Working at the Monaco Grand Prix

Matthew Dudzinski Lebouvier is about to graduate from our Sport Management BSc.

During his time at Brighton, he gained hands-on experience through the Personal and Professional Development module but has also added additional experience to his CV by working at the Monaco Grand Prix.

We caught up with Matthew to learn about his time at Brighton, his work experience and what’s next.

Why I chose Sport Management

I was eager to learn more about the business, marketing and entrepreneurial side of sports and potentially being able to be part of the industry and to work in the sports that I enjoy.

I chose to study it in Brighton as the course is CIMSPA endorsed and gave many opportunities to students compared to other universities.

My favourite topic

I’d say the first year’s Sports Events module. It taught me how to run a sporting event and how to promote it which is very interesting. If I work for an organisation that organises special events, it will come in handy.

My course placement

The placement I had was at Brighton Footgolf which is a microbusiness located in Portslade.

I learnt about the managerial side of the business and assisted in daily operations and management of Footgolf events, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience for clients, supported customer service by welcoming guests, explaining Footgolf rules, and handling bookings and inquiries both in person and over the phone, managed inventory and maintained equipment, ensuring a professional and safe environment for players.

I gained hands-on experience in event coordination, customer relations, sport facility management, and helped the manager to open a new footgolf business in Cambridge (Cambridge Footgolf). I learnt how challenging it is to run such a business with many competitors in the sports industry around footgolf.

Study support

The course team did support me a lot, especially Dr Marc Keech as I had him as a lecturer for the past three years and most of my modules. He also played an important part in my dissertation as he was my supervisor and helped me through his tutorials to achieve a 2:2 in my dissertation.

The lectures for Sport Management are the best!

Working at the Monaco Grand Prix

I’ve worked two years at Monaco as a controller/security. I’ve learnt the importance of precision, situational awareness, and effective communication in high-pressure environments. I gained valuable experience in crowd management, teamwork, and maintaining safety protocols at a world-class sporting event, all while adapting to fast-paced and dynamic conditions.

The role included guiding guests to their designated seats within the Grand Prix venue, ticket control (verifying and scanning tickets to maintain secure entry points), conducting security checks, served as a primary point of contact for inquiries and assisted with communication.

I have developed a genuine interest in the sport and thoroughly enjoyed the professional, yet friendly environment created by the team I worked with. Furthermore, the principality of Monaco has officially been named ‘The World Capital Of Sport 2025’ solidifying its status as a global hub for athletic excellence.

Returning allowed me to deepen my experience in high-level event operations, strengthen my network, and continue building a strong foundation for future opportunities in the sports industry. It also served as a valuable addition to my CV and LinkedIn, reinforcing my commitment to working in elite sporting environments.

Principal Lecturer, Dr Marc Keech, said: “As well as the significant contribution of our placement programme to the degree, students are encouraged to seek additional opportunities to enhance their knowledge and experience. Working at an event such as the Monaco Grand Prix enabled Matthew to understand and experience event organisation at a race watched by millions around the world.”

After graduation

I have applied for two Masters in sport management – one in London and one in Monaco.

My advice to future students

If you are passionate about sports and wish to invest your time in it, I suggest you choose Sports Management. It will help you get involved in a different part of sports than a QTS or sports coaching degree. You will have many opportunities within the university – I was part of a student focus group, working with CIMSPA to look at the quality of sport courses at Brighton.

Learn more about studying sport and exercise at the University of Brighton.