Sports management is a diverse field, and different certifications will help graduates establish a solid career track. In most cases, a bachelor’s degree related to sports, sports health, business and marketing are the basic prerequisites for gaining a foothold in this field. The practicum, internship or capstone project requirements provide excellent opportunities to explore this field, but it is also possible to prepare for a career by earning certifications. Some sports management professionals may choose to earn certificates to enhance their credentials and gain more specialized knowledge and skills in their chosen field.
Certificate in Sports Marketing
Sports management is essentially a marketing business. The clients, whether individual athletes, teams or facility owners, require some branding and packaging strategies to create an image that appeals to the public. A certificate in this field will help the sports manager in creating, implementing and assessing marketing strategies that will turn clients into relatable brands. The wider the appeal, the greater the chances that such an appeal will convert to ticket sales, hefty endorsements and more public adulation. Sports franchises understand the need to make sure that athletes and teams are always on the good side of ticket and team merchandise buyers.
Certificate in Facilities and Special Events Management
The management of sports facilities and special events may seem like disparate fields, but it is logical to treat these skill sets together because every sports event needs an appropriate venue for the event to happen. A certificate in sports facility management involves learning the logistics of event planning as well as budgeting, purchasing and security considerations. Event planning requires the same skill sets as they apply to coordinate the event itself to ensure compliance with the expectations of clients and the public.
Certificate in Sports Management and Digital Media
Radio and television broadcasting have been part of the sports industry for a long time. These communications channels allow athletes and sports teams to broadcast sporting events live or as delayed telecast, allowing fans to be part of the event and ensuring their continued loyalty in the process. Technology has expanded broadcast media into the internet through video streaming, live blogging and podcasts. These are channels that allow more meaningful interface with fans while creating new revenue models for teams and sponsors. The sports management professional can train to be a content producer, broadcaster or digital marketer.
Related Resource: Top 13 Best Sport Management Master’s Degree Programs
Certificate in Sports Analytics and Big Data
Successful sports franchises and teams rely on support from fans and corporate sponsors to drive revenue needed for salaries, facility leases, administrative costs and other expenses. The task of monitoring public response and profitability has become easier with various applications that make it possible to monitor player performances, fan behavior and other marketing stimuli. The vast amount of data that can be collected and analyzed have been useful in driving decision-making for sports entities. According to Forbes, big data analyses are useful whether the sports manager is dealing with a small or large sporting event, local or international teams or athletes and in any type of venue.
Sports management may be generalized where one becomes a jack-of-all task, but developing the skills needed for specialized expertise in a specific niche in the industry may be a better approach. This can be accomplished by earning certifications in sports management that provide opportunities to learn specialized skills and knowledge. Depending on the prerequisites of the program, certifications may be earned while completing a bachelor’s degree or as a continuing education program to enhance existing skills or to ease the transition to a new career.
Related Resource: Can I Earn a Specialized Sports Marketing Degree?
