Careers In Sport Management

To many undergrads, the idea of building a career in sports management sounds ideal. And certainly, the excitement of working in professional sports is undeniable. At the same time, there's heavy competition for the high-profile jobs, and for most grads just out of school, working in sports management means starting at the bottom.

The sports industry in India and U.S. is amore $600-billion-plus powerhouse, with superstar athletes, lucrative endorsement deals, and all the free press an ego can handle. But if you're not the rare athlete who can hit a 93-mph fastball or sink a 15-foot jumper, how are you supposed to cash in on such a lucrative business?

There are jobs in the sports business that don't require sweating—marketing, philanthropy, graphic design, and sales are just a few. But there's increasing competition for these positions, with lawyers, communications majors, and business graduates all vying for the chance to share in some of the sports glamour. Which explains the popularity of the numerous undergraduate sport management at schools across the country.

Like any other field of study, there are variations in each school's program. Here's how to prepare yourself and what to look for when choosing an undergraduate sport management program.

THE RIGHT FRAME OF MIND

Sport management career is much more than a continual chat about the previous night's game. "This is not SportsCenter; this is much more. "It's very much about a series of conversations about management first and how it applies to the business of sports and how it fits into society."

Another misconception is the idea that a bachelor's or even a master's degree in sport management will quickly land you the position of general manager with the Kolkata night riders. "One does not become a GM of a major league team simply by going to school and learning stuff in a classroom," said Paul Swangard, managing director of the University of Oregon's Warsaw Sports Marketing Center.

"The nature of Sport industry requires not only book smarts, but street smarts."

In other words, don't bank on running your own franchise right out of college or even in your lifetime. Stick to your fantasy league instead.

INTERNSHIPS AND NETWORKING

Because of the high competition for many sport management jobs, the ability of a program to provide networking and internship experience is crucial. "Five years ago, many thought if they got a degree in sport management that was their ticket to work in professional sports, in the four major sports leagues (football, Cricket, formula 1, basketball, hockey)," said Michael Mondello, associate professor of sport management at Florida State University. "But now they realize that those jobs are few and far between, and the turnover is small."