Career Paths in Sports Management

Sports management is a fast-paced field that has a variety of tasks that involve working with athletes or building a brand for a sports team. This field offers a collaborative team-based work environment. But with a major that is broad in the “sports world,” it can be daunting to search for potential careers that are right for you.  At the University of Northwestern – St. Paul (UNW), we are dedicated to setting up students for success outside of the classroom so the job search for a potential career path isn’t so intimidating!

Want a deeper look at sports management at UNW? Find out more about the sports management major on our  website.

3 Career Paths to Consider in the Field of Sports Management:

Athletic Trainer

This role consists of injury prevention, diagnosis, and rehabilitation at the high school and college level. This includes tasks such as evaluating injuries, first aid and emergency care, and developing recovery plans for injured athletes.    

If you exemplify qualities of leadership, effective communication, problem-solving, detailed, and organization then consider an athletic training position.

Learning goes beyond the classroom at UNW where students are able to get hands-on experience. Specifically in athletic training, students have the opportunity to shadow UNW’s athletic trainer at sports events such as basketball, football, and baseball.

Sports management graduate, Emma Fashant, says “Through the classes that UNW offers, I was able to get a taste of what a career in athletic training would look like. I loved the hands-on approach to certain aspects of athletic training that the classes included.”

Sports Marketing Manager

The main goal of a sports marketing manager is to promote a sports league or team. This position takes on the role of designing and developing marketing campaigns promote revenue for the team. They are in charge of working with sponsors and gaining excitement among fans.

If you are creative, assertive, manage time well, comfortable making quick decisions, then a job in sports marketing may be perfect for you!

 The sports management program provides classes such as sports marketing that gives students a taste of a career as a sports marketing manager. This class puts a special emphasis on strategic planning, product analysis, and developing marketing packages.

“The sports management program has shown me that my love for sports can be combined with my creative side through sports marketing.” Says Kendra Greisinger, junior sports management major. Greisinger is planning to pursue sports marketing post grad.

She also notes that “many classes in the program incorporate speakers who share first-hand experience into sports management and how jobs, such as marketing, are valuable within a sports organization.”

Coach

A common job someone with a sports management degree could obtain is a coaching position. A job in athletic coaching could be in college, minor, or major league sports. This position deals heavily with teaching players the skills and strategy of a specific sport in order for them to succeed. Coaches also recruit athletes to play for their team which is a high priority for college sports.

If you have a love for teaching, leading, challenging, and encouraging others then consider a career as a coach.

Along with a sports marketing major, UNW also offers a coaching minor that is curated to equip students with appropriate experience before they graduate. Faculty in this program have first-hand experience working in the industry so that they can share with their students.

Interested in continue the search for more career paths in sports management? Check out this website for more information.