The Pro League Business School constitutes a 5 Module Programme of 10 days in aggregate on good governance of Professional Football. The Programme has the law as backbone and covers all key legal aspects of professional football, with due attention for its economic and managerial context. It offers a serene teaching environment allowing fruitful discussions and interaction between professionals.
The Programme will be followed by at least 72 C-level club managers from professional football clubs from Belgium, in addition to peers from abroad.
Module 1: The organisation of professional football
6 February 2023
| Welcome address and introduction to the course | Prof.dr. Robby Houben (University of Antwerp, BE) and Lorin Parys (CEO Belgian Pro League) |
| The football industry | Prof.dr. Benoit Senaux (Coventry University, UK) |
| Financial management: a testimony | Dirk Decorte (University of Antwerp, BE) |
| The football pyramid | Prof.dr. Richard Parrish (Edge Hill University, UK) |
| A leagues perspective on the football pyramid | Jacco Swart, CEO European Leagues |
7 February 2023
Cha(lle)nging the model: Super League | Bernd Reichart, CEO A22 Sports (advisor and promoter of the European Super League) |
The EU regulatory framework of pro football | Prof. dr. Ben Van Rompuy (University of Leiden, NL) |
The European football competition model (under stress) | Prof. dr. Katarina Pijetlovic (Associate Professor of Law at Católica University of Portugal, Global School of Law) |
The (EU) policy regarding pro football | Antoine Manders, Member of European Parliament |
La Liga's perspective | Javier Tebas (Chairman La Liga) |
Module 2: Licensing and financial fair play
27 February 2023
| Football club licensing: the Dutch perspective | Jacqueline van den Bosch (Chairperson Dutch licensing commission) |
| Licensing: taking stock in Belgium | Nils Van Brantegem (License manager RBFA licensing commission) |
| Club ownership | Prof.dr. Siniša Petrović (University of Zagreb, CRO) |
| Negotiation skills | Charles-Antoine Leunen (Partner, Linklaters) |
28 February 2023
| Managing clubs (directors & managers) | Prof.dr. Hallgeir Gammelsæter (Prof. Molde University College, NOR) |
| Leadership | Elke Geraerts (CEO Better minds at work) |
| Financial fair play | Christopher Flanagan (editor International Sports Law Journal) |
| The new Financial Stability Rules and outlook going forward | Andrea Traverso (Director Financial Sustainability and Research UEFA) |
Module 3: Financing clubs
27 March 2023
| The football club as media supplier: media rights | Jonny Madill & Daniel Geey (Sheridans) |
| Media rights in football: trends and outlook | François Godard (Senior Media & Telecoms Analyst bij Enders Analysis) |
Tax treatment of professional football (players) | Prof.dr. Karolina Tetlak (University of Warsaw, POL) |
| Tax and social security in Belgium | Daan Buylaert and Sven Demeulemeester (lawyers Atfield) |
28 March 2023
| The stadium as revenue generator | Prof.dr. Andrea Cattaneo (Edge Hill University, UK) |
| Alternative financing of football clubs | Michael Savva (Watson Farley & Williams, Dubai) |
Listed football clubs | Prof.dr. Michiel De Muynck (University of Antwerp, BE) and Lennert Poelmans (Vice President & Assistant General Counsel at ING New York) |
| Organizing football matches vs organizing concerts: learning from each other | Jan Van Esbroeck (CEO Sportpaleis) |
Module 4: Football players
24 April 2023
| Status of players and players’ rights | Prof. Michele Colucci |
| The perspective of the players | Roy Vermeer (FIFPRO) and Simon Mignolet (Club Brugge) |
| Player transfers and topical issues @ FIFA DRC | Frans de Weger (Chair FIFA DRC) |
| Case study: Real Madrid, followed by panel and group discussion | Alvaro Garcia-Alaman De la Calle (Real Madrid), Sven Jacques (Royal Antwerp FC), Peter Willems (OH Leuven), Yorik Torreele (K. Lierse SK) |
25 April 2023
| Football agents | Prof.dr. Johan Lindholm (Umeå University, SWE, Chief editor International Sports Law Journal) |
| Adding value: the lawyer and/or the agent ? | Wouter Janssens (Partner, Cresta) |
The ECA perspective | José Luis Andrade |
| Sponsoring | Jamie Singer (Onside Law) |
| Blockchain (financing) solutions in football | Daniel Maglietta (Commercial director of football @ Socios) |
Module 5: Dispute resolution, CSR & ESG
22 May 2023
| Compliance, anti-money laundering & football in Belgium | Prof.dr. Niels Appermont (Hasselt University, BE) & Kris Meskens (Secretary-General Financial Intelligence Processing Unit (CTIF - CFI)) |
| Football organisation's (most) frequent dispute: competition law. A prosecutor's perspective | Bert Stulens (Competition Prosecutor Belgian Competition Authority) |
| Football club’s social responsibility and ethics | Prof.dr. Annette Greenhow (Bond University, AUS) |
| Making CSR concrete for professional football clubs | Leon Vlemmings, de Waard€volle Club |
23 May 2023
Pro League Business School Elevator Pitch (1) | All clubs |
| Pro League Business School Elevator Pitch (2) | All clubs |
| The future of pro football: an afternoon with Stefan Szymanski | Round table with Prof.dr. Stefan Szymanski (Stephen J. Galetti Professor of Sport Management, University of Michigan, US), moderated by Prof.dr. Robby Houben |
| Closing address | |
Minor changes to the Programme are possible in event of unforeseen circumstances, but are not expected.
The Programme is offered physically at the City Campus of the University of Antwerp, located in the heart of Antwerp.
