Sports MBA

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Sports management careers allow sports fans to earn a living by participating in the business aspects of sports. Sports managers are a key factor in ensuring that sports organizations operate smoothly. While there are other sports management graduate degree options (including an MA or an MS in sports management), a sports MBA gives candidates more flexibility. Read on for information about the sports management field and sports MBA programs.

What is Sports Management

Sports management looks at the business foundations of sports, including the ways that sports and business interact and ways to make those interactions more profitable and beneficial for everyone involved. Indisiplinary in nature, sports management incorporates elements of law, economics, psychology, accounting, marketing, accouting and communications. In addition to teaching about sports themselves, sports management also looks at the psychological principles behind the sports industry and the role of sports play in our society (pun not intended). The business theories and practices addressed in a sports MBA program include finance, management skills, marketing strategies, sales and leadership.

The sports industry is a big business in the United States. According to Plunkett Research, sports was a $422 billion industry in the US in 2011, with a total of $27.8 spent on US sports advertising. Sports managers are responsible for making it so players, fans, coaches, and financial backers can all get along. Since sports management is such a broad field, a sports MBA can provide you with many sports-related career choices. It can also help you stand out from other applicants, since sports is such a popular industry in the US.

Sports Management Careers

Sports MBAs work in many different fields, including the branding and marketing of pro sports, sports apparel, college athletics, as well as sports-related non-profits. MBAs are in demand at college and pro sports teams, because a business background can easily be applied to PR, marketing, ticket sales advertising and team management. Just don't expect to make the same salary as an athlete. Sports managers, even those with MBAs do not tend to be very highly paid.

Popular job titles for sports MBAs are sports program director, sports agent, sports business manager, and sports marketer. Sports program directors work at schools, gyms and athletic clubs to coordinate sports activities and administrative programs. Sports agents manage the career of an athlete, discussing contracts and providing advice. Sports business managers are responsible for ensuring that stores are staffed and that employees are properly trained. Sports marketers sell their team to manufacturers, financial backers and fans.

Sports MBA Programs

You will have the best chance of landing a sports management job if you get your MBA from a top or second-tier business school. AACSB-accredited schools have more serious programs and look better to potential employers. You will probably have to get into a schools general MBA program first, however, before you can apply for the sports management MBA program. Here are some examples of AACSB-accredited schools with sports MBA programs:

Florida Atlantic University, College of Business

Florida Atlantic's Sports Management MBA program is designed for those who want to work as sports managers or executives. Students must work in a sports related job or internship while in the program.

UNC Charlotte, Belk College of Business

The Sports Management and Marketing Concentration allows UNC Charlotte students to take electives related to the business aspects of sports. Students can also participate in a sports-related internship.

George Washington University School of Business

George Washington University has 3 MBA programs that offer a sports focus: the Global MBA Program, Professional MBA Program and the Accelerated MBA Program.

UMass Amherst Isenberg School of Business

Isenberg offers an MS/MBA degree in Sports Management through the Mark H. McCormack Department of Sport Management.

NYU, Stern School of Business

Stern students can take sports management courses through the Entertainment, Media & Technology Specialization Program.