Why is Sports Management a Lucrative Career Option Even for Athletes?

There is no denying the fact that till very recently, India was known as a one-sport nation. However, now with other sporting leagues making a success over the past couple of years, India has now seen a massive shift into becoming a nation that loves multiple sports and not just cricket.

With the introduction of several leagues like the Pro Kabaddi League and Indian Super League, athletes well-versed in other sports are coming into the limelight. A study found that an average user spends 16 minutes a day surfing about sports and its related news.

It is because of people learning more about sports & its related news that numerous athletes are getting recognized for their contributions. This outlook has motivated several athletes and students to make a lucrative career in Sports and Sports Management.

What is Sports Management?

Sports Management is a business degree that focuses on teaching aspirants the basics of the working of the sports industry. Numerous fields that the students study in sports management degrees are almost identical to the conventional management degrees.

The students learn about marketing, finance, public relations, journalism, and others but with respect to the sports industry and its varied domains. They will learn more about several laws and code of ethics that one needs to follow while negotiating during a sporting event, how to get good sponsorship contracts, etc.

The duration of these degree courses is 3 years like any other Bachelor’s degree. After graduating, students can either wish to pursue a job or choose to study Masters in the same course.

Read more about Sports Management from pioneers in Sports Management Education in India.

Why should you Pursue Sports Management?

Sports Management degree is the perfect fit for students interested in learning the sports and management aspect of the industry. After pursuing the courses, the students are equipped with managerial skills, capabilities, and orientation, which exposes them to a wide range of job roles and opportunities within the industry.

The students can explore several career choices like Sports Event Managers, Athlete Managers, Fitness Centre Supervisors, Team Managers, Sports Operations & Administrators, Sports Sponsorship Salespersons, Sports Marketers & Digital Marketers, Sports Retailers, Sports Data Analysts & much more. Learning these subjects in the classroom and getting to implement this learning through practical learning bestows the students with enormous growth opportunities. The opportunities help the students fulfill the gaps between the corporate and business world.

In this video, IISM’s Founder Director Mr. Nilesh Kulkarni has shared the nitty-gritty of the Sports Education & Sports Industry.

Advantages of Pursuing a Career in Sports Management

The advantages of pursuing this lucrative career option are given below: –

●You get a chance to follow your passion. If you are a die-hard fan of sports, then you would stop at nothing before pursuing your dream of joining the sports industry, and that is exactly what you can achieve by pursuing a degree in sports management.

●You get to travel with the athlete or the team, explore new places and experience new cultures and locations. You get to work for varied sporting events across sports like cricket, football, kabaddi & recreational sports like Marathons, Cycling & Triathlons. Even if you aren’t really a wanderlust person, then you have several options which involve less travel.

●A chance to give back to the sporting community. It is no secret that everyone is exposed to sports from a very young age. If you feel you cannot contribute to the nation by playing sports, you can always enroll in the course, work in the industry and give back to the sports community.

Top reasons why athletes are making a career in Sports Management

There are several reasons why athletes take up a career in sports management, and they are jotted down below, which will motivate you to take up this career path.

●Since sports is driven by passion, they can continue to follow their passion no matter what. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the case that once they retire, they will have no connection with the sport whatsoever. They can continue following their passion by managing the athletes, allocating the budgets, etc.

●They get paid jobs that pay them handsomely apart from being a sportsperson. If an athlete gets a chance big enough to handle teams and leagues at international levels, they will end up with a job that gives them the satisfaction of managing their favourite team.

●They get a chance to contribute much more than just playing for the team. They can manage the teams and come up with strategies to ensure the team performs at its best.

●They get a chance to learn more about the business, marketing, laws & history side of sports than before. Learning more about it will help the athlete develop a broad set of skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and paying close attention to details, evidently helping the team perform their best.

Athletes who have switched to making a career in sports management?

Once an athlete does their part in taking the sport to new heights, they can then explore new options like doing a specialized degree in sports management or joining sporting bodies as administrators.

There are several athletes who have pursued sports management degrees after becoming a reputable athlete or have joined sporting bodies.

Listed below are two such examples of great sports players who have pursued sports management.

• Sunil Chethri: – The 37-year-old Indian footballing legend has enrolled in the prestigious ISDE Law & Business School to pursue a global master’s degree in sports management and legal skills. Mr. Chethri sent his application through FIFPRO’s Indian arm and received a 100% grant for his education.
• Viren Rasquinha: – The former Captain of the Indian Hockey Team retired from the national hockey team at the age of 28 to pursue management studies. He completed his Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the esteemed Indian School of Business in Hyderabad. Mr. Rasquinha is the Director and CEO of Olympic Gold Quest.

According to a study by Ernest & Young, in order to become a CEO, you need to be a sports player first. The reason is, that sport teaches the person discipline, patience, problem-solving skills, time management, and organizational skills among others.

Closing Words

The skills you learn while pursuing sports management and while playing sports help you not only become a better athlete but also excel in your life.

Plus, there is a huge demand for sports management professionals in the market that have been covered in detail by the students from IISM Mumbai. IISM students have published a report describing the openings in the sports industry in collaboration with FICCI, a report published on Sports development and Youth Engagement.

Head over to the link and read this eye-opening report on how gratifying a career you can have in this vast field of sports.