Sports is more than playing on open ground or a court. You can be more than an athlete and pursue different careers. You can even earn a degree in this sector and find yourself in the middle of the action. If you have done some research, you can quickly get a master’s degree in sports. However, you need to know what kind of master program you should consider. Here’s a short guide to tell you:
What Is Sports Management?
If you choose to go into sports management, you will be working on the sport system’s business end. You will be responsible for marketing athletes, making sure tickets are getting widespread publicity, and finding sponsors. You can even work on developing a business relationship with the local communities and different sport managers.
Your job may also entail delving into an athlete’s organization’s finances. It is also essential to know that sports teams also operate as a franchise and while they play sports they also want to sell products.
What is Sports Administration?
As a sports administrator, you will focus on the management of athletes and their development. This side of the sports industry has team managers, coaches, and agents. As a sports administrator, you will manage rosters, signing new talent, and representing athletes. You will help athletes reach their maximum potential by assisting them to develop personally and professionally.
However, whether you choose to be a sports administrator or a sports manager, both professionals work closely together to cultivate an encouraging environment for athletes and connect with their fans.
Therefore, you should study each master’s program thoroughly, and you should observe what part of sports inclines you the most. It would also help you do a masters in athletic administration online instead of joining a college. In either case, you will end up with the skills and knowledge you need to be an essential member of the sports industry.
What Can I Do With A Sports Management Degree?
If you get a career in sport management, you can attract professionals who wish to work with athletes. Your degree will be vital as you will learn about finances, marketing, and business. Here are several careers you can pursue:
1. Athletics Administrator. As an athletic administrator, you will make essential decisions with sports organizations and be responsible for monitoring details about the sporting franchise, the team’s performance, and the public’s rating. That means whether you need better staff or equipment, all of it falls under your jurisdiction.
2. Sports Marketer. This job revolves around how well you can publicize a franchise or an organization. You will try and find new sponsors that will elevate a team’s image. Your overall purpose is to boost the team’s profile and ensure they remain relevant and famous in the public’s eye.
3. Facility Operations Manager. You will be responsible for maintaining all essential resources that an athlete and their organization may need. You will make sure the venues are suitable for housing many spectators. And making sure the tickets go on sale at an appropriate time to make sure maximum profit.
What Can I Do With A Sports Administration Degree?
Even though both degrees are closely related to each other, as a sports administrator, you may be shouldering another set of responsibilities such as:
- Athletic Director. As an athletic director, you will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of an athlete. It includes ensuring they have the best coaches to train with, scheduling them for press conferences and public appearances. Devising a budget to keep up with their lifestyle and funds for their training. Your responsibilities also include making sure they have sufficient publicity and promotions.
- General Manager. As a general manager, you’re once again working closely with athletes and making sure they are getting the training and publicity they need. You also work with the marketing and media team in developing an image for your team. You will also work with coaches to get new players and decide what player needs to retire.
- Associate Director Of Marketing. Just like any business, athletes need marketing too. This marketing is essential to get the promotions and perks, resulting in higher pays and more sponsorships. You will help the media team design advertisements. You are writing for the press and instructing an athlete on how to appear in front of the media. As an associate director of marketing, you will primarily work in a team to study an athlete’s statistics and be a marketable trait. You would also need to coordinate with the media for the best coverage and promote post-season events and special athlete events.
What Should I Factor For My Master’s?
As promising as both careers sound, you should consider certain factors and add them to your research. These include:
- Schedule: Suppose you have a job and need a degree that falls in line with your employment. In that case, you may want to research how extensive each curriculum is and how well you can balance it with your career. It wouldn’t make sense to sign up to find out you can’t commit and gain any practical experience from your degree.
- Cost: Always go for affordability. Join colleges or institutions that allow you to study without the looming anxiety of an expensive program efficiently. Many prestigious private schools can be unless it falls in line with your budget and has sound financial aid and loan programs. It’s frankly not worth piling another debt on yourself. Therefore, it is a good idea to get in touch with your finances and see what program and school suits your needs.
- Popularity. It is good to explore your options but keep an eye on the job market. If your degree is unpopular and generally yields no employment opportunities, you would waste resources and regret your decisions. It is best to build a career first and then work on other endeavors or study unpopular degrees later.
Wrap Up
The sports industry is a promising sector. Once you figure out what spectrum you operate best, you can easily flourish in this field. If you choose to be a sport’s manager, you work with athletes, manage their finances, and ensure they can make a name and money for themselves in their field.
As a sport’s administration, you ensure a player knows how to utilize the spotlight and make the most of their fane. Both careers are essential to provide players with a sense of direction and learn how to make the most of their professional care. Also, how they can continue using these skills after they retire.
