Sports Management: A New Concept in ManagementWhen one thinks of a course in management, one thinks about business and related issues like marketing, HR, Finance, IT and so on. No doubt a business cannot run successfully without management. A management course trains students to manage business related issues in a systematic way, based on sound principles and theories. Business cannot succeed with haphazard, unplanned management. The scope and demand of management courses is increasing, considering the need for a good system for effective management. There is nothing in this world where management is not required. At home, the woman in the household manages the family. There is a management system complete with hierarchy in every organization small or big. It has been realized that although the principles of management are common to all fields, a specialization is required for each field. For example, managing an educational institution requires some special skills and knowledge that are far different from those required for managing a poultry farm. This is an age of specialization. More and more specialized courses in management in different fields are coming up. One such recent concept is sports management.

Who is a sports manager?

A sports manager is a person who ensures that everything that takes place off the field runs smoothly. The sports manager is in charge of the entire sports related activity that takes place within his authority. He acts as a co-ordinator, planner and supervisor, all in one. The sportsmen concentrate on practice and participating without having to bother about other practical issues like transport arrangements, preparation of courts, maintenance of the ground, sport equipment, purchases, repairs and numerous other little but important issues without which sports events cannot take place. Sports managers are in charge of the basic organization and scheduling of their clients. Both individual athletes and entire organizations hire sports managers to see that everything off the field goes smoothly. Sports managers are different from sports agents; sports agents are concerned with contracts for their clients. Managers are responsible for the training and fitness of sportsmen.

Duties of a sports manager depend upon the client. A client may be an individual athlete or an entire baseball team. A sports manager is

responsible for the physical and mental well-being of the clients. The manager hires appropriate trainers, plans practice schedules, and procures necessary equipment. It is the manager’s duty to see that all the needs of sportsmen are provided for. The manager is the mediator or a kind of representative for the client. He deals with the media agencies and plans interviews or reports of sports events. He is an agent between the owner and players. He also has to resolve conflicts amongst players or between the owners and sportsmen.

Scope for jobs

With increasing sports activities in the world, sports managers have a very bright future. Young people who have a passion for games are the best

candidates for sports management. Those who are themselves sportsmen but do not wish to confine themselves only to play, can go for the course. Those who play games know the insides of sports activities. They have an understanding of the mentality, expectations and problems faced by sportsmen. They can truly play their part as managers to the satisfaction of players. They can pursue a sport as a hobby and the career of a sports manager, thus finely combining their passion with career. Sports managers are hired at a wide variety of venues including academic institutions, amateur and professional leagues, sporting goods companies, and even sports marketing firms. The managerial position is respectable. The minimum qualification is graduation, hence, some level of knowledge and maturity is expected from candidates.

If you are looking for something different, something uncommon, and if you have a liking for sports, you can think of this career option: MBA in Sports Management.