<p>I've heard from alot of people, including a college advisor that a degree in sports management is a waste. Is this true? Is it better to major in business and then try to intern with the schools football team? Or is it better to double major in sports management and business. Or is it better to just pursue sports management. I want to go to Auburn but they dont have Sports management. Georgia is my next choice and they have sports management. What do you know about this field?</p>
<p>Yes, IMO it is a waste. Major in business and try to intern in a sports team, if that is really your dream.</p>
<p>You will
probably learn how difficult it is to get a job in “sports management, sports teams” etc.</p>
<p>I am an academic advisor at a SUNY, and so many guys minor in sports management. Are there that many jobs??</p>
<p>I got a friend who is a sports fanatic and he is set on working for the NBA or NFL.Since it is difficult to break into the industry what he did so far was major in accounting/business management. He will do his few years, get his CPA and then try and become an accountant for the league. Its an easier way in than coming from sports management.</p>
<p>Does that work for degrees other than accounting also? Wouldnt trying to be an accountant for an NFL team be just as hard with a SM degree?</p>
<p>The reason I mention accounting is, its very transferable. If he was unable to become an accountant for the NFL, he can go elsewhere and still make money. If you do sports management jobs and you look at the market, there are only so many positions.</p>
<p>You can’t be an accountant for the NFL with a sm degree. You would need a accounting degree or similar experience</p>
<p>OK so front office jobs are more suited for business majors. What happens if you try to intern with the football team at a college and it doesnt pan out. Then aren’t you stuck with no way back into the field?</p>
<p>Whodey, between your two posts about sports management it seems to me you are over thinking what a degree in sports management will do for you.</p>
<p>It is not considered an elite degree. It is a very narrow degree. It will not help you get a job with a sports team just because you have a degree in sports management. Guys running sports teams don’t care about degrees in sports management.</p>
<p>If you want a career working in the sports industry, get a good degree in something that can apply to many different fields. Network with as many people as you can in the industry. It’s a very competitive field, and people tend to hire other people they know and like. Degrees are not necessarily a prerequisite for a job in sports. </p>
<p>Most of the guys running professional sports teams are former players, coaches, etc. That along with rich/elite guys who own the teams, and their friends/associates. Get to know as many people associated with the sports field, kiss their butts, work your butt off and prove to them you can do a great job. That’s how you work your way up in the sports industry.</p>
<p>Alright thanks for the help. Do you work in the sports industry?</p>
<p>No, I don’t work in the sports industry. I have a few friends that are ex-MLB players that currently work for ML teams in a management/behind the scenes capacity. A college degree didn’t get them the job.</p>
<p>Unfortunately luck plays a big part into getting into your dream industry. Hopefully you have a great personality, are a hard worker, are great at some facet of sports (not necessarily playing it), and get to meet/know people willing to work with you.</p>
<p>Do you have a certain sports industry you want to work in? Some are much easier than others to get in to.</p>
<p>Yes, it’s a waste</p>
<p>NFL or College football</p>
<p>NFL or College Football are what I was afraid you would say. IMO, they are probably the most difficult to crack into. There’s something called the “coaching fraternity”, where jobs on staffs tend to go to ex-players, family members, friends, etc. It stinks, but it’s true.</p>
<p>You’re looking at SEC schools, where football is placed right next to God in terms of importance. It won’t be easy to break in at that level.</p>
<p>FWIW, a friend of mine went the athletic training route to get into the sports business. I’m not sure what his undergrad degree was in, but he obtained a Masters in Athletic Training. It allowed him to work for a few teams in the MLB system (minor leagues) as a trainer, and he’s currently with a D1 college basketball team as a trainer. </p>
<p>A sport like baseball is a little easier to break into because of the massive minor league system, which needs a lot of people to operate it. Of course the pay is horrible, so take that into consideration.</p>
<p>In reality, most people that have a strong desire to work in a professional sports environment often fall far short of that goal. It is such a small field at that level. Most end up working in some capacity at the High School, Youth Sports or lower college level.</p>
<p>Also, due to the extreme demand to win at the professional sports (and D1 college) level, job security is something that is not usually there. If you ever get to that level you probably are not going to stay for more than 3 or 4 years before the staff is turned over.</p>
<p>Whatever you decide, I hope you get some breaks and fulfill your goals and ambitions.</p>
<p>This is a very good question. A sports administration degree is no different than any other degree in college - there is no guarantee that it will get you a job or the job that you want. In sports management, all degrees are accepted. Jimmy Johnson former coach of the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins has a Psychology Degree. Mike Leach former head coach of Texas Tech football program has a Law Degree. A sports administration degree is not a waste it is very important to understand that college does not guarantee or promise anyone the life that they want;however, if it is one’s goal to work in the Sports Industry - you must understand the feasibility of the job that you are going after. The best jobs may never come available because there are few positions, few teams and thousands of people with all kinds of degrees, experience that are after them. Your competition is great whether you have a MBA or Doctorate in Business coming out of college. The best way to get into the sports industry is to first get a bachelor’s degree in Business and / or sports administration. Then get a master’s degree in either Business, Psychology, Exercise Science, or Education. If you are serious about working in the sports industry you must network with people that are there, attend seminars and conventions, volunteer for teams, accept low paying position, and start a career in another industry where you become successful and transfer your experience to sports industry. Most head coaches may start in college level sports or secondary school programs. It maybe a long wait but there are many after those positions.</p>
<p>I think that it is important to understand that people choose their major to study what they like, their passion and what they want to become. In college, counselors and professors will NEVER tell a student that they cannot get a job in Sports Management and try to sell students to major in the program. The college would lose money and professors will be out of work. Not everyone will become Business Executives, Engineers and Doctors so why study a degree that a person may fail because they could care less about or have no goals in pursuing a career field in them. In the sports industry it does not matter what degree you have, it is who you know and what you can do to bring success to that organization. Of Course, players do get jobs after retire but please understand - those players need those jobs because after the game is over for them they have nothing to fall back on and it is hard to walk away from a sport that one has played for most of their life. However, there are people that works in the industry that never played the sport and they have great jobs such as Coaches Jeff Van Gundy former Houston Rockets and New York Nicks NBA coach and brother former Miami Heat and present Orlando Magic coach - Stan Van Gundy who never played the sport but have been very good head coaches. The General Manager for the Houston Rockets was the Vice President of The Boston Celtics and he as an Economics Degree and his background comes from the corporate sector not sports.</p>
<p>His best thing is to be an accountant for any organization that will give him an opportunity. Do well in that organization and apply for the sports industry as an accountant using the successful experience from the company that he worked. The only thing is he may take a pay cut because the sports industry will not pay as much as the corporate level because majority of the money goes to the athletes and executives so all others must accept the left overs. If its his dream to give the Sports Industry his expertise for lesser pay then YES his dream will come true.</p>
<p>Hi I was reading this thread and I was wondering the same thing. I’m a huge soccer fanatic and right now I’m a sophomore in college majoring in accounting. I know that my dream job is to work in a sports industry, preferably in the Major League Soccer. I thought of my future and this is how it pans out. I think I’m going to do a 5 year program here so I can have a Master’s and Bachelor’s in Accounting. Then I’m going to take a CPA exam. If I do get a liscence, I’m thinking of working in an accounting firm and then try to get an accounting job in the MLS. Do you think its a good career path? I don’t know if my school offers sport management minor. If it does, should I minor in sport management? Thank you!</p>