Sports & University Stadium Innovation Internship
September 15 – December 15, 2026
How does university sports really work?
ESGreLab is launching a new North American study looking beyond the scoreboard to understand the business, infrastructure, real estate, sustainability and student experience behind university sports.
Starting September 15, students will research colleges and universities across the United States and Canada, building a picture of how universities develop, manage and use their sports facilities — from major stadiums and arenas to fields, training facilities and other sports infrastructure.
We will look at questions such as: How many sports programs does a university have? What facilities does it operate? Who manages them? How are they financed? How are stadiums used beyond game day? How are they connected to student life and the surrounding community? And what are universities doing to make sports facilities more sustainable?
The study will explore the intersection of sports, business, finance, real estate, sustainability, technology and urban development.
Building a North American benchmark
The research will contribute to the development of a North American University Sports & Stadium Index, comparing universities and identifying interesting trends, differences, innovations and best practices.
We will also be taking the findings beyond the student community. ESGreLab plans to present the study and its findings to sports organizations, university athletic departments and other organizations working across the sports industry.
This means students will not simply be completing an internship assignment. They will be contributing to a research project that will be developed into a broader industry study.
Student Leaders wanted
Because this is a North American-wide project, we are looking for Student Leaders and Regional Leaders to help build and coordinate the research effort across the United States and Canada.
Student Leaders will have the opportunity to help organize other students, coordinate research across universities, contribute to the development of the study and play a more active role in the final output.
Who should apply?
We are looking for students interested in:
Sports • Sports Management • Business • Finance • Real Estate • Sustainability • Environmental Studies • Engineering • Urban Planning • Technology • Data Analytics • Marketing • Hospitality
You don’t need to be a sports major. You might be studying finance and be interested in how stadiums are financed. You might be studying urban planning and want to understand how sports facilities shape cities. You might be interested in sustainability and want to examine how major stadiums manage energy, water and waste. Or you may simply be passionate about sports and curious about what happens behind the scenes.
This is an opportunity to look at university sports differently — not just what happens on the field, but the entire ecosystem behind it.
Internship period: September 15 – December 15, 2026
