How is Sports Management a Crucial Part of Today’s Sports Industry?

“Dhoni finishes off in style. A magnificent strike into the crowd. India lifts the World Cup after 28 Years…….” Ravi Shastri’s baritone, and now iconic words, still reverberate in our ears as we recollect some of the finest moments of Sporting glory in India.

Some say that it was Dhoni’s captaincy that worked – some say it was teamwork at its finest – yet others say it was a combination of experience, available resources, great coaching, a blend of youth and talent that converged together on that memorable occasion that brought accolades to India.

I believe that the real winner was SPORTS itself. Many such events globally are conducted to perfection, blending in the clockwork of countless agencies, managing Sports persons, sponsors, events,  celebrities, the media, and news agencies covering the event – the venues and schedules – and many other aspects that sometimes go unnoticed. I believe that the Management of Sports can assist in setting up the foundation for evolving future generations of Sporting Accolades in India.

Managing Sports – Future of India’s Glory

India is rapidly emerging as a sporting nation beyond its traditional sports. Our forays into track and field, archery, tennis, golf, and many other lesser-known sports are commendable. And fast-growing alongside this is Sports Management!

I believe that the next decade or so is going to be path-breaking in every aspect. Right from the need to improve Sports Infrastructure to creating a sustainable model of athlete management – the evolution for India in the days to come is to shift from its current early-stage process to evolve into an agile and dynamic model which can be adopted easily in any sport – more like a ‘Plug-and-play model’ for any sport. The students from IISM published an insightful report on the Sports Infrastructure in India. Download the report from here, and be ready to be completely blown out of your mind.

I believe that the plug-and-play model for Sports Management in India can be somewhat standardized as the flow below:

1. Talent Scout
2. Training Infrastructure Management
3. Event & Hospitality Management
4. Coach/ Support Staff / Sponsor Management
5. Diet and Nutrition/ Fitness Management

Allow me to provide you with a more detailed overview of each area.

1. Talent Scout:

India is a big country. In an ideal world, we should have a wide range of talent and potential available to choose from. Mathematically, Yes, in reality, No. This is where the bulk of the effort needs to be done! How do we reach out to the interiors of India and sports talent for the future? Maybe schools need to be incentivised to provide avenues for students to explore their potential, dabble in multiple disciplines of the sport. A nationwide talent search – every 2 years or so – would further encourage identification of the right talent early on. This would entail multiple agencies working in tandem to support talent scout teams.

2. Training Infrastructure Management:

Infrastructure needs to move closer to the talent, or provide talent with viable access to state-of-the-art facilities to build the talent portfolio. This would require teams that study international facilities and localise these to sustain and support Local Nuances while continuing to provide holistic development avenues for athletes.

3. Event & Hospitality Management:

Building the competitive edge requires creating avenues and events around the sports, creating greater awareness among spectators. This would also open up avenues for sports hospitality management. This, in turn, would lead to promoting not-so-traditional sports across the country. Some sports might also garner league formats of events, and this would be highly encouraged for such sports.

4. Coach/ Support Staff/ Sponsor Management:

Some sports, such as Badminton, Cricket, Hockey, and chess, have been well entrenched in India. The lesser-known sports would need greater attention, as the potential and performance Gap among athletes would help prepare a pipeline for the years ahead. This further gives scope for the Government to encourage sponsorship from Corporate India to step in and support athletes’ all-around development.

5. Diet and Nutrition/ Fitness Management:

Traditionally, the Indian diet, combined with the availability of appropriate nutritional supplements and access to advanced physiotherapy, plays a crucial role in enhancing sports management at all levels, from beginners to professionals. This integration ensures that talent is nurtured and given the opportunity to reach its full potential.

Check Out:-

Ideas that can change the lives of Sports Management Students

Sports Management – like any other requires intricate planning from the top, structured organization across all agencies, support staff, and coach management, localised controls on budgets and sponsorships, and most importantly – creating wider awareness and support at rural levels to ensure collective development and success. This is a journey – a journey that may be a decade long – but needs to start early, with the intent to ensure that India Becomes a Sporting Nation across disciplines rather than just a few.

A Blog by Ms. Avanti Desai
Head – Academics at IISM