Last Updated on January 24, 2023

For anyone dreaming about a successful career in the sports industry, there is no better way to prepare yourself than to earn a degree in Sport Management. Fortunately, for students today, there are more Online Sport Management Programs being offered than ever before. 

In this guide…

What to expect from an Online Sports Management Degree
Online Sports Management Programs Offer Flexibility
Sports Management Degrees Online Are More Affordable
Students Everywhere Can Now Access High-Quality Sports Management Programs
Sport Management Concentration areas
How Do Internships Work in Online Sport Management Degree Programs?
Networking and Alumni Mentoring in an Online Sport Management Program
How much do Online Sports Management Programs Cost?
Online Sports Management Bachelor’s Programs listed
Frequently Asked Questions about Online Sports Degrees

Why is the explosion of Online Sport Management degree offerings a significant development? It’s simple – online degree programs offer more affordability and flexibility than on-campus programs.

This means that sport management programs that were once prohibitively expensive are now more accessible to more students. And with the flexibility to learn through a combination of synchronous and asynchronous classes, students can work on their studies around their other commitments.

“A quality Sport Management degree should combine the institution of sport to the realm of business in order to prepare students for one of the fastest-growing career opportunities in the nation. In a sport business major, you’ll study concepts like management and leadership, marketing and promotions, and finance and economics as they pertain to the world of sport business.  Additionally, a good program should include hands-on learning (internship) and interesting coursework that provides a strong foundation in sport business principles.”  

Dr. Jaime Orejan, Limestone University

What to expect from an Online Sport Management Degree

Since many Online Sport Management Programs are housed in business departments, students should expect the curriculum to include a solid business foundation. It is also important to note that the curriculum of sport management programs can vary, especially if a given program is housed in another department (other departments that offer sport management can include education, sport science, and kinesiology).

Many programs require standard business courses like marketing, finance, accounting, and business for Freshman. Higher level courses include more sport-specific offerings. Here are a number of course subjects that are commonly included in a sport management curriculum:

Sport Management Fundamentals

Sport Finance 

Sports Law and Ethics

Media and Communications in Sport

Sports Marketing

Management and Organization in Sport

Online Sports Management Programs Offer Flexibility

Flexibility is perhaps the most important aspect of an Online Sport Management degree. With an Online Sport Management Program, students can budget their own study time each week. For students who plan on working part-time or full-time to pay off their degree while studying, this is a dream come true. 

Each student has a unique life situation. For some, family responsibilities mean that they must be home to provide assistance and leadership in their household. This may include mentorship for their siblings, care for elder family members, or other vital tasks.

Since Online Sport Management Programs courses offer great flexibility, earning a degree is possible even for students with busy lives.  Some courses are offered synchronously – meaning that students are expected to attend the class remotely at a set time. However, the technology of today means that students who miss a given class can still still keep pace. Not only are all lectures recorded – which means that students can also re-watch complex lessons multiple times – but even live group discussions are recorded and archived. This ensures that students can feel like they were present at a discussion even if they missed the class. 

It is easy to see that students who take full advantage of watching and re-watching this material have the same opportunity to learn as those who attend on-campus programs.

Sport Management Degrees Online Are More Financially Accessible 

Only a few years ago, being a full-time student meant committing four years to full-time study with very limited opportunities for employment. Now, it is a reasonable goal for students to work 20+ hours a week while taking three or four courses during a semester. 

This is revolutionary. Why? Because it allows students whose parents don’t have the means to cover all of their expenses for four years to earn an education. 

Just take a moment to contemplate the financial implications of this change. Whereas students once had to spend four years sliding into debt without meaningful employment, they now have the ability to begin paying off their education as they are earning their degree. More precisely, it allows more students to earn a sport management degree without falling into significant debt. 

Since online degree programs can be taken from anywhere, students can live at home while studying, saving expensive room and board fees that were once a compulsory part of any four-year degree program. In many cases, that means that online students can save between $5K and $10K per year on meals and accommodation expenses by living at home. Considering that covering those expenses once meant applying for notorious student loans, this is a significant change for the better. 

Students Anywhere Now Have Access to High-Quality Sport Management Programs

Online Sport Management Programs have solved geographical problems for students in rural areas. Only a decade ago students who weren’t fortunate enough to have a quality sport management program within driving distance of their house had no choice. Either they had to find a program and live on (or near) campus to study, or they were out of luck.

With the advent of remote learning and online degree programs, that has all changed. Now all that students – regardless of their location – need to access to high-quality degree programs is a fast internet connection. 

This is a boon not only for students (and their families) in rural areas, but in time it may also benefit rural communities across the country. The trend has long been documented that a large percentage of college graduates tend to get job opportunities near where they studied and completed their internships. This is quite natural, since those are the places where they built their networks and earned their reputation. However, with the trend toward more young people earning degrees where they come from, there is reason to believe that more of them may enter the job market in those areas as well.

Sport Management Concentration Areas

By its very nature, a Sport Management degree is a multidisciplinary education that prepares graduates for success in a wide variety of careers in the sports industry. The curriculum seen above includes a basic introduction to many different topics. This is advantageous in that it produces well-rounded graduates – however, it also means that students eager to distinguish themselves need to find a way to distinguish themselves from the pack. 

It is no secret that the sports industry is extremely competitive. One way that students can begin to build a resume that will stand out from the pack is by choosing a concentration area or two within their program. By taking related elective courses of in the same focus area, students can develop a skill set that represents real value for potential employers. Graduates with competency in one or more concentration areas bring added value compared with other candidates who are otherwise very similar. For this reason, Sports Degrees Online strongly encourages students to identify potential concentration areas early in your program and work hard to build one or more of these complementary skill sets before you graduate.

The following is a list of elective courses that are commonly available to undergraduate Sport Management students. Keep in mind that not all of these course options are offered as part of every Online Sport Management program. Course offerings should be an important consideration as you are trying to decide which program is the best fit for you.

Sports Analytics

And understanding of statistics and the ability to use one or more data analytics languages – whether it be R, Python, or both – is an incredibly powerful skill set in today’s world Countess professors interviewed by Sports Degrees Online have cited analytics as one of the most sought-after skill sets for graduates these days. Even better for those who also know how to use SQL and Tableau.

Sports Law

 With issues like Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), NFTs (Non-fungible tokens), and Sport wagering now a part of mainstream sports business, organizations and companies will continue to do everything in their power to stay ahead of the legal issues that will continue to present themselves. An understanding of how law plays out in sport is an incredibly valuable skill set, and one that could be a precursor for delving deeper into the lucrative field of sports law.

Sports Event Management

Like analytics, Event Management is a skill set that is valuable in the sports industry and beyond. Security, risk management, and customer experience all come together for successful event management, and sport management students can separate themselves from the pack with a concentration in this area.

Sports Marketing and Sponsorship

Marketing in sports is fundamentally different than in other industries. Since fans often have such a positive association and passion about their teams, affiliated sponsorship is a huge business. The art of cultivating engagement with fans is a huge business, and graduates with applicable skills in this area are very marketable.

Esports Management

One of the fastest growing parts of the sports industry is Esports. With global viewership that exploded in recent years, opportunities are expected to emerge in the Esports industry for years to come. With more universities offering course, minors, and even majors in Esports, students should consider a concentration in this area.

Sport and Performance Psychology

For Sport Management students who hope to find a career working closely with teams and athletes, sport and performance psychology is a field that is of growing importance. What’s more, the knowledge and approach of Sport and Performance Psychology (SPP) is now commonly used by executives and CEOs as they try to build and maintain happy, productive teams.

Athletic Administration

For those in sport management who would like to work as athletic directors, conference commissioners, or similar roles at the high school or collegiate level, many programs offer the chance to specialize in athletic administration. These courses offer students the opportunity to examine the complex dynamics at play between schools, teams, and athletes.

How Do Internships Work in Online Sport Management Degree Programs?

As a part of an Online Sport Management Program, your professors will help you find a meaningful internship program, no matter where you are. Surprisingly, internships are sometimes even easier to find for students living in rural places than they are in areas where there are lots of sport management students looking for internships. Professor Janice Wardle explains how the process works,

Networking and Alumni Mentoring in an Online Sport Management Program

Online Sport Management programs also feature robust networking and mentoring opportunities. Since remote mentoring and networking became the norm a few years back, Online Sport Management students are now on an even playing field with the vast majority of on campus students when it comes to networking and alumni mentoring. 

In-person mentor meetings used to be much more common, but since students and mentors have all become so comfortable living in the world of Zoom calls, this has all changed. 

Mentors and mentees alike can now meet up much more frequently for quick check-ins without worrying about travel time or leaving the office. Needless to say, this is a boon for Online Sport Management students – even though you may be thousands of miles away from your mentor, you will still have the chance to learn from them and enjoy the same network connections as other students.

How much do Online Degree Programs Cost?

The cost for a four year Online Sport Management Degree Program is generally between $45,000 and $90,000 for a four-year degree.

Online Sport Management Bachelor’s Programs listed

Online Bachelor’s Sport Management Degree FAQs