5 Benefits of Getting a Certificate in Sports Management

Would you like to work in sports? If so, you may be wondering if you should pursue a certificate in sports management. Regardless of what specific role you would like to play in the sports industry, receiving certification will provide you with the foundational knowledge you need to succeed in your career.

Why Should I Pursue a Sports Management Certificate?

While gaining the necessary knowledge to succeed in sports management is vital, that’s just one of the many benefits of pursuing a certificate. Here are some others to consider. 

1. Landing Your Dream Sports Management Job

If you’re reading this article, there’s a good chance you’re passionate about working in the sports industry. That passion may be apparent to potential employers when you apply for jobs. Unfortunately, passion isn’t always enough to make the right impression on them. They will also likely want to see that you have the necessary expertise to succeed in your role.

There are numerous types of sports management certificates you may receive, including: 

• sports marketing certifications, 
• sports analytics certifications,
• events and facilities management certifications, 
• general sports management certificates, and more.

Whichever you choose to pursue, if you’re awarded one, it will be clear to someone considering giving you a job that you have the right education and training to thrive in your career.

Getting a certificate in sports management is also a smart way to convey your passion to employers. After all, plenty of people would like to work in this industry. Only a few of them are so passionate about the field that they’re willing to undergo advanced training to build up their knowledge and skills.

Imagine you’ve applied to your dream sports job. Maybe there’s one other candidate with the same general qualifications as you. However, the only difference is that you took the time to get a certificate, while the other candidate did not. It’s pretty easy to imagine which of you will likely get the position. With a certificate, you give yourself a competitive edge.

2. The Sports Industry Continues to Grow

It’s important to consider how easy it will be to find a job in your chosen field when deciding which industry you’d like to work in. Even if you are passionate about sports, maybe you’re wondering if a certificate in sports management is a safe bet. Is this an industry you can count on to provide you with substantial job opportunities?

The answer is a resounding yes. As of 2018, the global sports market was worth approximately $488.5 billion. It’s expected to reach almost $614.1 billion by 2022.

In other words, the sports industry is already huge, and it’s just continuing to grow. There are also many different roles that need to be filled in the industry. The odds are good; you’ll find one that aligns with your passion and talents.

There are many reasons the sports industry is growing. One is the creation of new sports channels which drive up viewership and introduce new fans to new teams. Additionally, media rights deals have yielded substantial revenue in recent years. By getting a certificate in sports management, you’re setting yourself up for a thriving career in a thriving industry.

3. Contributing to Your Community in a Positive Way

Surveys indicate that many young job-seekers these days want careers that provide them with a sense of purpose. While it’s nice to know you’re joining a lucrative industry, you might also want to know that the work you’re doing has a positive impact on others.

This is another good reason to consider sports management jobs when thinking about what you would like to do with your future. With a certificate in sports management, you get many opportunities to contribute to a community.

This can take a variety of forms. For instance, it’s not uncommon for athletes to give back to their communities via charitable donations and similar means. That said, they have busy schedules. They don’t always have the time to handle all the relevant details. If you’re working directly with an athlete as their manager, you may be involved in helping them find and coordinate ways for them to be of service to others.

A certificate in sports management will also provide you with skills that can allow you to help community sports organizations (such as local leagues) achieve their goals. If this is something you’re passionate about, you would almost certainly value this type of rewarding experience.

On a larger scale, sports organizations can often bolster local economies. For instance, if a new sports team comes to a city or a new stadium is built (or an old one is simply renovated), local job opportunities will increase. These opportunities can help people in struggling areas improve their lives. With sports management jobs, you can be involved in providing them.

Those are merely a few examples. The main point to keep in mind is that working in this industry isn’t just good for your bank account. It’s also good for the communities you get the chance to serve.

4. Enjoying a Dynamic Career

Again, there are many, many types of jobs you can pursue when you have a certificate in sports management. They can be very different from one another. However, there is one quality they all share: they rarely get boring.

For instance, if you helped manage the career of a high-profile client, your work would involve helping a talented young star achieve their dreams. As their career continues to improve, you’ll experience the thrill of knowing you contributed to their success.

Or, maybe you’d prefer to be involved in events management. Perhaps you like the idea of coordinating special events at a sports stadium. Because special events can vary in nature, your work will almost never involve completing the same rote tasks day in and day out. You’ll instead have truly unique experiences throughout your career. 

It’s also worth noting that a lot of behind-the-scenes work is involved in the success of sports organizations in general. For example, while the strength of the players on the field may seem to be the main factor contributing to their success, many other factors are also important. This includes decisions involving training programs, equipment, hiring, and numerous other factors. With your certificate, you can get a job that involves making some of these key decisions. This is yet another way in which you get to feel as though you’ve genuinely played an important role in an industry you care passionately about.

On top of that, many careers in sports management provide you with the opportunity to travel often. Don’t you like the thought of showing up to the same office every day for decades? With a certificate in sports management, that may not be something you need to worry about. You can get a job that takes you to some of the most exciting and attractive destinations in the world on a regular basis. Because the sports industry is very large, just about spanning the globe, you also won’t be limited to specific regions when seeking jobs. You’ll have the freedom to look wherever you would like.

5. Sports Management Jobs Provide Growth Opportunities

Just as many of today’s young job-seekers want careers that give them a sense of purpose, so too do they want careers that allow them the opportunity to grow. They’re not content to know their chances of climbing the ladder are limited. They believe it’s more rewarding to feel you can earn more money, build your skills, work with new clients, and generally grow within a career.

Again, you might be that type of person as well. A certificate in sports management will help you land these kinds of jobs. 

For instance, maybe your first job after earning your certificate would be at a sports talent agency. At first, as is often the case with entry-level sports jobs, your responsibilities will be minimal. Even so, you’ll still have the chance to get firsthand experience that helps you better understand what it takes to run such an agency. Over time, you’ll move on to more substantial roles, making key decisions about the agency’s future. The valuable experience you get could even inspire you to create an agency of your own one day. In fact, many consider the sports industry to be an excellent field in which to work if you have an entrepreneurial spirit.

Once more, sports management jobs can vary in nature widely. Working in the field doesn’t just give you the opportunity to grow. If you’re the kind of person who gets bored working in the same role for years, you’ll have many chances to move on to another one when the time comes.

It’s also important to understand that these points represent merely a few of the benefits a sports management certificate can deliver. Once you’re actually working in the field, you’ll appreciate to an even greater degree just how valuable your certification truly is.