The University of Windsor is still the place to go to study sports business.
The school's Masters of Human Kinetics program in Sport Management and Leadership has once again been named the best of its kind in Canada, according to the annual ranking by SportBusiness.
Acting Associate Dean of Academic Programs Patti Millar, who teaches in the program, said the school also ranked in the top 15 worldwide.
"We are proud of these results and being in the elite company of other programs around the world," said Millar. "This international recognition validates our approach to giving students a career-focused education in sport management and leadership. Our program offers internship opportunities and independent research projects that provide a gateway to the industry."
SportBusiness compiled its rankings by interviewing alumni who had graduated within the past three years, and course leaders. Schools are scored on criteria including quality of faculty, quality of the curriculum, return on investment, industry networks, and extracurricular initiatives. U of W graded at least eighth in all categories.
One alum, Evan Gilbert, graduated from the program in 2019 and is now an account executive for Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE). Gilbert had a chance to intern with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC MLS team and receive a subsidy to attend a major industry conference.
"It’s a great program. There is a ton of support for grad students, and just being able to tap into the alumni network was fantastic," said Gilbert.
SportBusiness is a global consulting and analytic firm. It has been ranking postsecondary sports business programs since 2012.