The Edufinet Project, a financial education programme promoted by Fundación Unicaja and Unicaja, held a new session in its series of conferences on Financial Education for Sport, focusing on the main economic challenges faced by athletes throughout their careers and the importance of proper financial planning to ensure their future stability.
This meeting, held on Wednesday, 18 February, at the Faculty of Marketing and Management of the University of Málaga (UMA), brought together specialists from the legal, institutional and sports fields to reflect on the impact that responsible management of income and assets has on the professional careers of athletes, which in many cases are characterised by their short duration and the perception of high incomes at an early age.
Some of the participants were the head of the Women's Sports Observatory, Raúl López; Javier Arroyo, PhD in Law and lawyer; and Unicaja Mijas player Celia García. The event was introduced by Daniel Ruiz, academic secretary of the Faculty of Marketing and Management at the UMA, and Juan Francisco García, collaborator on the Edufinet Project. Drawing on their different experiences, the speakers agreed on the need to strengthen the financial education of athletes to facilitate informed decision-making, both personally and professionally.
During the session, issues such as the importance of saving, planning and prudent wealth management were addressed as key tools for reducing risks and facing the post-retirement stage with greater security. The meeting, with a participatory approach, included a final question and answer session, which led to a direct exchange of ideas with the audience.
The event was broadcast live via streaming on the Edufinet website and its EdufiSport portal, where it can also be viewed, thus extending its informative reach beyond the physical venue.
This is the fourth session organised by Edufinet as part of this initiative, which it develops through its EdufiSport thematic line, and whose work was recently recognised by CECA in the 20th edition of its Social Work and Financial Education Awards 2024-2025.
Financial Education for Sport Cycle
This conference is the fourth session of the Financial Education for Sport Cycle, an initiative that the Edufinet Project launched last October to mark its Financial Education Week. The cycle has the economic support of Funcas Educa and the collaboration of the Faculty of Marketing and Management of the University of Malaga, and is developed through Edufinet's sports thematic line, EdufiSport, which has been promoting specific financial education actions aimed at the world of sport since 2020.
As part of this series, a conference is held every month with the aim of bringing financial education closer to the world of sport, from both a professional and academic perspective, and highlighting the practical usefulness of training on economics for the management of athletes' careers and sports organisations.
This activity includes an extensive programme of events that will run throughout the 2025-2026 academic year, until next June. Since its launch, it has brought together athletes, professionals and representatives of organisations related to the world of sport, who are willing to share their experiences and knowledge with the public, promoting dialogue and the exchange of ideas, with an educational and informative approach.
Last October, the first session of this cycle took place, given by Luis García, an investment fund manager specialising in the sports industry, on the usefulness and practical application of these financial products in the field of sport, both for professionals and amateurs. In November, the protagonists were Pablo Ortiz, an expert in sponsorship, sports marketing and international sales, and Marc Menchén, founder and CEO of the 2PlayBook business platform, with a presentation focused on revenue in the sports industry, with special attention to that derived from commercial and sponsorship agreements. The last one, in December, was given by José Carlos Gaspar, commercial manager of Marca and CSR at Unicaja Baloncesto, who addressed the keys to business success in sport, as well as the importance of social sponsorship in enhancing brand image in the sporting arena.
Edufinet, 20 years of experience
In its 20 years of experience, the Edufinet Project has been characterised as one of the pioneering and leading financial education and inclusion programmes in Spain, as a result of its commitment to society and the implementation of its sustainability policy. The result of this ongoing work is its extensive collaboration network, which includes ten business organisations and 17 universities.
