Careers in Sports

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Holding a Bachelor's degree in Sport Administration or Management opens the door to a number of entry-level business opportunities and various roles within the athletic department or team franchise. This could be through administration roles for running the facility or in front office management. This can also focus on team-based positions in coaching, training, and medication.

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Career Pathways with a Bachelors degree in Sports

Athletic Trainer

This role specifies in keeping players healthy and in proper shape to compete at their optimal potential. They may develop a specific exercise pattern and keep track of nutrition to aid players in this process. When dealing with injuries, they also may help the athlete return to the field through a rehabilitation process.

Event Management

Within event management, professionals are tasked with ensuring that games and other non-athletic events are scheduled properly and run without issues. They have responsibilities in checking the facility meets all regulations for safety and protocols for particular events. Another form of event management is being a lead manager for a conference or league and communicating with other leaders that operate their facility.

Ticket Operations

These roles manage the distribution of tickets for university athletics or stadium/arena events. They oversee allocation of tickets for specific groups, such as an opponent’s fanbase or specific seating locations. In addition, they may have responsibility in processing payments for tickets and working with individuals that are running into issues or have questions.

Player Representative

Also known as player agents, these roles represent professional athletes and negotiate with teams on contract terms and salaries. Players are given single or multi-year contracts to play on teams, and agents try to receive the best value for the athletes they represent. They may also work with college players with an interest and/or hold interest from teams, but agents must be knowledgeable of various NCAA rules in doing so.

Athletic Director

Acting as an athletic director of educational intuitions of every level demands expertise in communication and decision-making. The athletic director plays a role in every decision of budgeting, marketing, facility and event management, competitive season, and infrastructure changes. Moreover, the athletic director oversees and highly influences the recruitment of coaches and other athletic staff. Many people recognize the athletic director as the “face” of a school’s athletic department.

Athletic Operations Director

An Athletic Operations Director’s expertise is the management and coordination of many moving people and parts. This includes developing and maintaining relationships with community partners that can supply resources such as seating, tents, food, and medical care. Operations Directors are responsible for all logistics as well, from event schedule and execution to coordinating visiting teams’ housing and transportation. Delegation and communication are at the cornerstone of an Athletic Operations Director’s strengths.

Sport Marketing and Communication Specialist

The Sport Marketing and Communication Specialist designs and executes the “voice” of the organization. They are responsible for communicating with sport journalists, ensuring that the sport organizations’ perspective is heard loud and clear. They also work closely with the finance department to drive consumer engagement and generate revenue through social media strategy and event planning.

Recreation and Wellness Director

The Recreation and Wellness Director oftentimes works at a private fitness center or organization to encourage physical activity within a community. Event management, consumer engagement strategy, and passion for fitness are key components of working in this role. This is also a great option if students have an interest in nonprofit organizations that promote healthy lifestyles.

Ticket Sales Manager

The Ticket Sales manager coordinates revenue generation and manages fan loyalty programs. They are passionate about growth of the sports organization and work closely with the finance team and communication teams. The Ticket Sales Manager also has the potential to grow in other areas of sport organizations because of their collaboration with many different departments in the organization.

Player Development Coordinator

A Player Development Coordinator is responsible for the wellness of every player in an organization on and off the field. When players transition onto a new team, it is the responsibility of the Player Development Coordinator to show them the unique schedule and processes in the new organization. The Player Development Coordinator is highly trusted by both players and coaches. Player Development Coordinators acts as a go-to consultant for coaches when they develop strategy for specific players or entire position groups.