How to Start Your Career in Sports Management - CareerAlley

How to Start Your Career in Sports Management - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. The sports industry is booming Plunkett Research reports that it was worth $519.9 billion in the U.S. alone in 2017. And that prosperity isnt just benefiting athletes. Every winning team or star player has a whole host of other professionals backing them up, and even minor league, amateur, collegiate and youth sports teams, events and athletes need professional support from fitness directors, coaches, event coordinators, sales reps and others. The sports industry is going strong, and thats great news if youre interested in a career in it. Athletes arent the only ones who are drawing paychecks in this industry Tweet This So, there are plenty of jobs in the sports industry, even if you arent cut out to be a professional athlete. But how can you start your career in sports management? First, youll need the right education. Then, youll need to focus on cultivating the right personal and professional traits and skills and working your magic to get your foot in the door at your very first career-track job. Get Qualified If you want to start a career in sports management, you need to get educated. Many positions in sports management require both knowledge of the sports management field and another skill set, such as marketing, communications, sales or analytics. While you may not need a masters degree for some positions, its a good idea for most, especially if you want to pursue one of the fields flashier career tracks, such as general manager of a professional sports team. Without the right connections or credentials, the high-growth field of sport management can be particularly difficult to break into or advance in, often requiring one long night after another with no promise of promotion. But, as a lifelong pastime of yours, isnt it worth finding a way to enter and excel in the industry of sports? ku.edu Because so many sports management career tracks require a specific skill set in addition to field-specific skills and knowledge, its a good idea to combine a relevant bachelors degree with a masters degree in sports management. For example, lets say you want to pursue a career in sports marketing, where your primary responsibilities will involve marketing an athletes, teams or sports companys brand. You may want to combine a bachelors in marketing with a masters in sports management. Or, lets say youre interested in a career in inside sales. These are great entry-level positions for young people hoping to break into the sports management field. You might consider a bachelors in business administration to build your negotiation and business skills, followed by a masters in sports management. Suppose youre more interested in sports public relations you might combine a bachelors in communications, English or journalism with a masters in sports management. You get the idea. Cultivate the Right Traits and Skills As with any career field, youll do best if you cultivate the right traits and skills before starting your career track. Youll need strong time management and organization skills for most roles in the field because you might find yourself juggling a lot of responsibility, especially in roles like a sports agent, general manager, coach or event coordinator. Youll also need a strong eye for detail, especially in a high-responsibility role. Photo by chuttersnap on Unsplash No matter what role you ultimately pursue, written and oral communication skills are a must because youll spend much of your workday interacting with and influencing others. Whether youre trying to develop a new players talent, trying to sell season tickets to a church group or trying to run damage control with the press when an athletes personal scandal goes public, youll need to be able to communicate well. Get Your First Job When it comes to getting your first job, creativity is essential to get your foot in the door. Hiring managers often only interview candidates who demonstrate creativity in their resumes and application materials because creativity is such an essential trait for most professionals in the field. But, theres good news thanks to recent trends in the industry, theres no better time to get a job in the sports management field or to nurture career growth if youre already working in the industry. As you search for a job, remember how small the industry is and be careful not to hurt anyones feelings or annoy anyone. Try to find out as much as you can about a position through informal means, such as contacts, colleagues, recruiters, and your own research, before deciding whether to pursue it. This way, you dont leave people feeling strung along and resentful in a way that could come back to haunt you later. The sports industry is going strong, and thats great news if youre interested in a career in it. Athletes arent the only ones who are drawing paychecks in this industry; there are plenty of opportunities for everyone, and a degree in sports management can help you take advantage of them. Principles and Practice of Sport Management Price: $79.70 Principles and Practice of Sport Management provides students with the foundation they need to prepare for a variety of sport management careers. Intended for use in introductory sport management courses at the undergraduate level. Buy Now from Amazon We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you. Last Updated: March 2, 2020 What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to identify and land your dream job. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search