Individuals interested in managing athletes often wonder if sports management is in demand. If the cost of attending professional sporting events is any indication, then the answer is a definite yes. Sports management careers can be found in high school, college and professional sports, which have the potential to always be popular events for the public. Here is some information on sports management careers, what education is required and career outlook.
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What Does Sports Management Involve?
When we hear the term sports management, we automatically think of a sports manager or a professional who manages a certain player, but there is much more to sports management than just that. Sports management involves any and all business aspects of sports and recreation. If anyone knows anything about sports, it’s that it’s a vast field. It includes sports managers at the high school, college, and professional level. The highest level of sports management is typically found in the NFL, MBL, NBA or NHL.
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What Jobs are in Sports Management?
Sports management may be just about managing a certain sport or managing a player in a sport, but it can offer many different jobs and careers. They may be working coaches, agents, trainers or in charge of the front office. If you’ve ever watched your favorite NFL team and observed all the professionals on the sidelines, most of them are in some form of sports management. Jobs that may be available in sports management include but are not limited to the following:
• Coaches
• Facility managers
• Promotion experts
• Event managers
• Sport manager
• Sporting agent
• Sports economists
What Education/Training is Required?
To work in the field of sports management, the individual should have at least a bachelor’s degree in sports management. Students in a sports management problem take courses in sports marketing, kinesiology, business law, finance, and communication. Sports management students may also choose to go to law school or at least take some legal courses so they’re knowledgeable of what to expect when negotiating sports contracts for athletes.
Many programs also require internships at a sports management agency. Depending on the state, the individual may be required to become registered or licensed. The candidate will also need to pass a criminal background check. Experience is also very important in this industry. For instance, an individual interested in becoming a sports manager for a professional sport should have some actual experience playing the sport. The main benefit of a sports management job is that it educates the individual on the sports business.
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Career Outlook
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that coaches and scouts should see an employment growth of 13 percent during the decade of 2016-2026. Agents and business managers of artists, performers and athletes are expected to see a growth of 5 percent to 9 percent during that same time. Wages for sports managers vary by sport, location and the athlete. In the case of a sporting agent, for example, the wages are affected by the athlete’s wage and commissions.
According to Forbes, the North American sports market is expected to greatly increase its value in the next year or so. While it was worth about $60.5 billion in 2014, that figure is expected to jump to $73.5 billion by 2019. Individuals involved in all aspects of major sports should benefit from this revenue increase. This should put sports management professionals very much in demand.
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