Sports & Sponsorship Management Professional Interview
Posted 22 hours 42 minutes ago by The Interview Portal
Permanent
Not Specified
Banking & Financial Services Jobs
Not Specified, United Kingdom
Job Description
Sports doesn't just create athletes-it creates an ecosystem of leaders, thinkers and strategists who not only share their love for sports but also help unleash its true power in transforming lives.
Chinmai Bhoi, our next pathbreaker, Sponsorship Data Analyst at SponsorUnited (UK), analyzes sponsorship data from various sports teams and leagues that helps brands make informed decisions about where to invest their sponsorship budgets.
Chinmai talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy fromThe Interview Portal about her first real break with IPL, through an internship with Mumbai Indians which opened the floodgates for her career in sports management !
For students, If you're passionate about something, start early, be curious, and never stop learning. Say yes to opportunities-volunteer, intern, explore everything you can. Never give up !
Chinmai, can you share your background with our young readers?
I come from a family deeply rooted in sports-my father was the first national Kabaddi player, and he always dreamed of seeing his child represent India. Though he had three daughters instead of a son, that didn't stop me from picking up the baton. From a very young age, I was determined to become an athlete and make my country proud. I used to wake up at 3 AM to run with my father, attend school, play sports during school hours, head to tuition classes, and then play again in the evenings. This intense routine was my life until the 8th grade.
I immersed myself in a wide range of indigenous sports in my pursuit of excellence-gymnastics, fencing, atya-patya, cycle polo, jump rope, marathons, and rope mallakhamb. I represented Maharashtra in every sport I participated in, and eventually, I had the honor of representing India in rope mallakhamb. One of my proudest moments was teaching Malaysian students this traditional sport.
Unfortunately, a major leg injury forced me to step away from competitive sports. At that point, my parents encouraged me to pursue a more conventional path in science, so I enrolled in a degree in microbiology. During that time, one of my zoology professors offered me a chance to volunteer at a sports event, which turned out to be the Barclays Premier League (now just the Premier League). I had the incredible opportunity to work with Leicester City Club, and that experience was a turning point-I realized I could actually build a career in sports without being an athlete.
What did you do for graduation/post graduation?
Despite my parents' initial resistance and their push toward pharmacy, I followed my passion and enrolled in a BBA in Event Management. Back then, I didn't even know a degree in Sports Management existed. Eventually, I pursued a Master's certification in Sports Business Management from the University of Massachusetts (distance education), and most recently, I completed my Master's in Sports Business Management from Manchester Metropolitan University.
What were some of the key influences that led you to such an offbeat, unconventional, and unique career in Sports Management ?
My journey into the world of sports management wasn't a straight line-it was built through exploration, incredible mentors, and key moments that opened my eyes to what I truly wanted.
During my BBA degree, I had the opportunity to work across all kinds of events-corporate gatherings, weddings, concerts, exhibitions, flea markets, and sports events. I didn't limit myself. I worked on some of India's biggest platforms like Sunburn, Kygo's India Tour, high-end diamond exhibitions, business conferences, Indian Premier League (IPL), Pro Kabaddi League, the Ultimate Table Tennis League, multiple weddings, and also organized TEDx and flea market events. I made it a point to try everything-from the largest to the smallest setups-just to understand where I truly fit in.
Each stage brought key people who influenced me. My first inspiration was my dad during my childhood-his passion for sports sparked mine. Then in college, I met Amit Narvekar. Every event we worked on, I noticed how he seemed to know everyone and everything. I was a sharp observer and wanted to be just like that-knowledgeable, connected, and respected. He helped me realize the importance of building relationships and learning constantly.
Later, I met Neel Shah, the director of my certification program. He wasn't just a teacher-he was a life mentor. His program had a 6-month personal development module that completely transformed me. I started expressing myself more, asking questions, and discovering parts of myself I didn't know existed. As a US citizen with a unique perspective, he helped me see things differently and gave me the confidence to speak up.
Another key mentor was Jonathon Rego, whom I met during an internship. His energy, vision, and words-especially "never stop dreaming"-changed how I approached life and decision-making. He taught me not only to think practically but also to stay deeply connected to my purpose.
Right before I came to the UK, I worked at Hotstar and met Jaideep Chakrabarty. He's more than a mentor-he's a constant reminder of why I started. Even now, while I am studying and working in the UK, he pushes me to keep going, to not give up. His passion for what he does reminds me of my own.
My ultimate turning point, though, was volunteering for the Barclays Premier League event in India. That experience made me realize that I didn't have to be an athlete to stay in the world of sports-I could build a meaningful career behind the scenes, creating experiences and contributing in my own unique way.
I truly believe that mentorship and being surrounded by people with a growth mindset is key. Every mentor, every event, every challenge pushed me closer to who I am and the career I'm building.
How did you plan the steps to get into this career?
My career in sports started quite organically. In my first year of college, I began volunteering at various events-my degree college was extremely supportive and gave us several opportunities to gain hands-on experience.
During my BBA, I took up multiple internships in event and sports management roles. Each organization and role gave me a unique exposure to different aspects of event execution, from grassroots planning to VIP management. Here's a breakdown of each experience:
1. Sports For All (SFA) - Venue Manager
About SFA: SFA is one of India's leading grassroots sports platforms, organizing large-scale school-level sports competitions across multiple disciplines.
My Role:
About the Company: A Delhi-based company stepping into the event execution space, organizing exhibitions and large-scale open-ground events.
My Role:
About the Company: A prominent newspaper brand hosting a film festival in Mumbai, though its core team operated from Delhi.
My Role:
About the Company: A well-established name in the Indian entertainment and event industry, handling mega-events and celebrity engagements.
My Role:
About the Company: A company that manages sports celebrities and organizes celebrity cricket and entertainment events.
My Role:
Chinmai Bhoi, our next pathbreaker, Sponsorship Data Analyst at SponsorUnited (UK), analyzes sponsorship data from various sports teams and leagues that helps brands make informed decisions about where to invest their sponsorship budgets.
Chinmai talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy fromThe Interview Portal about her first real break with IPL, through an internship with Mumbai Indians which opened the floodgates for her career in sports management !
For students, If you're passionate about something, start early, be curious, and never stop learning. Say yes to opportunities-volunteer, intern, explore everything you can. Never give up !
Chinmai, can you share your background with our young readers?
I come from a family deeply rooted in sports-my father was the first national Kabaddi player, and he always dreamed of seeing his child represent India. Though he had three daughters instead of a son, that didn't stop me from picking up the baton. From a very young age, I was determined to become an athlete and make my country proud. I used to wake up at 3 AM to run with my father, attend school, play sports during school hours, head to tuition classes, and then play again in the evenings. This intense routine was my life until the 8th grade.
I immersed myself in a wide range of indigenous sports in my pursuit of excellence-gymnastics, fencing, atya-patya, cycle polo, jump rope, marathons, and rope mallakhamb. I represented Maharashtra in every sport I participated in, and eventually, I had the honor of representing India in rope mallakhamb. One of my proudest moments was teaching Malaysian students this traditional sport.
Unfortunately, a major leg injury forced me to step away from competitive sports. At that point, my parents encouraged me to pursue a more conventional path in science, so I enrolled in a degree in microbiology. During that time, one of my zoology professors offered me a chance to volunteer at a sports event, which turned out to be the Barclays Premier League (now just the Premier League). I had the incredible opportunity to work with Leicester City Club, and that experience was a turning point-I realized I could actually build a career in sports without being an athlete.
What did you do for graduation/post graduation?
Despite my parents' initial resistance and their push toward pharmacy, I followed my passion and enrolled in a BBA in Event Management. Back then, I didn't even know a degree in Sports Management existed. Eventually, I pursued a Master's certification in Sports Business Management from the University of Massachusetts (distance education), and most recently, I completed my Master's in Sports Business Management from Manchester Metropolitan University.
What were some of the key influences that led you to such an offbeat, unconventional, and unique career in Sports Management ?
My journey into the world of sports management wasn't a straight line-it was built through exploration, incredible mentors, and key moments that opened my eyes to what I truly wanted.
During my BBA degree, I had the opportunity to work across all kinds of events-corporate gatherings, weddings, concerts, exhibitions, flea markets, and sports events. I didn't limit myself. I worked on some of India's biggest platforms like Sunburn, Kygo's India Tour, high-end diamond exhibitions, business conferences, Indian Premier League (IPL), Pro Kabaddi League, the Ultimate Table Tennis League, multiple weddings, and also organized TEDx and flea market events. I made it a point to try everything-from the largest to the smallest setups-just to understand where I truly fit in.
Each stage brought key people who influenced me. My first inspiration was my dad during my childhood-his passion for sports sparked mine. Then in college, I met Amit Narvekar. Every event we worked on, I noticed how he seemed to know everyone and everything. I was a sharp observer and wanted to be just like that-knowledgeable, connected, and respected. He helped me realize the importance of building relationships and learning constantly.
Later, I met Neel Shah, the director of my certification program. He wasn't just a teacher-he was a life mentor. His program had a 6-month personal development module that completely transformed me. I started expressing myself more, asking questions, and discovering parts of myself I didn't know existed. As a US citizen with a unique perspective, he helped me see things differently and gave me the confidence to speak up.
Another key mentor was Jonathon Rego, whom I met during an internship. His energy, vision, and words-especially "never stop dreaming"-changed how I approached life and decision-making. He taught me not only to think practically but also to stay deeply connected to my purpose.
Right before I came to the UK, I worked at Hotstar and met Jaideep Chakrabarty. He's more than a mentor-he's a constant reminder of why I started. Even now, while I am studying and working in the UK, he pushes me to keep going, to not give up. His passion for what he does reminds me of my own.
My ultimate turning point, though, was volunteering for the Barclays Premier League event in India. That experience made me realize that I didn't have to be an athlete to stay in the world of sports-I could build a meaningful career behind the scenes, creating experiences and contributing in my own unique way.
I truly believe that mentorship and being surrounded by people with a growth mindset is key. Every mentor, every event, every challenge pushed me closer to who I am and the career I'm building.
How did you plan the steps to get into this career?
My career in sports started quite organically. In my first year of college, I began volunteering at various events-my degree college was extremely supportive and gave us several opportunities to gain hands-on experience.
During my BBA, I took up multiple internships in event and sports management roles. Each organization and role gave me a unique exposure to different aspects of event execution, from grassroots planning to VIP management. Here's a breakdown of each experience:
1. Sports For All (SFA) - Venue Manager
About SFA: SFA is one of India's leading grassroots sports platforms, organizing large-scale school-level sports competitions across multiple disciplines.
My Role:
- I managed two sports contingents during a multi-sport event.
- Responsibilities included timeline management, production setup, and ensuring all venue requirements were met.
- I coordinated instrument placement, athlete and coach logistics, and ensured judges' and technical staff had what they needed.
- The experience gave me hands-on learning in sports operations, real-time problem solving, and venue readiness under tight schedules.
About the Company: A Delhi-based company stepping into the event execution space, organizing exhibitions and large-scale open-ground events.
My Role:
- I was part of their very first event, managing it end-to-end.
- Responsibilities ranged from event planning, production layout, and electricals setup, to vendor management.
- I was also involved in selling and setting up concession stalls, which involved ground-level execution, hiring labor, and coordinating vendors.
- This taught me about event infrastructure, resource allocation, and budget-based decision-making.
About the Company: A prominent newspaper brand hosting a film festival in Mumbai, though its core team operated from Delhi.
My Role:
- I led the local marketing and promotions strategy in Mumbai.
- My task was to create awareness about the festival and engage with corporate clients and media houses.
- I acted as the bridge between the Delhi team and the Mumbai market, ensuring local nuances were well understood.
- This role enhanced my skills in strategic promotions, target audience engagement, and corporate partnerships.
About the Company: A well-established name in the Indian entertainment and event industry, handling mega-events and celebrity engagements.
My Role:
- I managed accreditations (ID passes) for every stakeholder involved in the event - staff, vendors, VVIPs, and guests.
- Responsibilities included data collection, design and printing of IDs, and managing all on-ground signage and event prints.
- This required attention to detail, high levels of coordination, and confidentiality, especially with celebrity/VVIP access.
About the Company: A company that manages sports celebrities and organizes celebrity cricket and entertainment events.
My Role:
- I was responsible for fulfilling player needs, both at the venue and the hotel.
- Duties included practice arrangements, availability of hydration and iceboxes, and ensuring comfortable logistics for players.
- This was a deeply athlete-centric role . click apply for full job details