LÓPEZ CARRIL, SAMUEL , SPENCER, CAVAN , LARA BOCANEGRA, ALEJANDRO, MANZANO CARRASCO, SAMUEL
No
Sport Manag. Educ. J.
Article
Científica
11/09/2025
2-s2.0-105017470587
In an increasingly dynamic, global, and digitized world, sport managers face complex decision-making dilemmas intersecting various disciplines such as finance, communication, and psychology. To successfully address these dilemmas and interact with the sport ecosystem, sport industry professionals are required to possess a wide range of soft skills such as problem-solving, communication, empathy, and listening skills. The university is a crucial environment where future professionals in the sport industry can develop the soft skills necessary to successfully integrate into the workforce. This necessitates investment in pedagogical innovation within sport management education to provide students with meaningful, student-centered teaching-learning experiences. Based on constructivist learning theory, this paper presents a detailed, step-by-step pedagogical proposal based on an active learning dynamic called “Angels & Demons.” This learning dynamic involves introducing sport management students to teaching cases through role-play, addressing fictitious yet realistic situations pertinent to the sport industry. Through “Angels & Demons,” students can develop essential soft skills enhancing their readiness for professional challenges. Finally, the article includes a set of recommendations and introduces a proposal of 15 teaching cases designed to help sport management educators adapt “Angels & Demons” to meet their educational needs. © 2025 North American Society for Sport Management.
active learning; constructivist learning theory; higher education; pedagogical innovation; soft skills