MBA in Sports Management

The MBA in Sports Management (90 ECTS) is a one-year, three-term degree. Students complete five to six course modules per term which are combined with seminars, company visits, guest speaker sessions and case studies among others. In order to graduate, students must complete a management research methods module and a dissertation. This program is also available as a two-year, six-term, part-time degree.

Year 1

Term 1

• Transformational Management & Leadership
• Organizational Behavior
• Financial Reporting & Analysis
• Marketing in a Digital World
• Data Analysis for Managers
• Negotiation
• Consulting Lab
• Crafting Your Future I

Term 2

• Corporate Finance
• People & Talent Management
• Global Economics for Managers
• Strategy & Decision Making
• Management Information Systems
• Communication for Success
• Legal Issues & Business Ethics
• Crafting Your Future II
• Business Strategy Simulation

Term 3

• Sports Marketing Management
• Financial Management Applications to Sport
• Sports Sponsorship
• Sports Management Issues
• Crafting Unique Sports Events

Learning Outcomes

Students gain the knowledge necessary to become successful sports managers, through case study research, company visits and routine networking with industry professionals. In addition to the managerial training they receive in a classroom setting, students will also:

• Demonstrate a deep understanding of the overall world of sports management and what it entails
• Apply major management principles to sports businesses
• Understand the complexity of bidding for and staging major sports events
• Apply theory and concepts to real-life situations.

The MBA with a major in sports management provides students with comprehensive knowledge of business disciplines as well as specific skills in the sports industry. Graduates of this MBA program may be interested in the following careers.

Athletic Director

Athletic directors generally oversee all aspects of an athletic program, including hiring coaches, scheduling, budget preparation, promotion, compliance, and facility management. Athletic directors could oversee sports programs at high schools, colleges, and universities as well as higher professional clubs.

Professionals need to have good leadership, communication, organizational and interpersonal skills.

Ticketing Manager

A ticketing manager oversees the operations of box office management and all staff concerned with ticketing. They are responsible to the venue owner and the organizations that organize sporting events. They establish and maintain an effective and efficient ticketing system, generally automated through computer software and put policies and procedures in place for the exchange of tickets, seat assignments, refunds and mechanisms for identifying counterfeit tickets.

People in this profession should be highly detail-oriented with excellent communication abilities.

Stadium Operations Manager

A stadium manager is responsible for managing all the activities of a stadium, arena or sports facility. They are responsible for the day-to-day operations involved in running a sports facility, including safety-related issues, ground cleanliness, maintenance and technical troubleshooting. Stadium managers ensure their facilities are in top condition to successfully host large sporting events.

Stadium operations professionals need to be highly organized. They also require good leadership and communication skills.

Sports Publicist

Sports publicists are public relations specialists who work for professional and amateur sports teams or individual professional athletes. They handle daily press operations, and media relations, set up interviews with players, and write press releases and social media posts. Those working for sports personalities enhance their client's image through positive media coverage and branding.

Professional sports publicists must have excellent organizational, interpersonal and communication skills.

Areas of Work

The MBA with a major in sports management provides students with business know-how and knowledge for working in the world of sports. Graduates of this degree may be interested in working in the following areas.

• Television and Radio Broadcasting
• Sports Market Research and Consulting
• Recreation
• Sports Content and Communication