Sports unite us, whether we\u2019re running down the field as part of a team or cheering from the comfort of our living rooms. The sports business field builds on that excitement, creating opportunities for fans to work behind the scenes and support the games they love.<\/p>\n
While the sports industry is large, it\u2019s also fiercely competitive. Your education \u2014 and your connections \u2014 can be the difference that helps you get the sports business job you want.<\/p>\n
In this article, we\u2019ll outline several careers to consider when you earn your sports business bachelor\u2019s degree online<\/strong><\/a> from Oregon State University. We\u2019ll also share insights from faculty members with the College of Business<\/a> at Oregon State about what to look for in an online bachelor\u2019s degree program<\/a>.<\/p>\n Spectators and supporters make games profitable \u2014 and there are plenty of people willing to join in. In surveys<\/a>, close to 50% of people self-identify as sports fans, with nearly 30% describing themselves as avid followers. In sports marketing jobs, you\u2019ll inspire people to attend games, buy merchandise and otherwise support the brand they love.<\/p>\n Working in sports marketing can mean managing social media accounts, creating membership packages, updating websites, interviewing players and hyping up the competition for people watching from home.<\/p>\n Typical job titles in sports marketing include social media manager, marketing coordinator and public relations specialist. If you work for a small sports organization, you may be the team\u2019s solo booster, but if you work for a larger enterprise, you may have just part of the marketing puzzle under your direct control.<\/p>\n \u201cConnections matter in sports marketing. Students should look for opportunities to talk with alumni and business leaders. Conversations can become inroads that lead to careers. Our alumni at Oregon State, for example, are very generous with our students and willing to explain what working in sports marketing is really like on a day-to-day basis,\u201d said Johnny Chen, senior instructor.<\/p>\n Companies are eager to get their names and products in front of customers. Working in sports sponsorship means handling those delicate transactions. You could pair companies with individual players, teams, events and more.<\/p>\n Sports sponsorships can be remarkably effective. For example, nearly half of Gen Z consumers<\/a> tell researchers they\u2019d be more likely to buy a product if it were affiliated with their preferred team. But as a sports sponsorship professional, you must move beyond the hype and tie performance to a clear objective (like sales) to ensure the money keeps coming in when the contract expires.<\/p>\n Typical sports sponsorship job titles include corporate sponsorship manager, account executive, sponsorship activation manager and account executive. You could work for an entire team, or you could represent just one star athlete.<\/p>\n \u201cSports sponsorships are becoming major sources of revenue for organizations large and small. An internship can give you hands-on experience in how these partnerships are developed, structured and managed. At Oregon State, internships are a core part of an online student\u2019s education,\u201d Chen said.<\/p>\n This form of sports business involves using data to improve an athlete\u2019s or team\u2019s performance, reduce injuries, inform financial decisions and more. As the ability to capture data grows, so could your impact as a sports analytics professional.<\/p>\n How does it work? Consider this example. In 1979, professional basketball rules changed<\/a> and allowed for three-point shots farther from the basket. Sports analytics professionals determined that athletes who were quick and slightly smaller than average players were more likely to make those tricky long shots. Teams built their rosters accordingly, and the game changed. In the 1980s, teams took about 2.4 attempts at three-point shots per game. In the 2021-2022 season, only one team averaged fewer than 30 attempts.<\/p>\n Sports analytics jobs can involve informing coaching, training, athlete recruitment and sports betting. Some analysts even weigh in on contract negotiations and athlete compensation packages<\/a> \u2014 huge expenses for the teams they work for. Typical job titles include sports analyst, sports data analyst and sports statistical analyst.<\/p>\n \u201cSports analytics is a field that has undergone tremendous growth, and it\u2019s an exciting one. If you\u2019re hoping for a career at the intersection of math and sport, your online degree program should include courses taught by analytics experts \u2014 not professors from other fields. And at Oregon State, it will,\u201d said Timothy Kaskela, assistant professor of business analytics.<\/p>\n Sports teams often need help with typical accounting tasks like payroll, budgets, taxes and bill payment. But finance professionals also handle sports-specific tasks.<\/p>\n For example, you may provide core assistance in helping your team to stay funded by researching appropriate pricing for tickets, media rights and sponsorships. You may also examine public sector funding opportunities and help leadership determine which opportunities are worth pursuing.<\/p>\n Entry-level job titles may include accountant or bookkeeper, but advanced job titles might include sports financial analyst, business operations analyst or revenue manager.<\/p>\n \u201cThe biggest decisions in sports are about which investments to make. Building a new stadium or signing a player can change the trajectory of a franchise for the better. Doing those things poorly can drag a team down for years. Evaluating and financing such investments requires an understanding of the unique way each league operates, and the ways local governments and teams can collaborate,\u201d said Dennis Adams, senior instructor.<\/p>\n The online sports business bachelor\u2019s degree<\/strong><\/a> is housed within Oregon State\u2019s College of Business, and as a student, you\u2019ll learn from experts in fields like finance, marketing, analytics and more. You\u2019ll also be connected with Oregon State\u2019s large alumni network through the COB\u2019s Career Success Center<\/a> and internship opportunities.<\/p>\n \u201cNow is a great time to enroll online in sports business at Oregon State,\u201d Chen said. \u201cWe look forward to discovering what unique talents students can bring to the game.\u201d<\/p>\nSports marketing jobs<\/h2>\n
What to look for in an online sports business program<\/h3>\n
Sports sponsorship jobs<\/h2>\n
What to look for in an online sports business program<\/h3>\n
Sports analytics jobs<\/h2>\n
What to look for in an online sports business program<\/h3>\n
Sports finance jobs<\/h2>\n
What to look for in an online sports business program<\/h3>\n
Earn a sports business degree online with Oregon State<\/h2>\n
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