Career Opportunities in Sports Management

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” – Confucius. 

We are witnessing a ‘Sporting’ revolution, both on and off the fields and arenas in India. The rapidly evolving Sports industry needs professionals who will utilise their expertise to shape it in the years to come.

The advent of multiple sporting leagues like the IPL, ISL, and PKL, to name just three, necessitates the requirement of individuals who will complement the performances of sportspersons on the field, with their efforts off it, and in the process, steer the Sports industry to newer heights. Those who are passionate about Sports can have fulfilling careers as Managers in this growing industry.

Sports Managers are the unsung heroes, who with their expertise and enterprise, create just the right environment for our sporting icons to do the country proud.

Since its birth in 2010, IISM has aimed to nurture managers who will in turn mould India’s Sporting industry. The curriculum is a mix of theory and practical exposure. While classroom education, which comprises orientation to aspects of the Sports industry, management concepts and assignments are important, IISM seeks to blend it by providing opportunities to its students to volunteer intern during sporting events.

There is no substitute to learning ‘on the job.’ In the field, you learn to apply the concepts that are imparted in the classroom and you also figure out the art of thinking on your feet.

Thus, practical exposure is combined with concepts like Sales and Marketing, Content Development, Venue Management, Administration, Operations, Celebrity Management and Public Relations, all of which are introduced and taught by industry experts in the classroom.

But before we delve into our courses in Sports Management, let’s understand the different verticals available to you as an aspiring sports professional.

Sports Management Career Verticals 

Administration and Operations

This domain is related to sporting infrastructures like stadiums, academies, and grassroots development ventures.

It involves planning, organizing, and executing camps and tournaments, day-to-day venue management, coordinating and liaising with different people and agencies, drawing up calendars and schedules, and business development, among other areas.  Individuals who revel in multi-tasking and like to be in the thick of things will relish these responsibilities.

This vertical also pertains to working in managerial roles at associations and federations such as the Sports Authority of India (SAI), All India Football Federation (AIFF), Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Beyond these top sporting bodies, regional and state-level sports federations also have massive scope for sports administration and operations managers.

Companies to work for in Sports Administration and Operations

BCCI, SAI, IPL franchises like Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians, Delhi Capitals, etc, PKL teams like U-Mumba, Tamil Thalaivas, etc.

Athlete, Team and League Management

Athletes often become celebrities after achieving success on the global stage and, as a result, need a celebrity-like management. This gives massive scope for professionals  in celebrity/talent management companies to manage the ‘talent’ they have onboarded.

A talent manager will work on the athlete’s off-the-field commitments, like commercial endorsements, social appearances and if required, even their social media accounts/handles. A manager can also provide sound counsel to the athletes for managing their growing fame.

Team management speaks for itself. A team manager looks after a team’s off-the-field commitments and works on scheduling and logistics. In other words, he/she ensures that the players are able to focus on playing the sport and nothing else.

Meanwhile, with the number of leagues increasing, the scope for managerial roles across various sporting leagues has skyrocketed of late. IPL, Pro Kabaddi League, and ISL often require management professional to handle operations, marketing and other functions to ensure smooth running of the league.

Companies to work for in Athlete, Team, and League Management

Cornerstone, Baseline Ventures, TCM, JSW Sports, RISE Worldwide, IOS Sports & Entertainment, Professional Management Group (PMG, now under Madison World), IPL, PKL, ISL and respective league teams.

Also Read: 7 Key Skills You Must Learn to Become a Sports Manager

Media, Event Management, and Public Relations

This area covers the entire gamut from media management to content development. It comprises the different media platforms – Print, Electronic and Digital. It involves Sports PR and Journalism. Creativity is the key.

A media role is not restricted to facing the camera. It can encompasses planning, coordination with internal departments, analytics for live coverage and storytelling skills for telecasts, drafting PR and news articles from an unbiased perspective. These responsibilities will excite those who wish to be part of media houses and enjoy the hustle and bustle that prevail at these workplaces.

Working with athletes and leagues, though, does involve a part of handling their Public Relations, as their management companies do coordinate with media houses in multiple situations where they wish to manage the situation with a press release.

Sports event management is another area to which media professionals can make a monumental difference. Creating Sporting IPs that are centered around dynamic rating systems, the highlight of which is an awards ceremony. Planning and executing an awards ceremony involves a variety of skills, and is something that will interest sports managers.

Companies to work for in Sports Media, Communications, and PR

Star Sports, Cricbuzz, ESPN, Sportskeeda, Madison World, Pinkvilla, Bennett Coleman (Times of India), Sportstar – The Hindu, RISE Worldwide, JSW Sports, Book My Show

Sports Management Career Verticals

Broadcasting

While broadcasting could easily be put within the media bucket, it has become a completely different game in the past two decades. With the rise of digital platforms along with traditional television broadcasting, sports broadcasting companies have had to level up their coverage or be left behind in the evolving sector.

While television broadcasts still dominate the majority of the viewership for sports events in India, the increasing usage of OTT platforms has led to many digital streaming options, which provides convenience for sports audiences.

So, developing a career in broadcasting will require you develop the whole range of skills and knowledge, not just for TV broadcasts but also managing digital streams. From script writing to production, sound mixing to advanced data analytics, the modern-day sports broadcast aim at a holistic consumer experience.

So, one need to specialize in either one of these aspects or learn all of them as they climb up the ladder with a top broadcasting company.

Companies to work for in Broadcasting

Viacom18, Star Sports – JioHotstar, Sony Pictures Networks – Sony LIV, FanCode, Prime Video

Sponsorship Sales and Marketing  

This is a broad sphere. It includes areas like Business Development, Digital Marketing, Brand Awareness and Promotions. Sponsorships, which play a big part in sports, require an array of sales and negotiation skills.

From prospecting brands to bring onboard for teams, athletes, and leagues to managing relationships with existing sponsors, keeping checks on budgets, internal collaboration and much more: a sponsorship sales professional have a lot to deal with.

In terms of marketing, things have elevated to digital platforms on large scale. Managers would have to create and execute digital marketing plans and execute a robust social media strategy in line with the brand’s objectives and guidelines. This area involves the identification of new business avenues and people skills.

A few things to keep in mind for all sports management aspirants is that the work environment is challenging and will test their potential to the fullest. The quantum of the work and responsibilities may not be in sync with the pay cheque in the initial phase, but the prospects for growth are realistic at a time when the sports industry is evolving rapidly and the country is well on its way to becoming a sporting superpower.

Companies to work for in Sponsorship Sales and Marketing

JSW Sports, Baseline Ventures, Dream Sports, RISE Worldwide, Viacom18, Book My Show

Data Analytics

Analytics has gone to the next level, and sports companies are keen to make full use of the same. While professional teams have been using data and statistics to analyze players and opponent teams for several years, even broadcasters and media houses are tapping into analytics to provide their audiences with ample amount of statistics about the sports they love.

The amount of data that is available to the general public is all courtesy of the advancement in data analytics and companies using to elevate their consumer experience. While it may not necessarily drive a lot of user engagement, it does help in portraying your brand as a serious player in the industry.

Any sports management or science student could think about pursuing a career in data analyst, as there are multiple job roles available across the two fields in the analytics vertical based on the various usecases.

Companies to work for in Sports Data Analytics

IPL franchises like Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, PKL teams like U-Mumba, Cricbuzz, ESPN, JSW Sports, Sportz Interactive

Sports Retail

Apparel and equipment have always gone hand in hand with the sports industry. With the level of merchandising professional teams and leagues do nowadays, the scope for retail professionals in the sports industry is growing by leaps and bounds of late.

Along with the traditional retail concepts such as category management, product assortment, inventory management, visual merchandising, there are additional aspects like brand licensing and strategic partnerships which need to taken care of in sports retail.

Regardless, it’s quite an exciting field to work in, as one gets to manage authentic sports apparel, equipment and merchandise, which could be a golden opportunity for a sports enthusiast.

Companies to work for in Sports Retail

Nike, Puma, Decathlon, Asics, Nivia, Cosco, Under Armour

Sports Tourism 

With the quantum of sports events increasing, sports tourism is witnessing quite the boom. So, with multiple iconic venues and sports museums, there is massive scope for getting tourists to explore these places and boost some value into the country’s economy.

Leagues like IPL and its commercial appeal along with ICC Cricket World Cups does help get a lot of foreign tourists in India and this influx can be tapped into for exploring other sports tourism-worthy places. It also helps in promoting the local history and various indigenous sports.

From managing events and tours to hospitality, there are various job roles available in this vertical. While it seems at a nascent stage in India, the increasing craze for sports and our country’s global outreach, sports tourism could pick up pace as a buzzing sector.

Companies to work for in Sports Tourism

Sports Konnect, Cutting Edge, Fanatic, IndeBo Sports

Sports Management Courses at IISM 

IISM offers three courses in the Sports Management domain. Each program’s pedagogy is linked with experiential learning and live exposure for students to learn and implement management concepts in practice on-ground settings.

Firstly, we provide a Bachelor of Sports Management (BSM) program, which is a 3-year undergraduate degree in collaboration with the University of Mumbai. Pursuing BSM not only introduces you core management concepts but sets your foundation with knowledge about various functions and aspects of the sports industry.

Our Master of Sports Management (MSM) program — a 2-year postgraduate degree — is also in collaboration with the University of Mumbai and provides a advanced level of sports management education, diving deep into the intricacies of the domains and verticals mentioned above.

IISM also offers a Post Graduate Program in Sports Management (PGPSM), which is a quick 11-month course to swiftly enter the sports industry. A consolidated version of the Master’s course, this program is taken up by experienced professionals.

While there is an eligibility criteria for each of these courses, IISM also gauges whether you have the right mindset and attributes to venture in the world of sports management.

Required Attributes 

To venture into sports management, a passion for sports is the fundamental attribute. That apart, there are others, like a desire to learn an acquire knowledge, tenacity, decision-making abilities and the courage of conviction.

The ideal Sports Manager is an articulate, adaptable, ambitious and enterprising individual who loves sport and is equally at home while working alone or as part of a team. At IISM, we prepare our students to pursue fruitful careers in Sports Management.

Placements and Internships 

IISM prides itself on the bundle of possibilities and favourable volunteering, internship, and indeed, placement opportunities that it provides to all its students. Companies like Star Sports, EduSports, Olympic Gold Quest, DNA Networks, IMG, Sports Interactive, Engage Sports Media, FICCI, Cornerstone, PMG and BookMyShow, to name just a few besides the multiple other companies mentioned above, have engaged our students, either as full-time employees or interns or both.

The opportunities are abundant. It is the right time to dive into the sports management industry. Make a thriving career for yourself by doing what you love!