Importance of Sports in Our Life
Sports has always been the center my life revolved around. Even as a child, I enjoyed playing in the street, kicking a ball around with my friends or playing cricket. At school, I could barely contain my excitement during team selections; I would jump up and down so that I could be assigned a team. And no guesses as to what my favorite day in schools was – since it was always sports day. Watching sports, reading about the last game in the newspaper and watching highlights has always been my idea of relaxing. I always knew when the next major sports events were taking place. And the cherry on top was that I would research the players, the venue and the team before I sat down to watch any game. My parents thought I was just a little obsessed with sports since my sports list featured a ton of different games and teams.
But I knew that a career in sports was what I wanted. Back in school, I often thought about becoming a sports writer, but that required going to journalism school first. That idea didn’t appeal to me. It was in high school that I came upon the field of sports management and read about sports courses. Just reading about the field, the requirements for a sports manager and the responsibilities of a sports manager made me happy. It clicked instantly because I could now turn my passion into my profession.
What is Sports Management?
Before choosing to study Sports Management, it is important to know what this field is and what it entails. Sports Management is a field that combines management skills with HR skills in a corporate setting. A good team needs to practice to perform well, but it also needs a well-oiled supporting machine behind it to take care of everything off the field. This is where a sports manager becomes the key person.
This degree teaches you the business part of sports, which most sports fans don’t think of when considering different career options. Students take a variety of classes that span the field of management, marketing, HR and entrepreneurship. Compared to other fields, sports management is relatively new and is continuously evolving, as more and more sports form leagues, teams and gain sponsorship from big name brands.
With the establishment of the IPL, Pro Kabaddi League, Indian Super League, and the Indian Hockey League, the scope for Sports Management graduates in India has widened in the last few years, which is a factor you should take into account while career planning.
Key Benefits of Sports Management
Perfect career for sports enthusiasts
What better career for a sports enthusiast than to work as a sports management professional? The answer is no other. This is ideal for those who are keen sports fans and have extensive knowledge of a sport. Sports enthusiasts will find that this field will keep them on their toes. They will learn something new every day about their team, how the team is run and the finances behind sponsorships and team expenses. And if you are one of those people who have amazing event management skills, you will be able to use those as well.
A wide variety of career opportunities
Sports management is not just about managing a team or being the sports agent for a team. The sports management field encompasses so much more than that. You could handle marketing for a sports team, or handle marketing for the corporate sponsor of a sports team. You could be working in an NGO that works with sports teams to help the less fortunate. If you have a flair for writing, then you can be a sports journalist. As a Sports Management graduate, you will have the skills to organize events and host events for sports teams, and even be a manager for a sports team. With the right mixture of knowledge, you can be in Media & Advertising, managing the PR for any team.
There are so many different branches within sports management that you can choose between several. You have the option to work for sports marketing firms, professional teams, colleges, universities etc. This program has also tied up with eminent names like Chennai Super Kings, Indian National Football Team, Bengaluru FC, Kerala Blasters FC to name a few.
Join a growing industry
The sports management industry in India is growing rapidly. More sports are creating leagues and teams that are bringing in more sports fans, more sponsorships, more players and therefore, more fans. A sports manager in India currently has the potential to work in an industry pegged at being worth about INR 50 billion a few years ago and has since then, continued to grow rapidly. This gives you the chance to grow and advance in your career as more opportunities will open up when the industry expands.
Sports industry will separate you from the competition
The sports industry is quite different from any other industry. It gives you access behind the scenes to a sports team and how the whole unit operates. You will be surprised to know how large the team that works to manage a team is! Sports is about reaching out to an audience, connecting with fans and is also about sportsmanship and entertainment. Working in this field will set you apart from our peers.
Good earning potential
As we mentioned, the sports management industry in India is rapidly expanding. We are at a point where there are so many employment opportunities that a Sports Management graduate will surely find sports jobs that will help them achieve success. The financial valuation fo the sports industry is quite high and working in this industry means you are in a profession which offers great earning potential.
How to pursue a career in sports management?
A lot of colleges all over the world offer different types of Sports Management courses. Therefore, the first thing to do is to look for programs in colleges and understand their requirements. Find out if it is a bachelor’s or a master’s course, and if you need to give any special entrance exams before applying for the program. You should create a short list of colleges that offer the degree you want and then work your way up to applications, essays, interviews, and the whole admission process. Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Management is another option a student can pursue.
Best programs for sports management in India
If you are looking for an MBA/PGDM in Sports Management, the right choice for you is ISBR Business School, Bangalore. ISBR is one of the most well-known business schools in Bangalore and a offers 2-year PGDM in Sports Management.
From event management to balancing the accounting sheets, sports management jobs allow a person to explore and hone a wide range of skills. It is time to turn your passion into a full-fledged career that offers ample opportunities to grow and move up the success ladder. You have enough reasons to convince yourself and everyone else that post graduate courses in Sports Management will pay off in the future.
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