12-13 April, the "Otkritie Arena" stadium hosted a MarSpo-2017 Sports Marketing International Conference. The event brought together MGIMO professors, students and graduates to take part in thematic discussion panels.

Associate Professor at the Management, Marketing and Foreign Economic Activity Department, Academic Advisor of the MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency programmes in "Sports Management" E.A.Ponomaryova attended the sessions devoted to modern communications strategies and sponsorship.

"Russia has a wonderful communication platform for international sports community", note many experts.

Those were two thrilling days of professional battles. Tina Kandelaki, Sergei Kushchenko, Igor Stolyarov, Andrei Vedishchev (2011 MGIMO MBA graduate), Jack Johnston (Great Britain), Ian Leman (Germany) held the attention of the audience to the end. The most interesting topics were as follows: "New Opportunities for Brand Integration", "Use of CDR Database", "Producing and Marketing in Sport", "Club Merchandizing", "Virtual Sport". What is remarkable about this event is that the discussions were attended by overseas specialists who willingly shared their experience and told about their professional technologies.

Sports marketing experts discussed the peculiarities of sports business, raised issues of image building, attracting sponsors, establishing communication channels, and gave a positive forecast for developing Russia's sports goods and services.

In future, all the issues raised would be integrated in the MGIMO School of Business and International Proficiency plans and programmes (specialization "Sports Diplomacy" and "Sports Management" MBA Programme) which are actively developing within business education strategies for Russian sport.