MIES (Switzerland) - A business case co-created by FIBA and IMD has taken first prize in the John Molson MBA International Case Competition 2026, one of the most established and prestigious academic competitions of its kind globally.
Founded in 1981, the not-for-profit competition is organized by the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada and is considered to be the largest and oldest in existence.
Open to the top business schools around the world, the main purpose of the famous Case Competition is to bridge the academic and corporate worlds through the discussion and analysis of top-quality case studies.
The decision by FIBA and IMD Business School in Lausanne to launch FIBA Esports: The Value Capture Challenge stems from the strategic business questions at the core of the esports industry, particularly those related to the successful debut of FIBA's first esports competition and the opportunities for its continued evolution.
eFIBA has already provided an innovative way of contributing to the growth and popularity of basketball around the world, extending its global reach via new products focused on entertainment for a new generation of fans.
The latest eFIBA chapter is already underway, with 58 National Federations competing in Season 4. Played on the NBA 2K26 Pro-Am game mode, the ultimate goal is to reach the highly anticipated eFIBA Season 4 World Finals in Doha, Qatar, during late April.
Following an evaluation by the competition's Board of Directors for relevance, quality, and strategic depth, the FIBA Esports: The Value Capture Challenge Case was selected as the best from a distinguished field packed with submissions from the leading case writers from around the world.
Also showcased in the Finals of the live competition, the case was written with the full support of FIBA by IMD Professor of AI, Analytics, and Marketing Strategy Amit Joshi, IMD Term Research Professor Ivy Buche, and IMD graduate Aundria Mirabrishami (MBA 2025).
FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis commented: "Beyond the award itself, this outcome reflects positively on FIBA's role as a practical partner for academic institutions working on real-world strategic matters, the increasing relevance of esports as a topic for executive and MBA-level discussion, and the strength of our collaboration with IMD in bringing applied industry challenges into an academic setting."
David Bach, President of IMD, Nestle Professor of Strategy and Political Economy, stated: "Case studies are what make business schools so effective. Rather than teaching theory, we place students in specific situations and challenge them to come up with solutions. Esports is such a great setting for students to contemplate disruption and how to create value for organizations and stakeholders. We're thrilled that - through this case and partnership - we can expose the next generation of leaders to FIBA's forward-looking approach."
This case study will serve as a key learning resource within the FIBA Academy.
FIBA