By Kelsey Kendall
Mariona Anto Domingo grew up around sports in Spain. Her father is a soccer coach, her brother played soccer and she was an athlete herself growing up. When she ultimately decided that gymnastics – for which she made the national team – was taking too much of a toll on her body, Anto Domingo was not ready to leave the sports industry entirely.
It was a natural shift for her to turn to the business side of athletics, which she enthusiastically pursued. One thing she realized, though, was just how male-dominated the industry is. It inspired her to lead by example and support others.
“I want to be a renowned woman in the sports industry – not for the money or the fame,” Anto Domingo said. “I want to make changes. I want to make sports more accessible.”
She did not come to Old Dominion University without experience. Anto Domingo studied business administration, advertising and public relations, sports marketing and sponsorship, and received her Master in Business Administration for sport management in Spain and began her career. She came to Old Dominion to get her second master’s in sport management and will graduate from the Darden College of Education and Professional Studies this December.
Previously, she worked as an account manager for WOM Sports Management, a company with the goal of representing women soccer players. It was a mission she loved. She went on to grow in her field and became an executive for Real Madrid C.F., a major Spanish professional soccer club. In that role, she worked on global partnerships with adidas, Emirates, Nike and Nintendo. As the only woman in her department at the time, it drove her to want to not just do well but to excel and make her mark.
“That actually encouraged me to become better, be a better person, be better at my job and try to get the most out of it,” she said. “People will remember, ‘There was that girl who was getting stuff done.’”
The European soccer clubs were just a piece of what Anto Domingo's career goals. After gaining experience with one of Europe’s major sports teams, she wanted to see how the American sports industry functioned.
“Mariona’s a go-getter,” said Lynn Ridinger, the sports management graduate program director. “She’s one who is going to make it in the sports industry.”
The sports industry can be tough, Ridinger explained, but she believes Anto Domingo has excelled in the program and has a wide range of experience in the different facets of the business which will take her far.
Ridinger said Anto Domingo contributed to others’ understanding of the industry even as she learned about how it operated in the United States. She would share her perspectives and experiences from working in Spain with her classmates, providing them with some global context.
Anto Domingo also took advantage of opportunities to get more hands-on experience to enhance her resume. She was a graduate assistant who helped with administrative tasks and research within the department. She also took on an internship at Excalibur Gymnastics in Virginia Beach, working with children and their parents to ensure they are where they need to be in classes and helping the coaches.
This experience has prepared her for the next part of her career – hopefully in the U.S. so that she can continue to grow in the field. As she gets ready for a “big girl, full-time job,” Anto Domingo has advice for others interested in sport management.
“Work hard. Network through anything you can get. Learn. Be humble,” she said. “The sky is the limit.”