6 Career Options with a Degree in Sports Administration

Athletes aren’t the only ones who can make a promising career in the sports industry. If you have a knack for sports and enjoy partaking in this industry, you can easily find work here. The sports industry is one of the largest in the world. It is also an extremely profitable sector, generating millions of dollars annually. Between 2021 and 2022, the global sports industry grew at a constant rate of 41%, and by 2026, the industry may be well over $700 billion. With so much money trickling into business, you can easily find a spot for yourself here. When it comes to sports, numerous factors make this industry successful. Each individual plays a distinct role in generating revenue that further boosts this sector, from coaches to event managers. If you’re ready to explore your options with a sports major, read on to know:

Six Jobs You can Get with a Sports Administration Degree 

1. Athletic Director

An athletic director is a sports management professional responsible for creating, managing, and maintaining sports and fitness programs for educational institutions at all levels. They must have technical knowledge of athletics, leadership and management skills to succeed as an athletic director. 

Although athletic directors are hired by colleges and universities, some high schools also hire them to fulfill similar responsibilities. As administrative employees, athletic directors typically have little direct interaction with student-athletes. Instead, they collaborate with teachers and other administrators to ensure the successful operation of athletic programs. It may involve decision-making regarding the hiring of faculty and staff and managing financial, legal, and administrative matters that affect the team at an educational institution.

To pursue the role of an athletic director, you need to get a master’s degree, in addition to a bachelor’s degree. You can opt to enroll in a Masters in sports program, as it will help you achieve a better footing in the sports industry. 

2. Head Coach

A head coach is like the glue that holds a team together. They ensure athletes perform to their maximum capacity without wasting their talent. As a head coach, you are required to design schedules determining how often players will practice on the field. At the same time, during these training sessions, you need to record, analyze and study how well athletes perform and highlight areas they need to improve. Part of your job as a head coach is keeping an eye out for recruits and getting new talent immediately. Working with athletes is a complex process, so you’ll get delegated an entire team of professionals to help you do your job. 

These include assistant coaches, team managers, and directors. In order to become a head coach after getting a degree in sports administration, you need experience working in the sporting industry before you can start managing teams. It means, for at least two years, you will need to work your way up the ranks by interning in the sector first and then applying as an assistant coach. From there, with time and experience, you will be seasoned enough to work as a head coach.

3. Sports Statistician 

Sports statisticians utilize statistical analysis of player performance data, coaching strategies, and other sources to enhance coaching decisions, training programs, and team strategies. Sports media networks may also hire sports statistician to provide statistical analysis on team performance and league trends for sports news programs, articles, and other entertainment media outlets.

4. Sports Marketer

Sports marketers are skilled professionals who assist teams in promoting themselves to the public, ultimately boosting their popularity and income. Creativity is crucial in this role, as sports marketers are expected to generate new and innovative strategies to promote the team and develop new revenue streams. These responsibilities are typically included in the job description of a sports marketer. 

For those who are more interested in helping sports teams generate revenue than working directly with athletes, pursuing a career in sports marketing may be an ideal option. 

5. Fitness Manager 

Typically, a fitness manager oversees the entire staff of a fitness center. Their responsibilities usually include managing and training fitness personnel, financial record-keeping, budget management, equipment maintenance, business promotion, offering fitness programs, and handling emergency situations and customer complaints. Depending on the size of the facility, a fitness manager may perform most of these tasks or delegate them to other fitness staff. As a fitness manager, various career prospects are available, such as working for fitness clubs, schools, companies and hotels.

The main responsibilities of a fitness manager are to uphold high customer service standards and increase profitability.

6. League Administrator Positions 

Besides working with individual teams or media companies, sports administration graduates with comprehensive knowledge can qualify for various administrative positions in sports league organizations. They may seek management-level roles in league departments such as business development, media relations, marketing and finance. With experience, advanced education, and exceptional job performance, they may ascend to top-tier positions, including the highly esteemed role of the league commissioner. As per various researches, top professional sports league commissioners may earn annual compensation in the seven to the eight-figure range.

Final Thoughts

The sports industry is one of the most prestigious sectors in the world. Annually, it brings home millions of dollars worth of revenue, which makes pursuing a career in this field an ideal choice. Therefore, if you are eager to leave a mark in the sports industry and want to pursue a career after getting a degree in sports administration, there are numerous choices for you to explore. These include becoming media relations directors and minding the way players appear in front of the public. 

On the other hand, if you like working with student-athletes and counseling them toward promising careers as star players, you will be happier working as an athletic director. However, if you’re about getting your hands dirty and teaching players to live up to their potential, become a head coach. Besides, you can opt to pursue your role as a sports statistician, sports marketer, and fitness manager or go for a league administrator position, after completing a master’s degree.