Earning potential in sports management!
You’ve decided that sports management is the career for you, but there is a diverse range of jobs available in the field. How do you know which one is right for you? Coaches and sports agents are often the first roles you think of when you consider sports management. But, sports management positions range from athletic directors, to facility managers, to accountants and sports media professionals.
The sports management field offers a lot of flexibility, growth opportunity — and earning potential.
An annual sports manager salary can range from an average of $50,000 to more than $350,000, depending on qualifications and experience. The salary for a sports general manager can be nearly $250,000 and can rise into the multi-millions for general managers of a major league team.
But if the role of general manager isn’t at the top on your sports management career goals, there are many other sports management jobs that offer competitive salaries.
Sports management average job salaries
- Sports marketing coordinator: $44,160
The sports marketing coordinator assists the marketing manager in executing marketing initiatives. Duties of this role include developing advertising campaigns, assisting facility promotions, calculating advertising budgets and helping to market athletes.
- Fitness manager: $49,844
Fitness managers have a range of responsibilities, including training and managing staff, maintaining financial records, servicing fitness equipment and promoting the business. Fitness managers work in an array of environments such as clubs, hotels, corporate fitness centers and educational institutions.
- Public relations manager: $55,078
In the sports management field, the public relations manager handles public speaking, writing press releases, creating website content, handling damage control and building a favorable image of clients.
- Athletic director: $57,830
An athletic director serves as the head of the athletic department of a high school, university or other sports organization and handles the daily operations of the department. Depending on the size of the institution, the athletic director may also execute tasks like ordering equipment and balancing budgets.
- Business development manager: $68,458
Business development managers supervise development staff, create campaigns designed to increase a fan base and build relationships with community partners. They may also conduct market research to grow revenue.
- Facilities manager: $61,866
Sports facilities managers are responsible for the ongoing operations of any sports venue, including stadiums and arenas. They are involved in planning and coordinating events, leasing, buying and selling facilities, staffing and assuring compliance with applicable regulations.
- Operations manager: $62,321
The operations manager is responsible for everything that happens at a sporting event, including coordinating staff needs, timing events and overseeing fan experience.
Four tips to help you secure a rewarding sports career salary
- Find the areas of sports management that interest you most
Sports management is a diverse field comprised of roles from communications to facilities management. If you are working in a transferrable field like accounting or marketing, then a shift in career trajectory may be all that is needed. If you haven’t yet started down a career path, begin by researching and exploring sports management degrees like the ones offered by the United States Sports Academy, the leader in sports management education.
- Follow a sports franchise you admire
You can learn a lot by following your favorite sports organization. What does it do well? Does the team have a position reputation in the sports world? Does the organization effectively connect with fans?
- Explore sports management degree programs
While you may have strong business skills, earning a sports management degree can give you an edge over other job candidates. - Pursue internships
Internships are an excellent way for you to get hands-on sports management training and network. Working under sports professionals currently in the field gives you the opportunity to learn about their education and career path.
Up Your Game and take the next step toward a career in sports management
