Opportunities in Sports Management for Non-Athletes
- Sports Agent
- Marketing Manager
- General Manager
- Event Coordinator
- Facilities Director
Those who work in sports management deal with the administrative and business part of an organization or of an athlete’s career. While people may pursue careers in these fields because of an interest in sports, it is not necessary to have been an athlete to succeed in these sports management careers.
1. Sports Agent
A sports agent is one of the more glamorous sports management jobs for non-athletes as they manage an athlete’s career. The duties of a sports agent include negotiating contracts with teams and companies that want to work with the athlete on endorsements. A sports agents may also manage public relations for the athlete, which includes making sure the athlete’s image and reputation is one that companies want to be associated with. Sports agents may work for a company or on their own, and they recruit athletes that they represent. The pay for this type of position can vary widely, and an agent who works with top athletes may be very well compensated.
2. Marketing Manager
A sports marketing manager might work for a team or a sporting goods company. For example, a brand manager for a particular company might focus on how the brand can best position itself and advertise with sports teams or purchase commercial time during sporting events. A marketing manager for a team might help create the team’s brand and promote it. For a career in sports marketing, a person might combine a degree in marketing with a passion for sports. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in marketing overall are expected to grow more quickly than average in the years ahead.
3. General Manager
Some of the duties of a general manager are similar to those of a sports agent with the difference being that the general manager works for a team instead of individual athletes. The size of the team also affects the type of duties a general manager might have, but included among them may be contract negotiation, business transactions, hiring players and coaches, managing the budget and being the public spokesperson for the team.
4. Event Coordinator
People interested in sports management jobs who also enjoy event planning may want to consider working as an event coordinator. An event coordinator is in charge of managing sporting events and programs. Duties of an event coordinator might range from budgeting to arranging for transportation and lodging for teams to marketing. An event coordinator needs to be good at working with people and should also be well-organized. A person can move into an event coordinator position with a focus on sports with a degree in athletic administration, sports management, business administration, communication, marketing or public relations.
Related Resource: Top 30 Online Graduate Sports Administration Degree Programs
5. Facilities Director
A facilities director or sports facilities manager is in charge of running the facility where the sport is played. This could be a soccer stadium, a football field, an ice skating rink or anywhere else that sports take place. A facilities director might be in charge of budgeting, inventory, security, hiring and managing employees and any other duties that lead to the smooth running of operations at the facility, particularly on game days.
People who love sports but who are not very athletic might worry that this disqualifies them from working in the field. However, there are many exciting and lucrative sports management jobs for non-athletes that allow professionals to work closely with athletes and in the sporting world.