By Lewis Wiseman

Students attending the Global Summit in Melbourne finished their week at the MCG learning about the football (or soccer) industry Down Under.

Students were addressed by three guest speakers from A League side Melbourne Victory FC: Steven Dillon, Pre Academy Coordinator; Drew Sherman, General Manager of Technical & Academy; and Christina Smith, General Manager of Consumer, Community & Government, whilst the Summit attendees also had an engaging session with the President of Football Federation Victoria, Kimon Taliadoros.

The day was of great interest to students, with all keen to work within the business of football in the future. A big takeaway for students from the day was that you need to go into your career with the mindset of being open to anything and making authentic relationships. This was crucial advice for UCFB students.

Following an enthralling day of guest speaker sessions, the group’s final experience in Melbourne was to attend an A League match at AAMI Park to witness one of the biggest rivalries in Aussie soccer – Melbourne Victory vs Sydney FC.

Early the next day, students travelled to Sydney for a weekend of sport and celebration. First up was a visit to the historic Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) for a tour and guest talk with Cameron Honey, the General Manager of Commercial at the stadium.

Afterwards, students were treated to take in the Big Bash League game between the Sydney Sixers and Melbourne Renegades from the comfort of a luxury corporate box. This was thoroughly enjoyed by all – trust me on that!

The cricket match was the last official event of the trip, but students were then given two days to enjoy some of Sydney’s world famous landmarks and its nightlife. The country’s infamous Australia Day bank holiday took place on the Sunday, so, alongside the rest of the country, students enjoyed a day filled with sun, sand and beers.

Bondi Beach was their pick of location for the day, setting up shop at one of the country’s most famous beaches, where they experienced what Australia is all about.

The celebration was a great way to conclude the inaugural Summit, and the following day saw students return to London and Manchester to start preparing for their next semester.

Overall, what the students learnt and experienced during the Global Summit will stick with them forever. They heard from some of the sharpest minds in the Australian sports industry and digested many insightful career tips and pieces of advice. The group also immersed themselves in a new, foreign land and got to experience first-hand what it would be like to work in Australia.

Additionally, students expanded their sports business network on the other side of the world, all whilst forging new friendships within the group.

The first-ever UCFB Global Sports Summit was undoubtedly a huge success, and was enjoyed by all in attendance. If you’re a current UCFB student and get the chance to speak to one of the attendees, please do. Their experiences from Melbourne will act as a guide for all future Summits.

As the first of its kind, it was really special.