How to Become a Sports Manager

The field of sports administration after all is really nothing like a business: it is all about strategy and tactics. While it undoubtedly might benefit a successful sports manager to have once been a star athlete in his or her own right, to be able to connect to other athletes in today’s day and age, or to broaden a network of contacts that once only included business acquaintances, such as business associates with whom he or she might have worked or held company meetings. It would still entail much more than simply playing sports and winning for a living. How to become a sports manager, then, begins much more with education, both on the subject itself and in the business aspect of management itself. Those who choose to make a name for themselves in sports administration need to have basic knowledge about sports and how it is conducted, but they also need to be aware of the broader aspects of sports themselves – what constitutes fair play, the various rules and regulations governing the sport in question, and so on.

One way that aspiring managers can learn this is by interning or working with a semi representative or agency. esqi represents many of the world’s best sports management companies including Adidas, Nike, Major League Soccer, the NHL and others, in addition to dozens of individual companies, and offers extensive training programs. Internships at these companies allow aspiring managers to gain valuable experience and a chance to put what they’ve learned into practice while benefiting from the company’s extensive resources. Sports management firms tend to provide extensive support for those who apply, including medical and travel benefits; some even cover housing and travel costs while on placement.

Beyond gaining valuable work experience, internships, and on-the-job training, those who wish to be professional sports managers can expect to make a decent living. Many people who work in sports think of their jobs as only part time, but the truth is that many sports managers are actually full-time professionals. For those who aspire to manage athletes on a full-time basis, a degree in sports management may be the first step toward realizing that dream. Becoming a professional sports manager may not require rocket science, but it is never easy – especially for someone who has spent most of his or her life working as an athlete.