Frontline of Top Sports Business (subject at School of Sport Sciences)
Makoto Honda
2nd-Year Student at the School of Political Science and Economics
This well-known course has been held for the past twelve years. The course is so acclaimed that the contents of each year’s lectures are published as a book. A distinguishing feature is the magnificent lineup of guest speakers who are active on the frontline of sports business. These speakers come from a variety of occupations including the manager of a J. League football club, a MLB player, a Paralympian and a sports announcer. All of these distinguished guests share one trait—they are all at the top of their fields. In other words, students in this course have the opportunity to learn directly from professionals who have produced proven results. Classes include ample time for a Q&A session, sparking active discussion which serves to deepen understanding.
Reporter took a picture together with Masumi Kuwata (former NPB player)
I was particularly impressed by former Japanese baseball player Masumi Kuwata. His outstanding character was revealed through each one of his words, and I felt the significance of having direct contact with leading professionals. Paralympian Mami Sato was also very impressive. Upon witnessing her move the same as a normal athlete, I could feel my image of disabled sports change suddenly. During lectures conducted by Professor Takeo Hirata, there was lively debate regarding the dismissal of Javier Aguirre Onaindía* (former manager of the Japanese national soccer team) and the 2020 Olympic & Paralympic Games. Class discussion resembled a scene from Michael Sandel’s online course “Justice.”
There is much to learn from the experiences of top athletes
Additionally, students play a leading role in the course through presentations and other activities. Accordingly, the greater a student’s passion towards learning is, the greater the results. This course gives students the opportunity to discover various worlds and future developments through sports.
