{"id":30916,"date":"2026-11-09T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-11-09T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.munich-business-school.de\/insights\/?p=30916"},"modified":"2026-11-05T11:45:44","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T10:45:44","slug":"future-forward-alumni-insights-partnership-management-at-fc-augsburg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.munich-business-school.de\/insights\/en\/2026\/future-forward-alumni-insights-partnership-management-at-fc-augsburg\/","title":{"rendered":"Future Forward \u2013 Alumni Insights: Partnership Management at FC Augsburg"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What happens when your favorite soccer club is also your employer? For Jan Paulig, this means experiencing soccer not only as a fan but also from an entirely new professional perspective. As an alumnus of the Master\u2019s program in Sports Business & Communication (2020), he has been working in partner management at Bundesliga club FC Augsburg for three and a half years and experiences professional soccer up close.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sports results take on a whole new meaning in this context: They\u2019re not only experienced emotionally on the field and in the stands, but can also influence the work and atmosphere behind the scenes. In this interview, Jan discusses whether it\u2019s even possible for an employee to still be a \u201cnormal\u201d fan, how working for a club changes one\u2019s perspective on soccer, and what makes everyday life in professional sports so special. He also shares insights into the future of sponsorship, his own path into the sports business, and his experiences as an MBS mentor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Name:<\/strong> Jan Paulig
Study program and graduation year at MBS<\/strong><\/strong>:<\/strong> Master in Sports Business & Communication, Graduation 2020
Current position<\/strong><\/strong>:<\/strong> Partnership Management at FC Augsburg<\/p>\n\n\n

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Working at FC Augsburg<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Could you briefly describe your current position at FC Augsburg?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve been working in partnership management at FC Augsburg for three and a half years. Our sponsorship division is divided into sales and partner management. Sales is handled by Sportfive, and we work closely with them.
Partner management is all about actively shaping partnerships and providing the best possible support to sponsors\u2014from promotional materials in the stadium to social media campaigns, all the way to coordinating with internal departments such as graphic design, marketing, and stadium operations. This gives you a wealth of insight into the entire club.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you active every game day?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes, home game days are some of our most important workdays. Everyone has their own areas of responsibility. For example, I\u2019m in charge of the advertising materials in the stadium\u2014LED video boards, partner visibility, and similar matters. At the same time, it\u2019s naturally a very special emotional experience to enjoy the games together with our partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is it even possible to still be a fan if you work there?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve always been a supporter of FC Augsburg, but when you work for a club like this, you automatically become an even bigger fan. You want the club to succeed, you get caught up in the excitement, and you want to do your part to help make that happen.
Of course, your perspective on soccer changes a bit, too, because so much of it suddenly becomes part of your daily work routine. At the same time, though, that emotional connection remains\u2014perhaps even stronger than before, because you experience the club firsthand every day and work toward the same goals together with everyone involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does this behind-the-scenes look take some of the magic out of the Bundesliga?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It changes your perspective, but I wouldn\u2019t say it takes the magic away. You still feel the pain of defeat and celebrate victories just as much as the fans do. At the same time, of course, you also realize that your own professional life\u2014and, to some extent, your personal success\u2014is tied to the club\u2019s performance on the field.
Off the field, we try to do everything as well as possible\u2014from partnerships to the matchday experience. Of course, we have no direct influence on the actual gameplay; that\u2019s up to the team. But it\u2019s precisely this interplay that makes professional sports special: everyone does their part to ensure the club\u2019s success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Occupational Disease Sponsorship<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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When you watch soccer, do you find yourself looking at the advertising boards first these days?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Absolutely. Whether I’m at the stadium or watching on TV\u2014my first glance always goes to the promotional materials, the LED billboards, and the sponsor activations. It’s become second nature to me by now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Makes a Job in the Sports Business Special<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What sets your daily routine apart from a traditional corporate job?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Definitely the close proximity to the stadium and the team. We work right at the arena, run into the players every day, and sometimes even have lunch with them. That gives you a very direct insight into professional sports.
At the same time, though, you quickly realize: At the end of the day, they\u2019re just regular people. To outsiders, of course, this seems special, but for us, this contact eventually becomes part of our everyday routine. It\u2019s exactly this mix of a special atmosphere and a normal workday that makes the job exciting.
Plus, there\u2019s no such thing as a typical workday. There are home game weeks with a lot of operational work and away game weeks focused on strategic issues or coordinating with partners. It\u2019s precisely this mix that keeps the work interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did you get into professional soccer?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

My bachelor\u2019s degree was in traditional business administration with a focus on marketing. Afterward, I realized I wanted to do something more closely related to my passion for sports. Sports have always been a big part of my life.
Through the Munich Business School, I discovered the master\u2019s program in Sports Business & Communication and enrolled in it. During my studies, I realized that sponsorship is exactly the mix of communication, creativity, and interpersonal interaction that appeals to me.
After graduation\u2014right in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic\u2014I first gained experience through various roles in the sports business, including accreditation management for UEFA and the DFB, and later at an agency specializing in telecom sports sponsorship. After that, an opportunity arose at FC Augsburg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Sticks With You From your Studies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What aspects of your college studies are helpful to you today?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The following were particularly helpful:<\/p>\n\n\n\n