Introducing Ane Galán!
Ane is a former student and graduate of the Master’s in International Sports Management class of 2021-2022. She is currently working in the marketing department of Valencia CF in the area of sponsorship and events after completing her internship there.
We invite you to read below the interview with Ana Acosta, Head of Marketing at ESBS, where she tells you about her experience studying the master’s degree, what she has taken away from it, and how she managed to get an internship at Valencia CF.
Thank you, Ane!
ESBS: Hello, Ane! Tell us, how was your experience in the Master’s programme?
Ane: Unbelievable, really. I was a bit of a blank canvas, to see what would happen and what I would encounter, and in truth, it was much more than I could have expected.
The Master’s allowed me to meet a lot of people and above all, what I take with me, despite having done it in Spanish, is the friendly relationship with all my classmates.
I have been able to meet people from all over the world, who have given me a lot, with the same interests as me and with the same tastes, the same ambitions… we have been able to exchange a lot of experiences and special moments during the year of training in the master’s degree. In addition, both the faculty and the speakers, who shared their knowledge and experience through the classes, both in the ESBS classroom and in the masterclasses at the Mestalla stadium, have been invaluable in understanding the dynamics of the sports industry on a global level.
Overall, I gained a lot from this experience.
ESBS: Do you feel that the Master’s degree has brought you closer to the sports industry?
Ane: In my case, without a doubt, as I am currently working at Valencia CF.
For me personally, it has definitely been key to where I am right now. Honestly, I think that even if I had not been able to access the internships that I was able to access at Valencia CF, the master’s degree gives you the possibility to get to know first-hand different sports organisations, companies and professionals working in the sports industry.
When I started the master’s degree, I was very interested in everything related to sporting events, but as it was the blank canvas I mentioned earlier, I didn’t close myself off to other possibilities either. In the end, doing the master’s degree allows you to see how the different parts of the sports industry work, so you can choose what you like and what you could specialise in at a professional level. Another very positive thing that the master’s degree allowed me to do, and for which I am very grateful to ESBS, was the possibility of doing an internship in an entity such as Valencia Club de Fútbol.
ESBS: What has your internship and current job at Valencia CF been like?
Ane: I sent my application through the ESBS job placement area. After a few weeks, I got a call from the club and after several interviews I was lucky enough to be chosen for the internship. An internship, which has allowed me to get to know and learn a lot of things in a practical way. The internship has been a great learning experience.
I have been able to be involved in the organisation of the summer campus, which receives more than 600 children from all over the world at the Ciudad Deportiva de Paterna, I have also given support in the area of advertising media, as well as small events that take place at Valencia CF. It has been a great total learning experience.
ESBS: What advice would you give to someone who would like to be in your position?
Ane: On the one hand, they should always keep their feet on the ground, I think that many of us, when we start the Master’s, have very high expectations and it is necessary to be realistic, as well as working to find out what you like, contacting teachers, companies or through the job placement area.
Having expectations and wanting to go very far is something I think we all want, but if I have learnt anything from this experience it is that you can’t go from 0 to 100 in one day and you need to know what you like, be attentive, enjoy yourself and learn so that you can achieve what we all want when we start the Master’s degree.
So, make the most of it! Enjoy every single class you have on the Master’s, make the most of every professional and teacher in class, try to make the most of this year of the Master’s, you are going to meet so many wonderful people, professionals from whom you are going to learn a lot.
In the master’s degree you have many options, but also if you look for them on your own… I have colleagues who have done internships by contacting a professor through LinkedIn, you need to be pro-active, trying to find your moment and above all: when you find an option, if that’s what you really like: take advantage of it.
