An exciting new subcategory of business education is sports management, and many universities publish course curricula that show the types of courses you will take for an MBA in Sports Management. Business professionals who are also sports enthusiasts have seriously eyed the role of Sports Manager ever since seeing the film Jerry Maguire. However, only in recent years have business schools created a clear-cut academic track to help these people land their dream jobs. Here are some key course topics that are included in typical MBA in Sports Management degree programs.

Sports Communications

Most sports managers rely on good written and verbal communication skills to interact with a variety of stakeholders like clients, the media, coaches, team owners and sponsors. Even as aspiring sports managers, these business professionals must clearly communicate their positive attributes and skills to attract clients and be taken seriously by the truly heavy hitters in the sports industry. A good sports management university program gives students opportunities to hone their communication skills through interdisciplinary courses in Communication and Media that highlight the sports industry. The course is also great for those who want to specialize in sports broadcast journalism.

Sports Law

The subject of sports law is so extensive that some law schools have certificate programs just to cover regulatory issues pertaining to the sports industry. However, an MBA in Sports Management program will cover the relevant topics that a sports manager will need to know to protect their client’s interests. Some of the subjects include contract negotiation, enforcement of contracts, labor relations and league policy and decision making. According to the Houston Chronicle, some lawyers actually become sports agents or managers, because they know the legal aspects of the sports industry well enough to provide sound advantageous advice and recommendations that are within the legal bounds of the industry. Today’s students have numerous educational options available to them, and one includes dual degree programs that combine the MBA Sports Management program with a law degree.

Sports Marketing

Sports marketing courses focus on promoting and helping establish sports products and brands. Many sports marketing courses taught at the graduate level incorporate field work or case study projects that pair students with actual sports marketing agencies. Additionally, many sports management programs include an applied marketing research course that introduces students to the quantitative tools and analytical methods needed to make sound recommendations to sports industry executives. Depending on the quality of the Sports Management MBA program, many students gain valuable experience through internships with some of the biggest names in the sports industry.

Sports Economics and Finance

Sports managers and agents must understand the economic environment in which their client works to provide recommendations about labor contracts, salaries and endorsement opportunities. The typical MBA in Sports Management program offers courses that cover microeconomics and statistics before advancing to more specialized sports management economics subjects. Specialization topics in sports economics and finance cover issues like the establishment of ticket pricing, sport league policies and the financial impacts of collective bargaining processes.

Related Resources: International MBA

Conclusion

People with a background in business and who are passionate about athletics find the sports management career field ideal. They now have many educational options from which to choose and can readily answer the question about the types of courses you will take for an MBA in Sports Management.