First Playmaker Stage by WHU

The Super Bowl features a spectacular halftime music show, Formula One is the subject of major movies, and international football regularly appears in new video games. The world of sports is increasingly merging with the entertainment industry. In response to this development and the multibillion-euro markets behind it, students together with faculty members at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management have launched a new initiative, the Playmaker Stage by WHU. The first event took place in Düsseldorf at the end of March.

“We are very pleased with the outstanding partners we were able to attract in the very first year of our new initiative,” said Niclas Höppner, doctoral student at the WHU Center for Sports and Management and Managing Director of the newly founded Playmaker Stage e. V. “They all placed a great deal of trust in us and in our vision, even though we were not yet able to point to a previous edition of the event.” The high-profile partners, including several CEOs of Bundesliga clubs and leading figures from the entertainment industry, clearly demonstrated the growing influence of the entertainment sector and the broad support for this trend. WHU professors Sascha L. Schmidt and Dominik Schreyer contributed to the discussions with insights from their research.

The Playmaker Stage was organized by the Center for Sports and Management together with WHU students. With around 120 tickets sold, the inaugural event was already fully booked. To ensure a confidential dialogue, the event followed the Chatham House Rules, enabling open and authentic exchange.

A continuation of the event next year is considered certain. “Of course, we want to build on this year’s success, but we have also learned a great deal and aim to make the event even better next year,” said Niclas Höppner. The format of approximately 100 guests and a dynamic, engaging program will be maintained to preserve the intimate atmosphere and open exchange, as such direct interaction between attendees, entertainment industry experts, and sports scholars is rare.