Sports Management Jobs

Do you remember the 1996 movie, Jerry Maguire? Of course you do! It is very hard to forget the handsome face of the sports agent, Tom Cruise, working for Sports Management International (SMI)! A sports management job is truly and honestly all about the behind-the-scene efforts that the out-of-shape sports agents put in to guide the careers of the most finely-toned athletes around the world! Personal relationships between the agents and the athletes are manifest in the famous phrase from the same movie, “Show me the money!” With so much money involved in sports, all individual sportspersons need to have their own personal sports manager or agents to handle their schedules, career progression, career graph, business promotion, media and public relations, etc. Skills required to ensure your position in the sports management industry are good communication, critical thinking ability, negotiation capability, persuasion skills and interpersonal skills to name a few. A sports management personnel does not necessarily have to begin with sports management at the international level directly. Starting from high school or college level and overseeing the athletic department’s day to day agenda makes for a good beginning. Glance through the following section to find out how to go about finding a job in this lucrative industry.

 

When you have reached the stage in your career when your business card reads ‘XYZ Company Director’ and the XYZ Company is a sports company then your life revolves around overseeing the performance of the teams that are under your umbrella, selling the merchandise branded by the athletes that you promote, generating revenue by roping in sponsors and financial accounting etc. The long list is almost never ending but is worth all the efforts and sweat because of one thing – the super fat pay cheque at the month’s end!

 

Sports marketers are one of the most highly paid people in the industry. They have their hand literally in all the pies! From branding to promotion, to ticket sales, to events, to roping in the sports brand for sponsoring the team, they do all and much more. Apart from good accounting and auditing knowledge, the trick is to have interpersonal skills at your fingertips if you are aiming to become a sports marketer.

 

If you happen to be a retired sports person, or an injured player yourself then joining a team as a “coach” is both a respectful and a fulfilling option. Being the friend, philosopher, guide to your team, you will be doing more than just coaching your team! From motivating the players, to training them, to help them reach their potential, to disciplining them and being almost like a father figure to them, the role of a coach is certainly not easy. Years of experience in the sports industry with an efficient winning record helps you get the media attention, team respect as well as the bank balance that is sure to bring a grin to your face!

 

This job profile includes roles and responsibilities like implementing, overseeing and ensuring that all the athletic rules and regulations are met. Athletic rules and regulations must be followed and the primary role of sports compliance professionals is to ensure that these rules are not violated at any cost. Additionally, their work also includes planning and organizing sports events and for this they must possess excellent communication skills, organizational skills and analytical skills among others.

 

If you have actually seen “Jerry Maguire”, you can write an entire book on the job profile of a sports/athletes’ agents. Dealing with professional athletes and looking after their various endorsements and contracts is the main responsibility these people deal with. Additionally, dealing with work pressure and sudden fluctuations of fate and destiny, slogging long hours and intensive travel etc are a few of the bittersweet truths that are part and parcel of a sports agent’s life. Negotiation, persuasion and public relations ultimately get the bread and butter on an agent’s dining table at the end of the day.

 

With excellent monetary gains in this industry, it is not startling to observe that many youngsters these days want to enter this industry. This makes the competition high and to make your mark in this field, you should be prepared for the back breaking hard work and dedication that this field entails.