Meet Francisco Garcia, ESA Sponsorship Diploma Scholar

ESA introduced the ESA Sponsorship Diploma Scholarship in 2022 to increase industry diversity as part of its mission as the essential and inclusive community for all professionals working in sponsorship. Francisco Garcia reflects on his experience.

You have been studying the ESA Sponsorship Diploma for the past eight months. How was your experience?

My experience was great! Having the course fully online gives you the flexibility to plan ahead and review all the materials at your own pace, while being designed around full-time work commitments. I particularly enjoyed how practical and relevant the course content was, with assignments that could be applied directly to real-world sponsorship scenarios, as well as some interesting fictional ones.

What did you find most enjoyable about the course, and what did you find most challenging?

I really enjoyed being able to choose our own sponsorship case studies and specific markets for many of the assignments. This allowed me to focus on areas I wasn’t as familiar with, for instance exploring rights holders within women’s sport. I also particularly enjoyed working on the Set Brief for Wimbledon, developing a comprehensive and actionable sponsorship prospection strategy for a potential new official partner.

At times, it was challenging to balance full-time work, sports and other life commitments, but with good time management, there is time for everything. I found the recommended assignment deadlines set by Peter, our Course Director, particularly helpful in keeping me on track throughout the course.

What would you say to somebody considering applying for the 2027 Scholarship?

Definitely go for it – you never know where this opportunity can take you. Not only is this a chance to enhance your knowledge of the industry, but it’s also a great opportunity to connect with like-minded people.

Only you know if 2027 is the right year for you, but there is never an ideal time for anything, and the earlier you begin to invest in your development, the better.

How important is it for the sponsorship industry to be representative of the European population as a whole?

For me, sponsorship is ultimately about connecting brands with the right audiences in the right manner. Therefore, having people from different backgrounds and perspectives within the industry can help organisations better understand the audiences they are trying to engage with.

A sponsorship approach that works in one market may not work in exactly the same way in a different context, so having diverse perspectives can be particularly valuable.

What are your personal career goals within sponsorship, and how do you think this qualification will enable you to achieve them?

My goal is to continue building a career in the sports industry, developing from an activation-focused role into a well-rounded commercial professional.

This qualification has helped me become more confident in assessing sponsorship opportunities, developing partnership strategies and understanding how to create value for both rights holders and brands.

• Find out more about the ESA Sponsorship Diploma Scholarship