What is sports management?

The sports industry has continued to grow over the past decades thanks to investment in infrastructure, the arrival and impact of marketing strategies, sponsorship and much more. Today, the sector is one of the most important in the world in employment, resource generation, and benefits. To ensure that organisations, clubs, federations and other institutions continue growing, another sector has emerged in recent years: sports management.

In this post, we’re going to cover what sports administration is, as well as some of the latest trends in this exciting sector that evolves year after year. And if you’re passionate about a career in sports, you should consider Universidad Europea’s Sports Management Degree or the MBA Sports Management.

Sports management: definition

Sports management focuses directly on the sports and recreation sector. It’s a broad field that covers topics such as sports facility administration, finance, law and ethics.

What you can do with a sports management degree depends on the type of career you’re interested in. The possibilities range from working directly with athletes, coaches and organisations to working as a promoter, marketing director or sports economist.

There are many different aspects of sports management. People interested in the financial and economic side of the world of sports should consider focusing their studies on finance and other related topics. Similarly, sports managers interested in working for international sporting organisations should take courses like international marketing.

What sports management is all about

As we mentioned previously, sports management is a wide-ranging sector that covers several subjects. Below, we’re going to provide a few key aspects of sports management:

• Organisation and administration of athletes, teams, events and facilities
• Finance and budget control
• Marketing and promotion for teams, events and facilities
• Sponsorship contract negotiation
• Marketing and promotion campaign development
• Scheduling, logistics and project management
• Compliance with sports law safety regulations
• Remaining up to date with sports technology advances and evolution

Trends in sports management and administration

Similar to other sectors, sports management is in constant evolution, keeping pace with new demands from fans and businesses alike. The sector must also stay up to date with the technologies on offer, as they can help improve in areas ranging from public relations and analytics to security and fan experience.

Some of the latest trends in the field of sports management include:

• Technology integration: These days, there are multiple platforms that allow teams and brands to speak directly to fans and clients on the market. From live streaming to social media, technology is important for successful marketing. Leveraging content, enhancing messages and distributing content across multiple platforms is key for any marketing strategy. Plus, advanced tech can gather large amounts of data, which is useful for sports-management professionals. A sports director's role is to be aware of the changing trends and take advantage of new technologies as they emerge.
• Equality advocacy: By using inclusive messaging, building diverse groups and communities, and developing and enforcing policies that prohibit harassment, sports teams and brands can advocate for egalitarian environments that elevate their brands. These topics are important for fans, athletes and other professionals. Sports managers help develop inclusion policies and foster inviting voices that make the world of sport safe, productive and open for all.
• Fan experience improvement: The experience of attending a major sporting event is an important aspect for sports managers to keep in mind. In collaboration with marketing teams and other professionals, sports managers focus on bringing fans to the stadium to see the sport in a new light. This goes hand-in-hand with the evolution of technology in sport, which is why we are seeing more Smart Stadiums. This includes ultra-high-speed connectivity in the next generation of tech created to improve fan experience.

If you’re interested in diving into the world of sport and acquiring the knowledge necessary to become a leader in the field, we also offer the MBA Sports Management Online or a Master in Sports Marketing. Whatever programme you choose, at Universidad Europea and the Real Madrid Graduate School – Universidad Europea, you will have the chance to learn from the very best – directors and professionals at the club and other leading sports figures.