Sports management degrees essentially cover any career in sports that that does not involve being a player or a coach. If you live and breathe sports and want to make your love and hobby a career, then likely you will be pursuing a degree in sports management. While sports management includes working with professional athletes or working for pro teams, the world of sports does not revolve around professional athletes, and there are many other choices available to you. This is a good thing, because working for a professional team or with professional athletes is a very highly competitive industry that requires a lot of networking and time to work your way up to an esteemed position. If that’s your goal, it is achievable, but it will take significant time and effort. For those who just love sports in general and want to work with athletes, many other opportunities exist.
Many in the industry work with high school or college level athletes, clubs, and school athletic programs. Others work with recreation centers or private leagues. Still others contribute to the sports industry through marketing companies. A graduate of a degree in Sports Management can be an agent for a professional athlete, an athletic director for a high school, college, or private league, or provide marketing or administrative assistance to a variety of sports and athletic programs.
Online sports management degrees are becoming a very popular way to get your education, while still retaining the ability to have a flexible schedule and move at your own pace. Some programs will require a period of internship, that most often cannot be satisfied online, but the rest of the classes can be taken online. While there are associate level programs, most employers will require you to have a bachelor level education for all but the most entry level positions.
When choosing an online program, it is important to make sure it is accredited. Most schools will list their accreditation on their website. Many of the classes you take will be very similar to those required for a business administration degree, but the focus of these classes are on their relation to the sports industry. Thus, an accounting class, marketing class, economics class, etc. will have a marked focus on this particular industry. Since the degree programs are so similar to a business administration degree, it is common that a bachelor degree in business administration will be a suitable prerequisite for a master level degree in sports management.
A degree in sports management is choice that will provide plenty of exciting opportunity in the future. Job prospects are positive, because the industry keeps growing and expanding. While certain sports, like football are stagnant, other sports like basketball and soccer are expanding, and demand for positions will likely continue to grow in the future. The availability of online degree programs makes getting your degree easier than ever, so there is no excuse to procrastinate. Get moving and start your future!
Become a Sports Manager by Obtaining Your Degree Online | Peterson’s Online Schools
