You don’t have to be an athlete to make money in sports. Neither do you need to be an artist or performer to carve yourself an entertainment career. Sports, fitness, and entertainment industries are rapidly growing, as are the job opportunities they offer.
Now, sports and entertainment management are an upper-level field for professionals with business acumen. As an expert in this field, you handle anywhere from individuals to teams and even facilities, making sure everything runs smoothly business-wise.
Now, to enter this career path, you will need to build up your education and skill set. And that’s where an MBA in Sport & Entertainment Management comes in. It teaches MBA coursework in key areas like finance, economics, operations, analytics, revenue creation, analytics, business ethics, and accounting but with a focus on sports and entertainment businesses.
So, is an MBA in Sports & Entertainment Management a good choice for you? What exactly can you gain from pursuing this program?
Here are a couple of benefits you get from pursuing this graduate program:
1. It Exposes You to Many Possible Career Paths
This MBA actually opens up numerous career possibilities, so if your goal is to expand your career opportunities, you will fit right in. What you choose to specialize in will pretty much depend on where your interests and capabilities lie.
For instance, if you have a deep passion for a sport and want to be where the action is happening, you could pursue roles such as coach, athletic coordinator, or athletic director. If, on the other hand, you want to be on the business management side of things, you could become a sports agent, event coordinator, facility manager, operations manager, ticket sales director, or even a financial analyst.
You could also still keep to your current career, but specialize in sports or entertainment. For example, if you’re already a lawyer, you could decide to be a full-time sports lawyer, representing athletes and sports organizations. The industry is actually a well-paying one. Alternatively, if you work in marketing, you can become an events marketer and specialize in just that.
2. Equips You with Multi-Disciplinary Skills
When you think about sports and entertainment management, what comes to mind? The biggest advantage of this course is the fact that it’s actually multi-disciplinary. So, you don’t really have to pick whether you just want to concentrate on sports or the entertainment industry.
And yes, this course will equip you with skills for management roles in both industries. However, the skills you acquire are much broader than that. Being an MBA, you learn skills that can help manage businesses even beyond these two industries. So much so that you can actually apply them to your own venture if you later decide to be an entrepreneur. And the certification can actually give you credibility.
Basically, pursuing this career prepares you for the job at hand but does not mean you are restricted to just those jobs.
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3. You Can Get the Highest Paying Jobs in the Industry
Now, it’s not mandatory to have an MBA in sports management to work as a sports agent or coach, for instance. There are people in the industry who are purely there because of passion and experience.
However, actually studying and getting valuable skills in the craft can give you a better launching pad in an industry where skill and expertise are valued. In fact, the highest-paying and most prestigious positions go to professionals who actually have a Master’s degree in the profession. So, basically, having this MBA under your belt opens you up to better-paying opportunities.
4. Helps You Build a Robust Network
As you probably already know, the sports and entertainment industries are all about making connections and actually networking. Building networks is not only how you secure a job in either sector but also the surest way to climb up the ladder faster.
Now, you might be wondering how exactly going to school and earning an MBA will help you with this. Well, when you choose the right program and institution, you get to interact with a lot of key industry players all along your course. This gives you an opportunity to connect with people who call the shots in the positions you are looking to enter into so you can show your skill and expertise.
Moreover, the course equips you with vital skills you will need to network once you’re in the job market. These include good business acumen, great communication, an in-depth understanding of factors affecting the industry, etc. So, when you actually start putting yourself out there, you’re definitely going to stand out.
5. Equips You with Cutting-Edge Knowledge of the Current Market
Anyone with an MBA can probably manage different kinds of businesses and help make them successful. However, this specific MBA not only makes you a good business manager but actually opens up your mind to the current sports and entertainment market. And that will prepare you to take your spot among the next generation of sports and entertainment professionals.
Among other things, you will understand how the sports and entertainment business model works, what makes an organization successful, current trends and analytics, and how to cope with the various challenges of working in the field.
So, Is an MBA In Sport & Entertainment Management the Right Pick for You?
Aside from considering the key benefits we have just covered; you can ask yourself a couple of questions to further help you self-assess yourself. Consider:
What Are Your Career Goals?
Basically, you want to look at where you hope to be in the next couple of years. And whether that vision aligns with the decision you’re about to make. If you don’t already have long-term career goals, you want to make some based on your vision for yourself.
Are You Already Working in Fields Related to Your Career?
In many cases, people pursue MBAs based on their current specializations or interests. If you’re already in the sports or entertainment business, pursuing an MBA in the industry can help your career development.
The same case if you’re planning to switch careers. For instance, if you are an accountant or a PR specialist and want to apply your craft in sports or entertainment. Doing the MBA will actually help you understand how the industry works and will give potential clients confidence in hiring you.
What Do You Hope to Gain from the Course?
You also want to consider what you hope to gain once the program ends. That is, what skills are you actually looking for, and does the course promise to give you these? At the end of the day, the MBA should teach you how the industry works, the skills you need to excel, and how to sell yourself.
How to Choose Your MBA in Sport & Entertainment Management Program
Once you’ve decided that the MBA is actually a good fit for you, do you then select any program you come across? Well, where you pursue your program is equally important. And that’s because you want to earn a degree that is industry recognized. So, check:
The School’s Accreditation
The primary goal of accreditation is to make sure that colleges and universities meet acceptable levels of quality. Basically, accreditation assures you that the quality of education you’re about to pay for meets the quality standards and is at par with industry expectations.
Accreditation in the US is typically done by private as well as government (federal and state) entities. For business schools, which is where you will get a sports and entertainment management program, you want to check for AACSB accreditation.
The School’s Ranking Nationally
In the US, there are different bodies that rank higher learning institutions and the programs they offer. One of the most prestigious rankings is by US News & World Report. So, you want to check if the business school appears in these rankings, even if not for the program you want to pursue.
Basically, a good ranking reflects well upon the school, program, and of course, your degree certificate.
The Institution’s Reputation
What is the university’s reputation in general? This also matters to a great extent. And it can give you an idea as to what to expect in terms of your experience throughout the course.
How Much You’ll Need & Whether There Are Funding Options
Before you can even enroll in a graduate course, you want to be sure you have the budget for it, and if not, you have assistance options available to you. So, make sure you are aware of the fees and the funding options offered by the institution and whether you are actually eligible.
Broaden Your Career Options with a Sports & Entertainment MBA in Albers
The sports and entertainment industries are both multi-billion-dollar industries. And it’s not just the athletes and artists making money; the business minds behind the scene, who actually make it happen, are well-paid too.
So, if you have a passion for it, are already in either industry or have a career that could fit well in sports or entertainment, pursuing an MBA in the field is a smart move. Take your career to the next level with this specialized graduate degree.