Career Projections: Sports Management Jobs In Demand

by Mike Churchill

Many high school seniors assume sports-related jobs are those you stumble into rather than plan for. This seems to be inaccurate. In fact, projections with regard to advertising and public relations from the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics state, "Competition for many jobs will be keen because the glamour of the industry traditionally attracts many more jobseekers than there are job openings. Although employment is projected to grow faster than average, keen competition is expected for entry-level jobs." (See http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/cgs030.htm)

The Job Landscape

Some jobs that fall under the scope of Sports Management are considered glamorous. From public relations to advertising sales to event management and more, different skills are required for the performance of vocations pertaining to every area of Sports Management.

New Jersey college students can learn about a variety of career paths in this exciting industry. Let's look at three Sports Management-type career paths that are currently in demand.

Public Relations - The media covers just about every aspect of sports from draft picks to championships, from the athletes' private lives to their financial standings. The person whom the media stay in contact with is typically a public relations (PR) representative. Individual athletes may have personal PR representatives and also various teams or associations may have PR reps. As someone working in the public relations area of Sports Management, you might find yourself conducting a press conference, taking statements from pro athletes and releasing them to the media or arranging for television interviews.

Advertising Sales - From banner ads on websites to halftime sponsorship of championship games, companies pay millions of dollars to reach sports fans. New Jersey college students can learn about a variety of ways companies utilize sports advertising to reach their target audience. As a sports advertising sales representative, you might be in a position to sell ad space to event sponsors.

Event Management - Sports events require a lot of manpower to produce. Without looking behind the scenes, most people would assume that the players show up, they play the game and then everyone goes home. But there are locker rooms to set up, food and water to prepare for the players, vendors to coordinate for the fans, seats to be removed from the floor of last week's concert and replaced with an ice surface or a basketball court. The preparation is extensive.

What Qualifications Are Needed?

Qualifications will depend on the company, the area of Sports Management you enter and also the area of the country. A firm in California may have an entirely different set of requirements than a company in New Jersey. College degrees can often set you ahead of the pack especially with the competition being so fierce. If you don't have a degree in business administration with a concentration in Sports Management, you may want to consider earning one.

If you love to watch or play sports, crave excitement in your workplace and possess organizational and people skills, you may be a good candidate for a degree in the field of Sports Management or a related field.

Mike Churchill offers online marketing support for Gibbs College, a New Jersey-based college with a campus in Livingston, offering programs in the fields of business administration, sports management and more. Get details at http://www.gibbsnj.edu. © 2007, All Rights Reserved