A love for sports is one of the main reasons students choose to pursue a sport management degree. However, a successful career in this field requires more than just a die-hard passion for the industry. Sport management careers demand a well-rounded skill set. Whether you envision yourself working directly with athletes or having a behind-the-scenes role ensuring sporting events run smoothly, you’ll need a strong skill set to thrive. Fortunately, Villa Maria College’s sport management degree program combines both classroom instruction and hands-on experience through local athletic programs at the recreational and professional levels to build your skill set.
Sport Management Skills
There are several hard and soft skills required for sport management careers, no matter what type of job you choose to pursue.
Business Acumen
Having business sense is one of the most important sport management skills, which is why sport management majors take courses related to finance, marketing, sales, and analytics. From dealing with department budgets to coordinating athlete contracts, careers in this industry often require employees to review data, make informed decisions, and use resources effectively. It’s also crucial for sport management majors to be aware of trends, opportunities for innovation, and challenges in the industry while being willing to adjust plans and continually improve to remain competitive.
Communication
Every sport management career hinges on good communication skills. Working in the industry, you will have to interact with all different kinds of people and entities, including athletes, coaches, administrators, sponsors, media, fans, and regulators. Verbal and written communication skills will be key as will the ability to adjust your messages and tone to varying audiences or situations. Depending on your position, you may also need to understand what platforms to share messages on and how to use those platforms effectively to reach goals.
Critical Thinking
Critical thinking is essential for a career in sport management. No matter what your job title is, you will likely have to deal with some level of problem solving, whether that’s anticipating issues and preparing for them or handling issues on the fly. You should be able to quickly take in information and work out a realistic solution that benefits key parties and stakeholders. This might mean staying on top of trends, keeping an eye out for potential challenges, and developing smart strategies to keep your organization operating efficiently.
Collaboration
Just like with any team sport, collaboration plays a big role in sport management careers. Your role may see you working with colleagues in your department, media personnel, sponsors, coaching staff, athletes, or other sports organizations. Good rapport and the ability to compromise will be important as you navigate your career. Without strong working relationships, you may not be able to achieve goals for your team, league, clients, or department.
Multitasking
Multitasking is important for a lot of careers, but it’s especially important in the fast-paced work of sport management. It takes a lot of work to put on a sports event, find lucrative deals for athletes and teams, or manage sports facilities and departments. You must be able to prioritize tasks, manage your time, and delegate.
Get in touch today to learn more about our new sport management program!
