Business Development & Research – Sports Venues

Internship: Business Development & Research – Sports Venues

Organization: ModeScore, managed by ESGreLab

Location: United States (Remote)

Industry: Sports Infrastructure / Stadium Development / Sports Business / Real Estate

About ModeScore

ModeScore is a certification platform focused on mobility and transportation sustainability for large venues, buildings, and communities. ModeScore helps organizations measure and improve how people travel to and from destinations — a critical component of achieving real-world net-zero goals.

Transportation is one of the largest contributors to the environmental impact of major sports venues, particularly stadiums and arenas that attract tens of thousands of fans for each event.

ModeScore has recently certified several major professional venues in the United States, including Gillette Stadium (home of the New England Patriots) and Spectrum Center (home of the Charlotte Hornets).

We are expanding our research across university stadiums and arenas throughout the United States, helping institutions better understand how transportation, fan access, and mobility planning affect stadium operations and sustainability goals.

About ESGreLab

ESGreLab manages and operates internships across the world in sectors including finance, real estate, infrastructure, technology, and sustainability. Our mission is to provide career-enhancing experiences that give students exposure to real-world industries and decision-making environments.

Through applied research internships, students gain insight into how industries operate while developing practical research, analysis, and professional communication skills.

More information is available at www.esgrelab.com and on our LinkedIn page.

Internship Overview

Modern sports stadiums and arenas are far more than venues for games. They are major economic and strategic assets for universities and cities, often representing hundreds of millions — or even billions — of dollars in infrastructure investment.

College stadiums host tens of thousands of fans, generate significant revenue for athletic programs, and often play a key role in campus identity, alumni engagement, and regional economic activity.

This internship allows students to explore the business, development, and operational dynamics of sports venues, while also examining how sustainability and transportation planning are becoming central to stadium strategy.

Interns will research how university stadiums and arenas are developed, managed, and integrated into broader campus and city planning. Particular attention will be given to how fan transportation, parking, transit access, and mobility systems impact both the fan experience and environmental performance.

Students will begin by analyzing the sports venues at their own university or nearby campuses, studying how those facilities are operated, how transportation is managed on event days, and how universities are approaching net-zero commitments and sustainability initiatives.

Through this process, interns will gain exposure to the intersection of sports business, real estate development, infrastructure planning, and sustainability strategy.

This is an excellent opportunity for students interested in:

sports venue operations and stadium management

sports business and athletic program economics

business research and data analysis

consulting and stakeholder engagement

sustainability and climate strategy

transportation and mobility systems

Internship Structure

Stage 1 – Stadium & Venue Research

Interns will identify and research stadiums and arenas at their university or nearby institutions.

Responsibilities include:

• Identifying major indoor or outdoor sports venues on campus
• Researching who manages and operates the stadium or arena
• Understanding the economic and strategic importance of the venue to the university
• Exploring how game-day transportation and fan access are currently managed
• Documenting existing transportation, parking, or mobility initiatives

Stage 2 – Certification Process Research

Interns will explore how sustainability certifications and external consulting relationships work within universities and sports venues.

Responsibilities include:

• Identifying departments responsible for stadium operations, transportation planning, or sustainability
• Researching how universities approach sustainability initiatives for large venues
• Determining whether the university works with external consultants for certifications or environmental programs
• Understanding how large institutions evaluate new certifications or operational initiatives
• Assessing potential interest in mobility-focused certifications such as ModeScore

What You Will Learn

Interns will gain exposure to:

• how stadiums and arenas are managed and operated
• the economic role of sports venues within universities and communities
• how large venues manage fan transportation and mobility
• stakeholder mapping and institutional decision-making
• real-world sustainability implementation
• research and business development skills

Ideal Candidates

Students studying or interested in:

• sports management
• real estate or infrastructure
• sustainability or environmental studies
• urban planning or transportation
• business, consulting, or strategy
• data analysis

Format

Remote, flexible schedule. Students will work on research assignments related to their university or nearby institutions.

Students will collaborate with a national network of interns mapping sports venues across the United States, building a shared dataset on stadium operations, transportation strategies, and sustainability initiatives.