Integrity in Sport

    • The Integrity Advantage

    • Case Study: Two Agents, One Opportunity

    • Conclusion

  • Pre-Negotiation Preparation

    • Welcome to Negotiation

    • The First Move

    • Market Research and Due Diligence

    • Understanding the Other Side

    • Know Your Own Position

    • Define Your Walk-Away Point

    • Map Your Strategy

    Setting the Arena

    • Timing and Sequencing

    • The Sequencing Trap

    • Location and Setting

    • The Right People in the Room

    • 3D Negotiation

    • Sequencing Within the Room

    Tactical Tools

    • Understanding Leverage

    • Credibility and Perception

    • Real Leverage Examples

    • Building Your BATNA

    • The Reputation Risk

    • The Power of Silence

    • Anchoring

    • Handling Their Anchor

    • Who Goes First?

    • Concession Strategy

    • Deadlines and Time Pressure

    • Using Deadlines Yourself

    • Resisting Tactical Pressure

    Channels of Communication

    • Written vs Face-to-Face

    • Internal Influencers and Alliances

    • Bypassing a Blocker

    • Leveraging Allies

    • Media and Public Narrative

    • Teammate Communication

    Negotiating Under Pressure

    • Managing Your Mindset

    • Stay Grounded in Facts and Process

    • Use Breaks to Manage Stress

    • Prepare for Worst-Case Scenarios

    • Breaking Deadlock

    • Key Takeaways

    Long-Term Thinking

    • Short-Term Wins vs Long-Term Success

    • The Danger of Crushing Wins

    • The Rise and Fall of Aggressive Agents

    • Consider Flexibility as a Long-Term Win

    • Honesty as a Long-Term Win

    • Consider the Player's Broader Goals

    Adapting to Personalities and Styles

    • Different People, Different Approaches

    • Handling Different Executive Personalities

    • Adapt Your Communication Style

    • Pacing and Leading

    • Adapting to Hostility

    Deal Structuring and Protections

    • Building Value in the Small Print

    • The Hidden Value in Clauses

    • Protecting the Downside

    • Option Clauses: Read Carefully

    • Sell-On Clauses

    • Legal Review Is Non-Negotiable

    • Closing

    Avoiding Rookie Errors

    • Avoiding Rookie Errors

    Conclusion

    • Negotiation Mastery

    • A Final Word

  • Item description

  • What is sports law?

    • There Is No Such Thing as Sports Law

    • Why Legal Awareness Gives You an Edge

    Contract Law

    • Release Clauses: Confidentiality and Payment Traps

    • Representation Agreements and Where Agents Lose Money

    • The Gross-Up Clause

    • Image Rights: Where They Came From and How They Work

    • Image Rights: What Clubs Are Really Paying For

    • Coaching Contracts and the Cost of a Sacking

    Commercial Law

    • Intro

    • The Clauses That Cause The Biggest Tension

    • The Collaborative Approach to Restrictions

    • Control: The Common Thread When Deals Go Wrong

    Dispute Resolution

    • Intro

    • The Neymar Release Clause

    • Messi v FIFA: Winning a Case Nobody Expected to Win

    • The Football World Is Small

    Litigation, Lawyerball & Legal Reality

    • How Sports Litigation Works

    • Player Contracts = Employment Contracts

    • Building a Defence: What Actually Happens

    • Lawyerball: Man City - APT

    • Lawyerball: The European Super League

    • The Player-Club Standoff

    • Gentleman’s Agreements

    Crisis Management

    • When Reputation Lawyer

    • Blackmail and Extortion

    Immigration Law

    • Post-Brexit Work Permits and the GBE System

    • Immigration as Sporting Strategy

    The Grey Zones

    • Financial Manipulation and Salary Cap Scandals

    • Bloodgate

    • Corruption

    • Anti-Doping: Strict Liability and the System’s Unintended Consequences

    How High is the Bar?

    • Closing

  • 75 Years of Content

    • How Sport Became a Digital Media Industry

    The Platforms

    • Instagram

    • TikTok

    • YouTube

    • X, Facebook, and Snapchat

    • LinkedIn

    Measuring Value on Social Media

    • The Metrics

    Athlete Personal Brands in the Social Media Era

    • Athletes v Influencers

    • Alisha Lehmann

    • Ilona Maher

    Clubs and Rights Holders

    • Club Side – Social Media as Commercial Inventory

    The Digital Past

    • The Digital Past

    The Money, the Rights and the Content

    • The Rate Card

    • Club Rights vs Player Rights

    • Building the Content

    NIL

    • NIL

    The Bigger Picture

    • The Bigger Picture

  • The Most Important Department in Football

    • Introduction

    How Recruitment Departments Actually Work

    • The Model

    • When It Works

    • When It Doesn’t

    The Scout

    • The Job in 2026

    • Is Live Scouting Still Relevant?

    • Talent Selection vs Talent Potential

    • The Signings That Scouts Like to Remember

    The Head of Recruitment

    • The Role Nobody Fully Understands

    • Succession Planning

    • Agent Relationship Management

    Sporting Director

    • The Role England Couldn’t Define

    • Managing Up and Down

    • The Head Coach Relationship

    • What the Job Takes From You

    • The Southampton Model

    Data and the Future of Recruitment

    • Data and the Future of Recruitment

    How to Get Into This Side of the Business

    • How to Get Into This Side of the Business

  • How the E-Sports industry works

    • The module I know least about

    • Who actually controls E-Sports

    • The commercial architecture

    Boom, bust, and what's left

    • Why the money flooded in

    • The structural problems

    • How it unravelled

    • When footballers tried it

    • Who survived and why

    Olympics, Saudi Arabia, and phase 3

    • Olympics, Saudi Arabia, and phase 3

    Getting into the industry

    • Where the real opportunities are

    • Learn the structure

    • A gap in the market

    • What to actually do

    The closing thought

    • The closing thought

  • What Is a Personal Brand?

    • What Is a Personal Brand?

    Your Personal Brand

    • Day 1 of Your Personal Brand

    • Building Authority Before You Have It

    The In-Person Brand

    • What People See Before You Open Your Mouth

    • How You Conduct Yourself Once You're in the Room

    Authenticity and the Snowball Effect

    • You Don't Always Choose Your Brand, Your band chooses you

    • Malleability in Action

    • Your Brand Travels Ahead of You

    • 3D Personal Brand

    • Values as a brand

    Two Personal Brands That Changed the Industry

    • Mino Raiola

    • Jorge Mendes

    What Not to Do

    • Losing Composure in Public

    • When Your Brand Takes a Hit

    Building Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn

    • Building Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn

    • The Mechanics of a Good Post

    • The Return on Personal Brand

    • De-platforming

    Proof of Work

    • Proof of Work

    • What You Can Do Right Now

    • The Evidence That It Works

    The Accelerator Close

    • The Accelerator Close

SELF-PACED COURSE IS LIVE NOW

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO THRIVE IN THIS INDUSTRY. IN ONE PLACE.

SECURE YOUR PLACE - £950

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • A lot of the value attributed to the MBAs and the Masters is in the institution awarding the qualification, and the reputation that qualification carries.

    The Sports Business Accelerator is different in that it has all of the theory, and on top of that it adds something that doesn't exist anywhere else: it teaches you what actually happens inside the industry, and how to excel at it.

    The reality is that these prices will increase. This was launched in 2026, and in the early stages it's been priced deliberately to give access to as many serious people as possible.

  • The self-paced course gives you all ten modules, 15 hours of teaching, and every assignment. You work through it in your own time.

    The live cohort adds everything that turns the learning into results. A one-hour live Q&A with Nick every Tuesday going through every question and pain point the cohort is working on that week. A Thursday guest lecture with some of the most esteemed operators in the sports industry. Assignments marked by the Game Plan team. A continuous WhatsApp group. Direct access to Nick from 9 to 5 Monday to Friday for the full ten weeks. A post-course strategy plan that maps out what you do next. And for members who are a strong fit, Nick makes personal introductions to people across his network.

    The value of the cohort is enormous because it's a team you take forward into the industry.

  • Yes. If you start with the self-paced course and decide you want the full cohort experience, your £950 is offset against the cohort price. You pay the difference to join the next available cohort.

  • Yes. Complete the first module. If you decide it's not for you, get in touch before you start Module 2 and you'll get a full refund. There's no time limit on it. The content speaks for itself, but you shouldn't have to take that on faith.

  • The video content runs to roughly 15 hours. With the ten assignments on top, you're looking at around 25 to 30 hours in total. You can spread that across as long as you want. Some members work through it in a few weeks, others across several months. You go at your own pace.

  • Yes. The course is self-paced. You work through it in your own time, at the pace that fits your week. You decide when and how fast.

  • Yes. The course is built for people serious about getting into the industry, including people starting from zero. It teaches you what the industry looks like from the inside, the experience you can't pick up from the outside. What you need to bring is ambition and willingness to do the work.

  • Yes. The content has been built by Nick across nearly 20 years at the top of the industry, and it draws on insights, interviews, and stories from people across the sports business world, from America to Australia. The lessons are valuable to anyone in the industry outside of the top 1 to 2 percent already operating at the absolute expert level.

  • No. The self-paced course is delivered online and you can do it from anywhere in the world.

  • Absolutely! Think of the sports industry as one big Venn diagram. If you want to work as an agent, you'll need to understand athlete management, contract negotiation, sports law, sponsorship, and social media. Everything intertwines. Every module adds to your sports business arsenal, whichever corner of the industry you're heading for.