Aniket Kattikulam

Why did you choose to study at Solent?

I always wanted to play football professionally and I thought if I went to the UK, I would have more opportunities. I was always intrigued by going to a foreign country and living independently while studying at a proper sport university.

How has Solent helped prepare you for a career?

I can’t thank Solent enough for what it has done to help me with my career. Before joining Solent, I was completely unaware that such a huge sport sponsorship market ever existed. Solent made me fall in love with the business side of sport. Additionally, the knowledge I consumed from my course leader and my lecturers was exceptional and I guess that is what made Solent a really distinguished university for me.

Tell us a little bit about your current role

Currently I’m working as a sponsorship, marketing and branding professional with a renowned sports marketing company, with day-to-day responsibilities including facilitating partnerships between brands, TV broadcasters and over-the-top (OTT) platforms such as Hotstar and SonyLIV, and major sport leagues such as the Indian Premier League.

I also work with those brands to ideate, strategise and execute an array of campaigns throughout the year, across various different sports; liaise with them to ensure they like the campaign, and see if we can do anything further to assure them of a good return on investment.

How did you get where you are today?

During my studies, I did various paid and unpaid internships, and right after I graduated, I interned for another global sports marketing company where I used to look at their PR (Indian Super League players’ interviews), controversy management, sponsorship, player contracts, content development, and so on. I also freelanced with an Indian agent, helping him with a few player profiles for players in the Indian Super League.

I have been able to apply all my learnings in my new role and have managed to work well with brands while handling sport events throughout the world.

Career highlight so far?

My career highlight so far was my first deal that I was able to crack after joining the company. I still remember the day I closed the deal – I was speechless about the fact that I had contributed to orchestrating a partnership with a brand during an international cricket series. It was an adrenaline rush and one of the most satisfying feelings ever!

What are your tips for someone wanting a career in your field?

My main advice for someone wanting a career in the sport industry is that it is vital to network, socialise and attend networking events. Keep exploring different roles – try and do volunteer roles, internships and jobs alongside your studies at university.

Networking is key in the sport industry. So make a good LinkedIn profile, and try to connect with like-minded individuals. It is always good to have healthy discussions, debates and exchange of ideas with people in the sport industry. This will not only prepare you for your sporting career, but also your entire life after university.