EXECUTIVE MBA
THE BUSINESS OF HOCKEY
» cover photo:
Brian Burke
Co-founder, Business of Hockey Institute President of Hockey Operations, Calgary Flames
“This will be a badge of honour for people working in the industry, to say ‘I have my Executive MBA from Athabasca University.’ If I’ve got to pick between two people, I’m going to take the person who’s finished this program.”
Athabasca University (AU) is one of four research-intensive, publicly funded institutions in the Province of Alberta. AU reports to the Government of Alberta through Advanced Education. Its quality assurance mechanisms and program proposals are reviewed by the Campus Alberta Quality Council. AU is accredited in the United States through the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), one of six regional organizations in the US that accredits universities. AU is a member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE), the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies (CAGS), and the Canadian Federation of Business School Deans (CFBSD).
The Business of Hockey Institute ... 4
Flexible, portable, and organized — how it all works ... 6
A two-phase approach to effective hockey management ... 8
The AU online Executive MBA ... 10
Hockey’s future depends on effective management and strong leadership.
The global entertainment industry is fast-paced, lucrative, and competitive. All professional sport franchises and entertainment businesses are looking to win fans’ time, attention, and money. It’s not enough to be an exciting game with talented athletes. In today’s sports world, branding, operational efficiency, and financial savvy are almost as critical to team success as recruiting the best players. Athabasca University has collaborated with the Business of Hockey Institute to develop an elite, graduate level, hockey specific MBA to elevate the business side of the game. For the first time in hockey’s history, a program is in place to develop the leaders in the boardroom, rather than on the ice. This hockey-specific Executive MBA will bring industry leaders, managers, executives, and academics together to debate, exchange ideas, conduct research, and collaborate.
A team devoted to your success ... 12
Course descriptions ... 14
Admission options for business degree holders ... 18
Admission requirements and how to apply ... 19
Ritch Winter
Co-founder, Business of Hockey Institute President, Wintersports Ltd.
program is essential for anyone building “This an off-ice career in professional hockey. ”
Developing the Business of Hockey The idea of an elite MBA focusing on the business of hockey was first conceived by Ritch Winter, sports agent, and Brian Burke, President of Hockey Operations for the Calgary Flames. Together, they worked to make this program—the first of its kind in the world—a reality.
There is more at stake here than maximizing game day revenue. Teams, leagues, and governing bodies need talented managers and executives with broad strategic and operational capabilities. They need smart and capable people who can shape opportunities and develop strategic advantage.
Hockey competes in a complex and challenging global market for fan attention, loyalty, and participation.
Leading agents, top management minds, and hockey executives have worked hand-in-hand with Athabasca University to create the hockey-specific courses within an Executive MBA; a unique blending of the Athabasca Executive MBA and the Business of Hockey Institute’s Certified Hockey Professional designation.
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BHI Board of Directors FOUNDERS Brian Burke, LLB President of Hockey Operations, Calgary Flames
Ritch Winter, LLB
President, Wintersports Ltd.
AU has partnered with the Business of Hockey Institute (BHI), a non-profit think tank dedicated to improving the business models of professional and amateur hockey organizations through education, research, consulting, and advocacy. It has developed a series of courses within AU’s online Executive MBA program to address the unique needs of the hockey industry.
Certified Hockey Professional (CHP)
CHAIR Herb Pinder, LLB, MBA President, The Goal Group
DIRECTORS Jim Bagshaw Vice-President, Advertising, Sponsorship and Marketing, Calgary Flames
Craig Button Hockey Analyst, TSN
Peter Mackinnon, OC, QC Interim President, Athabasca University Craig MacTavish, MBA Sr. Vice President, Hockey Operations, Edmonton Oilers
The CHP identifies individuals who have studied and have experience with the business of hockey. As part of its mandate, BHI has launched a new credential, Certified Hockey Profesional (CHP).
Nevin Markwart, MBA, CFA
The CHP is only awarded to managers and executives who have completed the specialized hockey management curriculum offered by AU.
Brad Robins
Entrepreneur
Michael Mauws, PhD, ICD.D Executive Director, Business of Hockey Institute
Norm O’Reilly, BSc, MA, MBA, CA, PhD Fox Professor of Management, Ohio University Chairman, The Robins Partnership
Ron Robison Commissioner, Western Hockey League
Scott Smith, BEd Chief Operating Officer, Hockey Canada
Fred Steer, CA Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Montreal Canadiens
Brian Yaworski, QC, ICD.D Partner, Davis LLP
Hockey. Travel. Family. Grad Studies. We can’t make it easy, but we can make it possible. Organizing your life to attend a traditional bricks-and-mortar school at set hours can be next to impossible. At Athabasca University, you can schedule your school hours to fit the rest of your life, and your program travels with you, wherever you go.
All of your course activities take place in one online environment you can access on your laptop, home computer, work computer, tablet, even your smart phone if need be. Some courses do have physical
textbooks, which will be sent to you, but otherwise, everything you need to read, discuss, collaborate, and submit work will be organized in one spot.
Time Commitment Core courses are completed in a pre-determined sequence, and are each eight weeks long. The program can be completed in two-and-a-half to three years; you have a maximium of five years to complete all requirements.
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How AU MBA online courses work Athabasca University Executive MBA students are experienced managers with interesting and diverse backgrounds that span many different industries, sectors, countries, cultures, and geographic locations. This diversity of opinion and life experience adds depth to the program’s curriculum, and helps students understand how theories can be applied in a variety of contexts. Peer-to-peer learning is key.
Asynchronous
You control when and where
Asynchronous learning means you are never required to be online at a certain date and time. We have students and academics across Canada and around the world engaged in learning and teaching 24 hours a day.
You are expected to contribute 20 to 25 hours to your studies over roughly five to six days per week, but when and where are completely up to you: early mornings, over your lunch hour – what works for you works for us.
Online/Offline
Paced
Whether you are in Vancouver or New York, at home, at the arena, or mid-flight, you can engage with others and never worry about missing a lecture. Our robust learning environment allows you to work on or offline, so you can draft your work remotely and upload once you can connect to the Internet again.
Too much flexibility can be as challenging as not enough. AU’s courses have set start and end dates, and include a workplan with assignment deadlines and requirements for group work and collaboration within each course to keep you on track.
Accelerated Route for Business Degree Holders If you have an undergraduate degree in business, you may qualify for our accelerated admission route—see page 18.
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Michael Mauws, PhD
Executive Director, Business of Hockey Institute Professor, Business Policy & Strategy
“Through our collaboration with the Business of Hockey Institute, we’re bringing together the best minds in hockey, business, and academia to make hockey as competitive in the boardroom as it is on the ice.”
Phase One
Phase Two
Developing a global management perspective
Honing in on the unique demands of hockey
Core management principles apply to every organization and industry. For your foundational studies, you will discuss issues and collaborate with AU’s other Executive MBA students, all of whom are talented middle or senior level managers from a diverse range of industries and sectors.
In phase two, you move into courses that delve deeply into hockey related issues, opportunities, and operating environments.
The last six courses* have been developed in collaboration with the Business of Hockey Institute on topics unique to hockey.
Four advanced core courses solidify your holistic, organizational view of the senior management function.
The Business of Hockey Marketing Hockey Strategically Integrated Marketing Communications for Hockey
Strategic Management
Information Technology Strategy - Hockey
Human Resource Management
Corporate Finance - Hockey
Hockey Operations
Financial and Managerial Accounting
Strategy and Organizational Analysis - Hockey
Managing Franchises Strategically
Marketing Management Managerial Economics and Quantitative Analysis Operations Management Comprehensive Exam
Course descriptions start on page 14.
Managerial Ethics and Decision Making - Hockey
Game Day Management and Marketing
* Students completing these six courses are eligible to earn the Certified Hockey Professional (CHP) designation from BHI. For students already possessing a Business degree, completion of these six Professional Education Program courses may be sufficient to receive the Certified Hockey Professional (CHP) designation. Refer to pages 18 and 19 for further details.
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The AU online Executive MBA Anshuman Khare, PhD
MBA Program Director and Professor, Operations Management Athabasca University Faculty of Business
“The AU online Executive MBA is designed to provide a high-level organizational view that enables students to confidently assume the role of strategic decision maker. This holds as true for the business of hockey as for any other industry. Our goal is to provide the best possible environment for integrating theory and practice. We do this by focusing on real business problems and building on the knowledge and expertise of both teachers and students through discussion and collaboration.”
The secret to our success is the same today as it was when we first introduced our program over 20 years ago: an online environment that facilitates richer interaction than a traditional classroom. The launch of the AU online Executive MBA in 1994 broke down the barriers of time and space for both learners and faculty. Because of our unique delivery system, we are able to recruit the best academics for our courses from virtually anywhere.
In each course, students work in groups of eight to ten under the guidance of an academic coach who facilitates active discussion and collaboration by guiding conversations and providing insights or tools to help clarify points or themes.
Our students are all talented managers and executives from a broad cross-section of industries, companies, and geographic locations, who bring an exceptional diversity of experience, perspective, and expertise to the online classroom experience. As a student in the Executive MBA, you will join these students for your foundational (phase one) studies, as their varied experiences will add depth to your own.
In this unique environment, interaction between academics and students is extremely high. Ideas, insights, and skills are shared on a daily basis; views are exchanged and arguments advanced. This is a crucial ingredient of a graduate-level management education that is extremely relevant to the real world of business.
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A team devoted to your success Deborah Hurst, PhD, Dean, Faculty of Business Athabasca University Faculty of Business
“Our faculty are driven by a passion for excellence and a desire to see each student realize his or her full potential. I am continually amazed at the extraordinary level of new knowledge created by each student cohort as they move through the program. The calibre of people involved — students, faculty, academic coaches, and staff — is among my greatest source of pride in my role as Dean of the Faculty of Business. The Business of Hockey Institute is bringing an interesting new depth of expertise into our knowledge pool.”
Core Faculty
IT HelpDesk
Core faculty members for AU’s Executive MBA are tenure-track professors who conduct research, lead academic disciplines, develop courses, and teach within AU’s masters and doctoral-level programs.
The HelpDesk provides you with the resources and assistance you need to work effectively in the online learning environment. HelpDesk staff work extended hours to help you with your initial setup, and any time you need technical assistance.
Academic Coaches Academic coaches work with small groups of eight to ten students in each course, ensuring a high standard of student - academic interaction. Coaches have academic qualifications and significant industry expertise; many are full-time professors at other universities.
Learning Services Learning Services is responsible for the editing, design, and distribution of all learning materials for the Executive MBA. They ensure you have all the proper course materials and required applications for successful completion.
Admissions Coordinators
Student and Alumni Relations
You are assigned an admissions coordinator upon acceptance into the program who works with you throughout your program to help you manage your schedule and ensure you meet your degree requirements.
This group works to ensure you are happy with your AU MBA experience and remain connected with our university after you graduate. They arrange events, send news updates, and manage social media efforts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and more.
Phase One: Developing a global management perspective Phase one courses concentrate on the management areas that make a difference to organizational performance. Throughout each course, students integrate theory and practice by focusing on real business problems and connecting the program to their experiences in their own organizations.
Course Descriptions
Strategic Management Strategy involves critical thinking, analysis, planning, and decision making that will have important implications for the organization’s competitive advantage. In this course, students evaluate their organization’s internal resources, analyze their industry, and explore concepts and techniques critical to identifying and exploiting sources of profit.
Human Resource Management Managing and motivating people are critical tasks for management, particularly in the context of rapidly changing and competitive organizational environments. The primary area of focus is strategic human resource management, interrelated areas of organizational behavior, organizational theory, and industrial relations.
The Hockey cohort starts every year in May. The application deadline is Febuary 15.
Financial and Managerial Accounting Running any type of organization would be practically impossible without an understanding of financial and managerial accounting principles. Students gain an understanding of how to use accounting information for planning, operating, investing, financing, and management control decisions.
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An AU Executive MBA helps you answer tough questions for your organization: How do we gain market share? How else can we monetize this? How do we measure effectiveness? Can we do things smarter? Once you’ve been through the MBA program, you still ask these questions but approach them as opportunities you know you can solve. The AU MBA will broaden your perspectives and change the way you think.
Marketing Management
Operations Management
The fundamentals of contemporary marketing and the role marketing plays in various organizational settings are explored in this course. Through readings, cases, discussions, and assignments, students examine components of a marketing strategy and how that strategy links to the rest of the organization’s business.
This course is designed to introduce students to the dimensions and techniques of operations management, whether in service, manufacturing, health care, or government. The overall goal is to provide students with the ability to provide additional value to their organization’s core operations.
Managerial Economics and Quantitative Analysis
Comprehensive Exam
Rigorous introduction to an economic way of thinking will enhance students’ ability to analyze business situations and strengthen their critical decision-making skills. This course will provide a rich set of tools and techniques to apply to a wide range of strategic business situations, as well as a solid foundation in microeconomic analysis.
Using a case study method of assessment, students are evaluated for their applied understanding of their Phase One coursework. Through their approach to a specific case, students demonstrate how they have integrated knowledge of the six subject areas.
Phase Two: Honing in on the unique demands of hockey
Executive MBA phase two courses, tailored to the hockey industry Information Technology Strategy – Hockey
Strategy and Organizational Analysis – Hockey
Students assess the role of IT in supporting and creating organizational strategy to manage and enhance on- and off-ice performance and increase organizational effectiveness. They gain a full understanding of the IT infrastructure in their hockey franchises/clubs based on best-in-class IT developments in the sports and entertainment industry.
This course helps students identify and understand the general, specific, and international dimensions of hockey organizations’ internal and external environments and how to respond to them.
Corporate Finance – Hockey
This course encourages integration of ethical awareness and social responsibility into managerial decision making. Key business decisions pertaining to both the hockey executive and hockey operations sides of the business can be analyzed through an ethics and social responsibility lens.
This course introduces principles and theories that are essential to the financial management of organizations. It provides analytical frameworks and techniques to support short-term and long-term financial decisions, with special emphasis on the financial problems and challenges faced by managers in hockey organizations (e.g., foreign exchange, risk management, insurance).
Managerial Ethics and Decision Making – Hockey
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Working alongside your peers from other teams, leagues, and countries, you can discuss the topics that matter to you and interact with the world’s leading practitioners and academics, regardless of where they may be in the world.
CHP Professional Education Program courses The Business of Hockey
Game Day Management & Marketing
This course explores the trends and forces that are defining and influencing the business of hockey. It also explores the forces that determine success off the ice with particular focus on franchises’ competitive advantages within the league and within local markets.
This course examines the opportunities and challenges associated with the successful production of live hockey games. The majority of franchise revenues derive from home games. With a defined number of home games, it is essential that the game-day operations and long-term revenue potential of each game be maximized.
Marketing Hockey Strategically The bulk of the revenues of hockey franchises derive directly and indirectly from ticketing sales and ingress spending. Fans attending and following games and their geographical markets differ. For this reason the focus of this course is on identifying, understanding, and targeting the fans, viewers, and spectators with the greatest potential to increase a franchise’s profitability and valuation.
Integrated Marketing Communications for Hockey Students are introduced to integrated marketing communications (IMC) to facilitate the building, maintaining, and leveraging of their franchises’ brand equity. The goal of IMC is to ensure consistency in the communication of the brand across all media and platforms, including advertising, promotion, communications, public relations, social media, and saies.
Hockey Operations Hockey operations represent the bulk of a franchise’s expenses and have the most significant long-term impact on revenues and team equity. As a result, hockey ops have the biggest impact on a franchise’s bottom line both directly (salaries) and indirectly (competitive advantage). It is essential that every hockey executive have an understanding of hockey operations and the trends that are affecting them.
Managing Franchises Strategically* Students learn how to formulate, implement, and evaluate business strategies for achieving hockey organizations’ medium and long-term objectives. Unlike the Hockey Operations course which focuses on making hockey teams more competitive on the ice, this course focuses on making hockey organizations more competitive in the marketplace. * This course includes a five day, in-residence component, which will usually take place in New York or Toronto.
Admission options for business degree holders IF YOU ALREADY HAVE AN UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE in business, you may be able to complete your Executive MBA more quickly by applying for our accelerated admission route.
Executive MBA (accelerated admission) and CertiďŹ ed Hockey Professional (CHP) designation
CertiďŹ ed Hockey Professional (CHP) Professional Education Program
Orientation (one week online)
Two Executive MBA elective courses plus:
If you already have an MBA or an undergraduate degree in business, completion of the CHP Professional Education Program courses alone may be sufficient to receive the Certified Hockey Professional (CHP) designation.
The Business of Hockey
The Business of Hockey
Marketing Hockey Strategically
Marketing Hockey Strategically
Integrated Marketing Communications for Hockey
Integrated Marketing Communications for Hockey
Game Day Management and Marketing
Game Day Management and Marketing
Hockey Operations
Hockey Operations
Managing Franchises Strategically
Managing Franchises Strategically
Making Strategic Choices Managerial Ethics and Decision Making
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Admissions Business of Hockey Institute Certified Hockey Professional (CHP)
YOUR APPLICATION PACKAGE WILL INCLUDE: 1. Your detailed resume
Entry into the Certified Hockey Professional (CHP) Professional Education Program component of the Executive MBA is highly competitive. Admissions committees within BHI and AU will review all applications and select a small class based on a comprehensive review of the applications received. Complete details are available online.
2. University transcripts and/or proof of professional designation, if applicable 3. Three references attesting to your management experience and readiness for graduate studies 4. A brief essay
Athabasca University Executive MBA
To be accepted into the Executive MBA, you must have:
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an undergraduate degree from an accredited university plus at least THREE years of management experience, OR an accepted professional designation and at least FIVE years of management experience, OR at least EIGHT years of management experience.
To be accepted via the accelerated route, you must have:
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an undergraduate degree in business, completed within the past 10 years overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 at least three years of managerial experience
5. A completed online application form 6. A $200 AU MBA application fee and, for the accelerated route only, a $250 transcript evaluation fee. 7. An $800 CHP application fee
Scholarships and Bursaries Substantial scholarships and student bursaries will be avaliable beginning in the spring of 2016. Visit business.athabascau.ca for details.
Athabasca University Faculty of Business Phone: 1-800-561-4650 (toll-free in North America) Email: hockey@fb.athabascau.ca Website: business.athabascau.ca/hockey-MBA