Have you considered taking your passion for sports and business thinking to a level where you can actually pursue a successful career out of it? You don’t need to be athletically gifted to take up a career in sports management.
With the emergence of the Indian sports industry as a key player in global markets, the scope of Sports Management jobs in India is rising significantly. Don’t you think then now is the right time to follow your dreams in the world of sports business?
To this day, many find sports management interesting but how many are thinking of making a career in it? Not many.
You may ask why!
Well, the reasons are many. But one of the major reasons is, not having enough information about sports management jobs and how to go about a career in this field. This blog is going to take you through the major aspects of sports management and how you can plan for an exciting future in this career field.
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Before we go on to explore various career opportunities in Sports Management in India, let’s understand what exactly Sports Management is.
What is Sports Management?
Sports Management involves the management of all the business-related matters related to sports. Sports Management involves handling all the administrative aspects of sports teams, sports clubs, athletes, sportspersons, sports venues, and sports events. Sports Management is required at all levels where sports are played – from schools to colleges and from local, national to international levels.
Sports management offers roles for individuals in diverse areas and functionalities. Therefore, if you wish to go for a career in sports management, you may explore functional areas/roles such as:
Sports Marketing – marketing of sporting events, leagues, competitions, etc. to ensure ticket sales, television viewership, viewership on online media, etc.
Sports Analyst – Sports Analysts are specialists who analyze various aspects of sports performances – of individual sportspersons, teams, and clubs. Sports Analysts often predict the likely outcome of a match; they do competitor analysis; they advise sports coaches and support staff members.
Sports Agent – Sports agents represent sportspersons to clubs and teams. They negotiate the contracts with the clubs or teams on behalf of the sportspersons. They manage all the business and financial matters of sportspersons. They represent the sportspersons to various organizations such as advertisers who want the sportspersons to endorse their products, etc.
Sports Sponsorship, Marketing, and Merchandising – getting sponsorships for sporting events, marketing, and sales of merchandise such as team jerseys, caps a sports team’s logo, posters, and various other memorabilia.
Sports finance & business operations – managing collections from sponsorships, ticket sales, merchandise sales, etc., and managing all accounting and financial operations.
Sports Communication (press and media) – managing relationships with the media; sports commentary; sports journalism.
Sports Facility Management – management of the various aspects of sports stadium and other venue management.
Sports Event Management – management of various sporting events and sports promotional events.
Why a career in Sports Management?
According to FICCI- International Institute of Sports Management knowledge report, there will be a sharp increase in the number of job opportunities in the sports sector by the year 2022. Moreover, India has been identified as the key player in the sports market and is set to hold more international championships.
A whopping 19% increase in the demand for professionals in the sports industry is indicated in the upcoming years. Therefore, if you are planning for a career in Sports Management, then you need to know more about the scope of sports management jobs in India.
How to Pursue?
After graduation with any subject, you can pursue higher studies such as MBA in Sports Management or other Master's level degree courses in Sports Management. There are colleges and institutes offering MBA programs for sports management, for which prerequisites are to clear the common entrance exams or the admission tests in these respective colleges.
You may also do a diploma or a certificate course in this field mentioned below.
List of top 10 job opportunities in Sports Management in India
Many exciting career options are waiting for you! Below is a list of top sports management jobs which you can pursue after completing your MBA in Sports Management or other sports management courses in India:
Sports Marketing and Sponsorship Manager – responsible for marketing sports events, leagues, tournaments, etc. to potential sponsors and getting sponsorships.
Sports Development Manager – responsible for promoting sports activities among schools and college students; organizing various sports events for schools and colleges.
Figure 1: Sports Management Jobs – at a glance
Sports Event Manager – Sports Event Organizer plans, manages, and organizes sporting events for raising brand awareness or for promoting teams or team players.
Sports Analyst – Sports Analysts are hired by sports teams and clubs to analyze the performance of individual players, teams, clubs, competing teams, etc. to help sports coaches and support staff to improve sports performance.
Sports Analyst for media companies – Sports Analysts are hired by various print and audio-visual media (TV channels) as well as online media to analyze various aspects of a match, sporting performances of teams, clubs, individual sportspersons, etc.
Sports Communication Manager – A Sports Communication / Advertising Manager is responsible for handling all the media and communication requirements for sports teams and individual sportspersons, especially sport celebrities.
Sports Sponsoring, Partnerships, and Merchandising Manager – Managers involved in sponsorships, partnerships, and merchandise assistance. They manage and maintain partnerships with other brands for building and networking brand awareness or promoting teams.
Sports Consultant – Sports Consultants are experts working for professional athletes, sports teams, and sports organizations. They offer consultancy services ranging from corporate sponsorships of major sporting events and helping teams and team players build and gain endorsement deals and contracts etc.
Sports Operations Manager – Sports Operations Managers are involved in the planning and implementation of sports leagues, competitions, or tournament operations.
Sports Equipment Manager – Sports Equipment Managers are involved in the maintenance, ordering, and stocking of athletic equipment and apparel (gears and other accessories needed by players).
4 Best Career Options after MBA in Sports Management Degree
Figure 2: Career Options after MBA in Sports Management Degree
MBA in Sports Management in India offers a number of career options for students both in sports and other areas of business. You may find jobs in any of the above-mentioned positions. But you might still be wondering about the careers which have the best future. Let us look at the most sought after careers in Sports Management:
Sports Manager: Many companies involved in sports development, sporting equipment manufacturing, and similar areas recruit Sports Managers. Some professional sports clubs and teams also recruit.
Sports Analyst: Many media companies covering sports recruit analysts for live match analysis as well as analysis of various sports clubs and sportspersons’ performances.
Sports Marketer: Many companies involved in sports development, sports marketing, and sporting event management recruit Sports Managers.
Sports Event Coordinator: Companies involved in sporting event management recruit Sports Event Coordinators.
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Top Diploma & Certificate courses in Sports Management in India
Advanced Diploma in Cricket Management
Advanced Diploma in Football Management
Advanced Diploma in Sports Business
Certified Sports Manager
Executive Diploma in Sports Management
PG Diploma in Sports Management
Top Degree Programs in Sports Management
B.Sc. in Sports Management
MBA in Sports Management
Master of Science in Sports Management
MS in Sports Analytics and Management
Master of Professional Studies in Sports Industry Management
Top 5 Institutes offering Sports Management courses in India
IISWBM – Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management
International Institute of Sports Management, (IISM)
Symbiosis School of Sports Science
National Academy of Sports Management
National Sports University
How to Pursue a Career in Sports Management abroad?
There are a number of career opportunities available if one wishes to study abroad. There are several graduate and postgraduate courses in sports management to choose from.
A student looking for sports management jobs in the United States may get to work for professional programs like the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey League (NHL), and other famous sports associations organizations. Moreover, after completing graduation, students may find work in areas such as marketing, business administration, economics, accounting, and law.
You can choose to work in major and minor leagues, universities, talent agencies, and PR firms for sports with a degree abroad. Countries like the U.K. Australia, U.S.A. provide good courses on sports management. Some of which are mentioned below.
Best 6 International Colleges offering MBA in Sports Management
Some of the universities abroad where you can pursue Sports management as bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. programs are:
International Academy of Sport Science and Technology (AISTS)- Website Link
George Washington University School of Business- Website Link
San Diego State University – Website Link
KEDGE Business School- Website Link
EU Business School- Website Link
Global Institute of Sports Business- Website Link
Top 15 Recruiters in Sports Management
If you are going to pursue MBA in Sports Management, it is important to know who the top recruiters in this field are. Sports management jobs offered by top organizations/ sports consultancy firms/ sports channels/ sports news channels/ sports merchandise and other organizations are:
Star Sports
Zee – Ten Sports
ESPN
JSW Sports
Decathlon India
OGQ
SportsWise India
Go Sports Foundation
CEAT
IMG
DNA Networks
Sports Interactive
Pitch Vision
XLR8
Edusports
Conclusion:
Sports Management in India is at grassroots levels and requires talented professionals to lead the Indian sports industry. If you are still not sure whether to go for an MBA in Sports Management or other Sports Management courses in India, then you can talk to expert career counselors and get unbiased guidance and take the right step towards a career in sports…
