Exploring Career Paths in Football Business: The FBA Alumni Success Stories

At The Football Business Academy (The FBA), Candidates come from all different backgrounds, cultures, and ages. From University Graduates to tenured career changers, one thing is clear, The FBA is paving the way for anyone to enter the football industry. The most common question asked is what type of jobs one can get with this degree? The FBA has a 90% employment rate within 3 months of graduation with support for life from the Career Services Department. Keeping this in mind, a job in Football is entirely possible with any background.

A few of The FBA’s Alumni have shared their experiences about how a Professional Master Degree in Football Business from The FBA helped turn their dreams into realities. In this article you will see how Flore Bloes went from graduating from another Masters program, to a COVID pressured job, to finally finding her dream job in Sports Consulting, through The FBA’s Student Business Project. Alumnus Max Rosen, went from working in sports with little hope of finding his way into his passion of football in Canada, to Atlético Ottawa’s Business Development Director. And finally, Michael Morozuk will share about his tenured experience of 20+ years in the financial services industry, to becoming Founder and CEO of a football consultancy company Globall Connections.

“The FBA gave me a 360-degree view of the football ecosystem. I left the program with a deeper understanding of the commercial, operational, CSR, and governance aspects of the sport and how they intersect. The course connected the dots between passion and performance, and between global frameworks and local implementation.” – Michael Morozuk

What is The Football Business Academy

“The FBA offered a strong balance between academic learning and practical, real-world experience, thanks to the background of its lecturers complimented with a growing international network of football stakeholders” .

Flore Bloes

Founded in 2017, The Football Business Academy founders saw there was a need for more professionalism and ethics in the industry and decided that higher education was the most effective way to teach the next generation of leaders. A unique and innovative approach was created to bring in new talent and ideas in a way that bridged the gap between those looking to enter the football industry and the organizations already within it.

The FBA now has over 300 Alumni from over 80 nationalities. Its networking is unparalleled with 90+ Partners and over 2,500 contacts. The FBA’s strength lies in partnerships and strong industry relationships through which we continuously seek to identify the synergies between their strategic needs and The FBA Candidates’ skills and interests. Through three key pillars, Knowledge, Network and Experience, Candidates are immersed with theoretical knowledge through classes but are also able to experience practical learning, through internships and networking.

Meet The FBA Alumni

Before Flore found The FBA she had planned to study elsewhere, but those plans fell through due COVID. Lockdowns were taking place during the summer, and she found herself rushing to find a job. While she gained valuable insight, she was left feeling unfulfilled and was drawn back to her passion for sports. She found The FBA after exploring programs and now she works as a Sports Strategy Consultant.

Max on the other hand was already working in Sport but his true passion was in Football. Being in Canada, not many opportunities had presented themselves. He started to do research to see how he could expand his knowledge and grow Canadian football. When he found The FBA he said, “I thought it was too good to be true! I did some research, connected with some professors and spoke with past candidates. I found out it was legit.” He now holds the role of Director of Business Development and takes on FBA Candidates for internships.

Lastly, after 20+ years Michael realized that after working across the financial services industry and always having a passion for football, he needed something to bring structure and global perspective to his football business knowledge. He came across The FBA during an online search and immediately felt it was built for professionals like him, those with a passion for the game and a drive to create real, sustainable impact. After graduation, he landed the role of COO of a USL2 Club & Academy and then Sporting Director of an MLS Next Academy. Now Michael is CEO and Founder of a football consultancy firm, Globall Connections, and runs the sporting division for SWAN Paytech.

How The FBA’s Student Business Project Impacted Alumna Flore

Flore found her niche in the industry during the 4th model of The FBA’s program while completing her Student Business Project (SBP).  The SBP’s are a junior consulting opportunity in which groups of FBA Candidates work on a real business topic that is of strategic interest to one of The FBA Partners, usually a club or federation. It allows The FBA to confirm that Candidates are ready to step into the football industry.

From start to finish (2 months), there are several touch points between each group and their Partner, resulting in a very exciting exchange that is also conducive from a networking and professional perspective. The SBP’s allow FBA Candidates to obtain valuable experience with an industry key stakeholder, thereby building their curriculum further in preparation for the job market.

Flore says,

“The SBP could easily be seen as a project that mirrors the work I do in my current role. The client engagement process, particularly the importance of establishing the right interaction and gathering the necessary information to structure the problem-solving approach, gave me a solid taste of what my current job entails.

Alumnus Max’s Key Takeaways on Classes, Professors and Staff

When asked about how the program shaped his understanding of the football industry, Max said that the classes give great detail into many different types of departments that can be found in the Football Industry. It allowed him to initiate his thoughts on where he might be interested in working after graduation. He told us “it showed potential and minimal, meaning that it introduced me to people I can look up to, mentors, but it also showed me what I don’t want to be like and I was able to create my own identity”. He went on to say that for program purposes he may have learned from “professors”, but what he would call them is “professionals”. “They know the business, they know the procedures, they are well connected and are great examples.”

The FBA staff also played (and still play) a crucial role in his success. Some offered the serious professional side such as how to present oneself and talk to other professionals. Others were casual and warm, helping him connect and have fun in the program. The overall professionalism brings together a great group of individuals. By building the connections throughout the program, he can now utilize them for future business or personal needs.

Michael Morozuk’s Insights on Skills and Challenges After Graduation

The FBA gave Michael the toolkit to be taken seriously in boardrooms and club offices. Strategic planning, football finance, sponsorship activation, and CSR all play a role in what he now does daily. More importantly, the network of alumni, mentors and industry leaders have been instrumental in opening doors and keeping his momentum.

However, he says “one challenge was balancing idealism with reality. You want to change the football world, but budgets, timelines, organization, fear of change and politics are real. The FBA taught me how to navigate those waters with professionalism and vision.”

These are important in the start and continued growth of his company, Globall Connections. It was born out of conversations between FBA alumni who wanted to apply what was learned, not just talk about it. They saw gaps in the football world, especially for smaller organizations, and realized they could be filled.

Alumni Advice

Flore wants future Candidates and those considering joining The FBA to know that the program is structured in a way that fosters inclusivity, making it accessible to anyone around the world. With the first two modules being remote, it allows for global participation, which adds tremendous value with real-world examples from others home countries, creating a truly global perspective on football. She says, “Truly everyone literally has your best interest at heart. Everyone is willing to share experiences, support one another, and be an advocate.” The final in person module was led with extreme excitement, as she finally got to meet her peers, The FBA Staff and professors. Nothing felt forced once everyone was together and while the main goal of the in-person experience is to complete classes and the SBP, there were many memorable team building moments.

As Max has worked with many Candidates from The FBA, he has had the opportunity to really understand what to bring and what advice to give. When looking for interns, he says, “we want sharks, and we get sharks. We want interns that bring hunger, the will to learn, the will to work and the will to sell.” Additionally, he knows The FBA has a huge network. Taking advantage of this will be very important in your success.

“Forget the past, don’t overthink the future: Live in the Moment.”
Max Rosen

If you’re serious about working in football, Michael believes this is the most direct path to credibility, capability, and community. It’s a launchpad for football leaders who want to do more than just work in the game, they want to shape it. The FBA isn’t just for those starting out, it’s for anyone ready to make a meaningful pivot or entry into the football industry. Being part of the FBA isn’t just a one-year global football experience, but rather a family you can turn to throughout your career.

If you would like to speak to Flore, Max, Michael or any of our Alumni, you can find all of their LinkedIn pages on the FBA website.