FACTS
In 1991, a sports executive career recruiter estimated that there existed approximately 4.5 million sport-related jobs at all levels in this country alone. He broke these employment opportunities into six broad categories:
By the year 2010 the estimated number of total job and career opportunities should be 20% to 30% greater.
There are many job opportunities in the world of sport. The following is a partial list of general career opportunities for graduates of sport management programs, assuming candidates have successfully completed general education and specialized training at the undergraduate and/or graduate level.
1. Amateur, competitive sports including youth, junior and senior high school, collegiate/university levels
2. Amateur, competitive sports/leagues and conference offices
3. Amateur sport agencies, including the NCAA, NAIA, AAU, etc.
4. Armed services recreation and competitive sports
5. Athletic representation firms
6. City and state sport commissions
7. Corporate and industrial fitness and wellness programs
8. Corporate sport marketing departments (Kodak, Pepsi, Nike, etc.)
9. Entrepreneurship opportunities
10. Facility and stadium management, including recreation, intramural, and sport activities
11. Federal and state recreation/parks, including tourism and travel
12. Fitness, health, and wellness clubs
13. Football bowl organizations, such as the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Cotton Bowl, etc.
14. International sport management
15. Law, including representation and agency relationships
16. Municipal sports authorities
17. Non-profit youth agencies involving recreation and/or sport such as the YMCAs/YWCAs, Boys Clubs, Girls Clubs, and Catholic Youth Organizations
18. Municipal recreation organizations
19. Professional sports – individual teams and league offices
20. Proprietary recreation businesses, i.e., “Discovery Zones’
21. Public, private, and specialized sport, racquet, golf, and aquatic clubs
22. Recreation youth camps
23. Resort and hotel recreation and leisure organizations
24. Special event firms
25. Sports announcing/broadcasting, in radio and television
26. Sport governing bodies
27. Sports information and media relations at the college, university, and professional levels
28. Sport manufacturing
29. Sport merchandising, wholesale and retail sales
30. Sport officiating
31. Sports statistics at the collegiate, professional, media levels
32. Sports writing/journalism, for newspaper, magazine and book publishers
33. Sport tourism, travel and cruise opportunities
34. Sport marketing agencies
35. Sport promotion, marketing, and event management entities
36. Summer sport camps
37. Etc., etc., etc.!
A multitude of job opportunities exist today for the would-be sport manager and/or coach. To be competitive in the sport job market it is necessary to possess formal training and education, including meaningful field experiences. The internship experience is a critical part of the formal education of any future sport manager or coach. Many of the strategies and tactics that are utilized to secure meaningful internships can also be used in the pursuit of paid positions upon graduation and opportunities for entry into specialized graduate programs.