Sports, as an overall industry, is on the rise in India. Sports Management, therefore, becomes one of the few fields of MBA that promises a lucrative job offer, a promising future, and most importantly, the security of a job, since this line of work is here to stay.
One of the main reasons for this jump in sports revenues and the job demands is the birth of numerous sports leagues in India. Ever since the inception of IPL in 2008, several more leagues have been established across sports, such as badminton (PBL), Kabaddi (PKL), hockey (HIL), and football (ISL). Each league has multiple teams, and each of those teams requires dedicated sports managers by their side.
Jobs such as Sports Marketing Managers, Sports General Managers, Sports Public Relations, Facilities Managers, and many more are rising in a geometric progression.
Sports Management is one of the most lucrative and sought-after jobs in the world right now. Their demand is only rising and will likely not decline. Moreover, rising sports like Pickleball, Formula Kite, and E-Sports will create a market of their own.
Sports Management has a variety of functions, and each aspect of it contributes towards the overall development of the field. It deals with the business side of sports.
An MBA in Sports Management equips students with the strategic planning, organization, management, and administration around a sport and its players. It also involves marketing and promotion of events and negotiating with potential clients and sponsors.
5 Key Functions of Sports Management
The key functions of Sports Management can be broken down into 5 essential steps. Here they are:
1. Planning
Sports Managers are in charge of achieving the objectives for the sports organization and managing its events. For that, they need to set goals and objectives and set action plans accordingly. Therefore, planning becomes an utmost necessity for any Sports Manager.
2. Organizing
After planning, different Sports Management professionals are also in charge of organizing an event. From matches to tournaments to fund-raiser events to charity matches to social media work to brands and endorsements to any other event, Sports Managers take care of them.
3. Leading
Besides setting organizational goals and carving out a path to achieve it, it is also imperative upon Sports Managers to fuel the entire organization or group to achieve it collectively. This shows leadership and management skills. They motivate individuals towards achieving organizational goals, which in turn fosters a positive and productive work environment.
4. Controlling
Monitoring performances, identifying deviations from planned goals, bringing the whole team in line with organization policy and vision, taking corrective measures to ensure that the organization is on track, are just some of the controlling measures a Sports Manager takes.
5. Evaluation
This involves assessing the organization’s effectiveness. Sports Managers assess every event, identify areas of improvements, and make necessary adjustments to ensure future success.
How to Start a Career in Sports Management?
To become a Sports Management professional, one has to pursue a bachelor’s course or master’s course or both in this field. A student could pursue a BBA in Sports Management after passing Class 12 with 50% or more marks across academics.
After graduating with a BBA in Sports Management, he/she can further pursue an MBA in sports management, the same field. This will improve their specialization skills, make them industry-ready, and qualify them for more lucrative jobs.
Very few institutes like MBA ESG, ISBR Bengaluru School or Symbiosis International University, for example, provide a comprehensive course in Sports Management. MBA ESG offers a carefully designed course syllabus that is completely geared toward industry needs. It helps an individual easily jump from their curriculum to the corporate world without being burdened or overwhelmed by the demands of the industry. The faculty member group here is also comprised of industry experts.
MBA ESG also provides a healthy starting package of somewhere around INR 7-10 LPA, which is considerably higher than the average starting package of many Sports Management graduates in India. Companies like GOSPORTS, LACOSTE, SPORTS4ALL, WELLS FARGO, MPL, etc., are all active recruiters in this program.
To conclude, a career in Sports Management is always a lucrative and passion-filled one. It is only growing in India, and hence, the scope of jobs in India will only increase in time. Either way, a Sports Management professional will have to comply with the aforementioned functions to be successful and thrive at their job.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the role of a sports manager?
A Sports Manager’s role mainly involves planning, organizing, and managing various sports events. They deal with the business side of sports events. Management activities like event management, financial management, facility management, etc., are part of a Sports Manager’s job description. Negotiation, Training, Sponsorship, and Liasoning are also some other roles a Sports Manager does.
2. What Skills are Required in Sports Management?
Leadership, Communication, Business, and Analytical Skills are some of the important skills required to be a Sports Manager. Strong organizational skills and problem-solving abilities are also essential in Sports Management.
3. What are some career opportunities in sports management?
Sports Marketing Manager, Sports General Manager, Sports Public Relations, Sports Financial Analyst, Sports Agents, Sports Information Director, Sports Event Manager, Facilities Manager, Athletic Directors, Business Managers of Athletes, and Computer Systems Analyst are some of the career opportunities in Sports Management.
4. How does sports management impact athletes?
Sports Management tremendously benefits athletes in more ways than one. Every athlete has a representation for them; they have their agents, and they are guided properly about their actions in any sporting organization, courtesy of sports managers. Sports Managers are the reason athletes need not worry about anything else besides playing their game. The logistics, the marketing, and every other managerial task are handled by different sports management professionals. Therefore, it has significantly benefitted an athlete’s life.
5. How is technology shaping modern sports management?
Technology is optimizing athletes’ performance, eliminating more and more mistakes in the game and reducing the scope of errors, providing athletes with pre-conceived insights about their oppositions, and overall improving the health of the sport and sport management. It has also influenced sports and sports management from the viewing perspective.
