Sport Business Foundations

Most people want to work in a career they are passionate about which is what draws many people to the highly competitive field of sport business, or what is commonly known as sports management. This course is rooted in traditional business foundations as they apply to the sport business realm and is taught by professionals who are all working in, or have worked in, the sport business field in connection to sports teams, sporting events, and athletic administration.

This course is an introduction to career opportunities and pathways, professional development, and opportunities within the sport management field, and is the first course in a professional certificate in sport business management. (It is not, however, a standalone sport management program or sports management degree program.)

Course participants will learn about the complexity and intricacies within the landscape of the sports industry. Professional Sports, International sport, collegiate sport, and interscholastic sport will all be covered. Students will explore their own interests and strengths to create a baseline understanding of the sports industry as a whole and set the stage for a career path to sports management jobs such as sports agents, account managers, public relations, event coordinators, marketing managers, operations managers, sales representatives, athletic directors and more.

Primary focus of the coursework is on introducing:

• Segments of the sports industry such as professional sports teams and franchises, sports leagues, collegiate, and high school and youth sports.

• Career concentration areas within the sport management field such as sales, sponsorship, sport marketing, facility management, sport administration and governance, and event management and event planning.

• Real-world strategies for professional development and networking

• Compare and contrast skills in various segments of the sport industry

• Identify common places where you can find jobs in the sport industry

• Apply networking and professional development techniques for breaking into the sport management field

• Discuss future trends in the sport industry

WEEK 1: Outline and segments of the sports industry

• Overview

• History

• Segments of the Industry

  • Facilities

  • Events

  • Marketing/Sponsorships

  • Sales

  • Legal Aspects

  • PR/Communications/Broadcasting

  • Sport Management (coaching, front office)

WEEK 2: Structure of the sports industry in the US

• Collegiate Sports

• Professional Sports

• International Sports

• Youth/Interscholastic Sports

WEEK 3: Professional development in the sports industry

• Conferences and professional organizations

• Mentors and finding mentorship sources

• Informational interviews

• Common job boards

WEEK 4: Current trends and challenges in the sports industry

• Big-data, AI, and wearable technology

• Digital and social issues in sport organizations

• Multi-layered sponsorship and partnerships