Bentleigh Greens and Metricon Bring Local Business Community Together Through Networking Initiative

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Image Credit: One-Nil Media

Bentleigh Greens FC has reinforced its commitment to supporting its community beyond football, partnering with Metricon Homes to host a business networking evening designed to strengthen relationships between local businesses, sponsors and club stakeholders.

 

A unique setting for meaningful connections

Held inside one of Metricon’s display homes, the Bentleigh Greens Business Networking Night welcomed around 60 local business owners, club partners and community leaders for an evening focused on connection, collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Rather than a traditional function space, Metricon opened the doors of one of its display homes, creating a unique networking environment that highlighted how the space could be transformed into a premium venue while providing guests with a relaxed setting to build professional relationships.

The event reflects a growing trend across community football, where clubs are increasingly positioning themselves as platforms for business engagement and local economic development, alongside their role in delivering participation opportunities on the pitch.

Guests also heard from strategic futurist Marcus Barber, who delivered a presentation examining the growing influence of artificial intelligence on modern business. His insights encouraged attendees to consider how emerging technologies are reshaping industries and the importance of preparing for future change.

 

Creating value beyond sponsorship

While commercial outcomes were never the primary objective, the evening was designed to create long-term value by fostering meaningful relationships between businesses connected to the Bentleigh Greens community.

Early feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with several attendees already establishing new contacts and beginning discussions around potential collaborations.

The initiative also highlights Metricon’s broader commitment to supporting local communities beyond residential construction. By partnering with Bentleigh Greens and providing the venue, the company helped facilitate an event that encouraged learning, networking and stronger community connections.

 

Football clubs as community business hubs

For community football clubs, initiatives such as these demonstrate how partnerships can extend beyond traditional sponsorship models. By creating opportunities for local businesses to engage with one another, clubs can strengthen their commercial networks while delivering tangible value to sponsors and the wider community.

As football clubs continue to explore new ways of engaging stakeholders off the field, events like the Bentleigh Greens Business Networking Night illustrate how sport can serve as a catalyst for meaningful business relationships and long-term community growth.

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From Classroom to Global Football: GIS Opens New Career Path

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Image Credit: Global Institute of Sport

The Global Institute of Sport (GIS) has opened new opportunities for students who want to build careers in football. GIS has partnered with the World Football Summit (WFS). The partnership offers two exclusive scholarship and internship opportunities.

Students can gain practical experience while studying. They can also build industry contacts and learn how the global football business works.

Two Football Industry Roles

The first opportunity focuses on partnerships and commercial development. Students in the Partnership Executive Intern role will support WFS commercial activity. They will learn how football organisations build and manage partnerships.

The second role focuses on clubs, leagues and federations. The Club, League & Federation Relations Intern will support WFS relationships with football organisations. This includes key stakeholders inside football.

Both roles give students direct exposure to the business side of the sport.

International Experience

The placements also offer flexibility. Full-time students can complete a six-month internship or placement. WFS will tailor the experience to each student’s profile and availability.

Part-time students can complete two six-month placements. This gives them exposure to different areas of the WFS business. Students may work remotely or at the WFS headquarters in Madrid. The final setup will depend on the student and WFS requirements.

A Global Football Network

WFS has built a major international football network since its launch in 2016. The organisation has hosted events across 11 countries. More than 44,600 people have attended its events. Its network now includes more than 153,000 football industry professionals.

WFS events have also featured major football figures. These include FIFA President Gianni Infantino, Ronaldo Nazário, Rio Ferdinand, Didier Drogba and Javier Tebas. The partnership gives GIS students access to this wider football ecosystem. It also connects academic study with real industry work.

Applications Open for 2026

Applications opened on 18 August 2026. New and existing GIS students can apply. The deadline is 14 September 2026.

For students targeting careers in football business, the opportunities offer a direct route into the industry. They can develop commercial skills and can build professional networks. They can also gain experience with the relationships that drive modern football.

To learn more about the GIS scholarship program click the link here.

Global Institute of Sport hosts Masterclass on Athlete Management and Engagement

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Image Credit: Global Institute of Sport

The Global Institute of Sport (GIS) held an Industry Masterclass on Athlete Management and Engagement, featuring guest speakers Brad Lloyd and Stefani Chinn.

This is part of its broader course offering, which includes a Master’s in Sports Business and Sports Analytics through the University of Newcastle.

The Masterclass addressed four themes: the day-to-day operations of player management, the construction of authentic athlete brands, the role of agents, and the impact of data.

The Panellists

Brad Lloyd is the founder of Apogee Sports Advisory, which develops micro-credentials in sport, and previously served as General Manager of Football at Carlton Football Club and as a player agent.

Stefani Chinn is a sports marketing consultant specialising in ambassador program design and formerly served as Senior Vice President of Global Marketing and Communications at the World Surf League (WSL).

Player management: the daily operations

Lloyd outlined the complexities of player management, drawing on his experience as General Manager at Carlton, highlighting the role of “list management.”

This involves negotiating player contracts and managing the composition of the list, including age profile and positional spread, to align with the club’s broader requirements.

Player welfare also falls within this remit, with a high-performance manager tasked with ensuring athletes remain fit and available.

“It’s all about attraction and retention,” Lloyd explained.

He noted that communication with club shareholders is a constant part of the role, with “talking up and down” the organisation requiring a strong team.

“Getting people, you trust with their credentials in these roles is paramount,” Lloyd explained.

Building Authentic Brands

Chinn addressed the construction of athlete-focused marketing strategies, arguing for a shift away from organisation-centred approaches.

“What was needed to do from a fan, athlete and commercial perspective was lead with an athlete-first approach.”

For this Chinn emphasised the importance of understanding athletes beyond their on-field performance.

“Knowing the athlete first is such an important piece, there is so much to the athlete than just how they play,” she said, also cautioning against an overreliance on social media metrics: “What we say is fit over followers, followers is a metric, but not a central one.”

Role of Agents

Lloyd addressed the function of agents, noting that while contract negotiation is central, agents must first understand the player and assess whether an opportunity is a suitable fit.

“I find if you get the agent onboard quickly, they will work with you,” Lloyd said.

Chinn distinguished between agents and managers: “Practically, in sports less governed, there are less agents and more managers”,

“It’s important to get the manager onside… the management team is critical” Chinn highlighted.

She noted that within the WSL, relatively few athletes have formal management, making direct engagement with players important.

The Impact of Data

Lloyd underscored the value of organised, accessible data that allows analytics to support and verify observations made within the team and the club’s image.

Though, he did stress that data-focused staff need to communicate their analysis clearly into club strategy.

Chinn discussed the evolution of data use in marketing, noting it was once used in a limited capacity, described as “spots and dots,” to determine audience reach.

Its current application allows more targeted decisions, resulting in what she described as “incredibly informed decisions.”

Though not football-focused at its core, the Masterclass offered insights applicable across codes.

Football’s scale means the club and agent-based environment is ever-present.

As individual athlete identities grow more prominent within sport, lessons from individually driven codes, offer valuable insight for a growing market.

These findings from other codes can be adopted into football; to benefit the whole system, it would be restrictive to not take these into account.

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