Professional sports teams and athletics programs rely on sports administrators to ensure that facilities are well-maintained and overall operations run smoothly. Sports administrators manage a wide variety of tasks crucial to any athletics organization’s success. Some of these professionals focus on payroll and contract negotiations, while others work as media relationship and marketing specialists. The mean yearly salary for management occupations in spectator sports was $124,360 in 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Students can develop a unique blend of business and sports acumen through a Master of Business Administration in Sports Administration. The St. Thomas University (STU) online MBA with a specialization in Sports Administration teaches the business behind the game through a comprehensive curriculum that covers topics ranging from management to sports-related law.
Careers in Sports Administration
The jobsite Indeed highlights a variety of interesting careers in sports administration and management for qualified professionals.
For instance, ticket sales managers oversee box office operations. Daily tasks may include resolving customer disputes related to ticket sales and ensuring that online sales portals run smoothly and efficiently.
Event coordinators and managers oversee a wide range of tasks related to running an effective tournament or other athletic event. These jobs may include:
- Managing schedules
- Recruiting event staff
- Overseeing the event schedule
- Managing hotel bookings
- Training volunteers
- Overseeing the production of event documentation and brochures
For large, professional sports teams, important guests — such as former players, dignitaries and donors — are attended to by guest services and guest relations staff. These professionals oversee accommodations and ensure that any requests or needs of the guests are promptly taken care of.
Organizations hire general managers, athletic directors and sports directors to oversee team and individual sports programs at their facilities. Organizations these professionals work for can range from community outfits like the YMCA to school districts, university sports departments and major league teams.
Directors generally develop, organize and administer sports teams and leagues while hiring and recruiting staff to help run various aspects of the program. The work of general managers is often more hands on, overseeing staff and day-to-day operations of all kinds.
There are numerous other administrative roles in sports organizations and departments akin to those in any sizable organization. Compliance officers work to ensure that teams adhere to regulatory and internal policy requirements. Sports facility managers, also known as athletics facilities managers, oversee the daily maintenance of courts, rinks, arenas and other athletics facilities.
Managers of public and media relations, marketing and other functional areas are also essential for business-oriented sports organizations. As one would imagine, labor relations and contract negotiation specialists are particularly important in large professional sports outfits dealing with multi-million dollar contracts and complex collective bargaining agreements.
Vice presidents of finance in the professional sports industry fulfill a similar role to their peers in other businesses. These upper-level managers oversee all aspects of accounting, payroll and financial reporting. VPs of finance report directly to the CEO on financial matters. As far as executive-level sports administration salaries go, BLS reports that the mean annual pay for CEOs of spectator sports in 2020 was $236,970.
Learn the Business Behind the Game
Sports administrators brings skills as diverse as the teams and athletes they serve. The STU online MBA with a specialization in Sports Administration prepares graduates for a rewarding career guiding professional sports teams. The online degree program is taught by STU faculty and can be completed in as few as 12 months. The MBA curriculum covers skills ranging from managerial accounting and strategy systems to sports media, marketing and public relations.
Beyond learning the business aspects of running a sports team, graduates gain insight into topics uniquely related to sports, such as contract negotiation, defamation, collective bargaining and safety protocols.
Learn more about the STU online MBA program with a specialization in Sports Administration.
