Sports Management Degree Program Guide

A sports management bachelor’s degree can prepare you for exciting job opportunities on the business side of the sports industry. The field is growing quickly, with an annual growth rate of 9% — and the sports industry’s revenue is expected to grow to over $680 billion by 2028. Read on to learn more about sports management programs and the potential careers and salaries.

In a bachelor’s of sports management degree program, you’ll develop foundational knowledge in areas such as economics, accounting, public relations, and law, as well as entrepreneurship, media, and analytics. This coursework will prepare you to work successfully in leadership positions in the sports industry. Graduates of sports management bachelor’s programs can work in various roles, such as athletic directors, sports lawyers, corporate partnerships managers, and operations managers.These programs tend to last four years, though some schools offer accelerated programs, allowing students to earn their degrees in 2-3 years.

Common specializations for sports management bachelor degrees include analytics, event management, sports law, sports technology, sports marketing, and entrepreneurship. Some sample courses you may find in a bachelor of sports management degree program include the following:

This course examines marketing and communications in relation to the sports industry to gain an understanding of sports marketing and communications at all levels of sports management.

This course explores techniques used to sell and generate revenue in sports business cycles. It is designed to teach you the current practices and trends in global sports media and give broad overviews of the key principles, organizational structures, and economic facts about the sports world.

This course gives a deep overview of ethical issues and legal principles used in sports. You’ll explore and identify various issues that include labor law, athlete representation, and salary cap administration.

This course goes over the business aspects of hosting major sporting events. This includes the World Cup, the Olympics, and the Super Bowl. You’ll also find opportunities to examine theory and policy analysis.

Curious about how to get a sports management degree? Keep reading to learn how long these programs take and how to apply to a sports management degree program.

A sports management bachelor’s degree traditionally involves four years of study. Most programs require students to complete 120 credits of coursework for a bachelor’s degree. Accelerated programs can shorten this time frame through summer courses, condensed coursework, and by letting students transfer credits between schools. There are a variety of online sports management bachelor’s degree programs that only take 2-3 years to complete.

To apply for a sports management degree program, you’ll need a high school diploma or GED, and you’ll need to meet your desired program’s minimum GPA requirements, typically between 2.5 to 3.0. Students are also required to complete a certain number of general education credits, which may include coursework in social sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, as well as the humanities and fine arts.

Common application materials you may need to submit include:

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that tuition at public, in-state universities costs $9,750, while private institutions cost $35,248 for the 2022-2023 academic school year.

To give you some real-world tuition rates, Franklin University’s bachelor’s in sport management program costs $398 per credit for a total of 120 credit hours, or nearly $48,000 per academic year.

At Bowling Green State University, you’d pay $24,936 if you’re an Ohio resident and $32,924.40 if you’re from a different state. Ashland University charges $960 per credit or $31,210 per year for their bachelor’s programs.

Are you wondering about the different types of careers within sports management? Read on to learn what jobs await you after you earn a sports management bachelor’s degree as well as how much money you can expect to make after you graduate.

A sports management bachelor’s degree can open diverse career pathways in sports industry business settings. You could work in sports promotions as a sports marketing manager or plan and manage competitions and events as an event coordinator.

There are a variety of sport management careers, including sports data analysts, who use data to help teams improve performance, and sports agents, who represent athletes in contract negotiations.

As a sports accountant, you can manage payroll and budgets for sports teams. Or you could work as an athletic director, overseeing athletic programs in academic institutions.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), sports management fields are growing steadily. Sports agents are projected to grow 7% and marketing managers are projected to grow by 8%.

With a degree in sports management you can earn around $50,000 to $99,883, depending on your career path. For instance, careers as sport agents or athletic directors can earn up to around $70,000 while operations managers rake in almost $74,000. Take a look at the table below to learn how much you can earn with a sports management degree.

After you earn a bachelor’s in sports management, you can pursue an advanced degree such as a master’s degree in sports management or the master’s in business administration with a sports management focus. Related degrees include sports journalism and media, sports medicine, sports marketing and promotions, health and nutrition, kinesthesis, and psychophysiology.

Once you’ve gained work experience, either through an internship or entry-level job, you can enhance your credentials with professional certifications such as the Certified Sports Events Executive (CSEE). You could also join professional organizations like the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO).