What Is Sports Management?

Sports management is a very diverse and broad career field that encompasses the business side of the sports industry. It can include athlete representation, facilities management, event coordination and more. Pursuing a career in the sports management field could be a good option for people who are passionate about sports and who also have an interest in various business-related competencies.

A sports management degree can introduce you to the business side of the sports industry. Before making your decision, take a closer look at the field, its diverse career options, and the key skills required. 

In This Article:

• What Is the Sports Management Field?
• Examples of Careers in Sports Management
• Essential Skills for Sports Management Professionals
• Is Sports Management a Good Major for You?

What Is the Sports Management Field?

The sports management field combines business competencies with sports. It is a multidisciplinary field that touches upon multiple areas of business — from accounting and finance to event planning and logistics. Every time you enjoy watching a professional sports game, you can bet there is a veritable army of people working behind the scenes to put everything together.

People might think of professional athletics when they consider the sports management field, and indeed, professional athletics are a major player in the industry. This includes professional leagues and teams (e.g., Major League Baseball) and affiliated teams (e.g., the minor leagues).

However, the sports management field encompasses sports at all levels. This includes community, amateur and recreational leagues, high school sports and collegiate sports, as well as all of the businesses that support those organizations, ranging from sports marketing firms to merchandising.

Examples of Careers in Sports Management

To see if sports management is the right fit for you, explore some of the career options available in the field. Because the field is so broad, diverse and multidisciplinary, there’s a career option for virtually every interest.

Facility Management

Facilities management is an area relevant to sports at multiple levels — from professional teams to community or recreational leagues. Facilities managers are tasked with ensuring the smooth operations of any type of sports facility, such as a stadium, arena or training facility. Sometimes, facilities managers are even involved in the construction phase of a facility or the design of facility renovation plans, such as by lending their expertise on the layout and features that would be needed.

On any given day, a facilities manager may:

• Plan and coordinate athletic events
• Lease, buy or sell facilities
• Supervise the staff at a sports facility
• Oversee daily operations at the facility and troubleshoot problems

Sports Marketing

Marketing and advertising are integral functions for all types of industries, and the sports business is no exception. Sports marketing professionals may work on marketing one specific team, or they might lend their expertise to a handful of teams or a league.

Some of the responsibilities of a sports marketing professional can include:

• Liaising with brands to discuss marketing opportunities at sports venues
• Building relationships with brand representatives
• Finalizing sponsorship arrangements with brands
• Marketing sporting events, like games and community outreach activities

Operations Management

Operations management professionals are responsible for ensuring that sporting events proceed as planned. They handle the goings-on behind the scenes before, during and after each game or other sporting event. For example, an operations management professional will establish the budget, hire and coordinate staff, ensure employees are properly trained and oversee the selection of music and other audiovisual elements.

Athlete Representation

The signing of athletic talent, particularly star professional players, can be a complex affair. Much of the work is done by the athlete's representatives or agents. Sports agents work on building relationships with front-office staff and team owners, as well as networking with new or up-and-coming athletes who could become tomorrow's stars.

Typical responsibilities for sports agents include:

• Negotiating contracts with teams on behalf of their clients
• Negotiating and securing endorsement deals from sponsors for athletes
• Providing career guidance to their clients
• Helping clients maintain their public image through marketing, branding and public relations
• Serving as a liaison between the client and media members
• Assisting their clients with financial matters

Essential Skills for Sports Management Professionals

The skills needed for sports management careers depend on the specific type of career. For instance, a sports marketer will need a different skill set than a facilities manager. However, certain transferable skills can be helpful regardless of the specific career.

These include the following:¹

• Time management
• Adaptability
• Communication skills, including writing skills
• Organization
• Analytical reasoning

In addition, creativity can be helpful.¹ For sports management professionals, creativity can support innovation, which can lead to improved methodologies and approaches for solving problems in the field.

Is Sports Management a Good Major for You?

Sports management could be a great option if you appreciate sports and enjoy various aspects of running a business. Sports management might be the right path for you if:

• They wanted to become professional athletes but weren’t able to sign with a collegiate team in preparation for the professional leagues.
• They did sign with a collegiate team or an affiliated team but want to get a degree because of their passion for athletics.
• They are a professional athlete or on track to become one and are eyeing a career in sports management after retiring from playing.
• They aren't an athlete themselves but enjoy watching sports and are fascinated by the goings-on behind the scenes.

It's important to note that not only does the sports management field offer a diverse range of career options, but those who work within it have opportunities to master skills that are transferable to other industries. Even if you aren't sure whether you'll stay in sports management for the entirety of your working life, the experience can potentially provide a foundation for a career transition later on.

What Is a Sports Management Degree Like?

GCU offers a Bachelor of Science in Sports and Entertainment Management degree. This degree is more narrowly focused on sports management competencies than general business degrees, and it’s designed to prepare students to pursue a diverse range of career options in the sports management field. 

In this baccalaureate degree, you will examine topics that are central to the sports business world, including skills that are specific to revenue generation, sports marketing, talent management, event operations and more. The courses dive into concepts on the use of data analytics in sports and entertainment marketing and the management of sports and entertainment facilities and brands, as well as professional ethics in the field.

Notably, this degree combines classroom instruction with hands-on experience. By the time you graduate, you will have completed a minimum of 300 hours of work experience (e.g., paid or unpaid internships, jobs and volunteer positions) in the sports and/or entertainment industry.

If you decide to further your education, you can apply to GCU’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) with an Emphasis in Sports Business program. This MBA degree teaches broad business competencies, such as leadership, strategic planning and organizational behavior. You’ll also examine topics specific to the sports industry, including data analytics for sports businesses and sports revenue generation.