International Sports Management: 5 Exciting Careers You Can Pursue with A Degree

Sports are popular in virtually all corners of the world. That’s worth remembering if you’re considering a career in sports management. You don’t need to restrict yourself by pursuing jobs that involve exclusively working within your own country’s borders. You could provide yourself with many more potential career options if you also seek jobs that involve worldwide sports management duties.

This guide will explain what international sports management is and what types of jobs you can seek with the degree.

What Is International Sports Management?

Sports management is a general term that applies to the field of sports as a business. Professionals with sports management backgrounds and degrees may be involved in marketing, event planning, facilities management, team management, and more.

International sports management simply involves the same work and disciplines as general sports management but on a global scale. Events such as the World Cup and the Olympics illustrate how athletes and teams are not restricted to competing within their home countries. Thus, the jobs often involve facilitating competition and participation in sports across borders.

What Can You Do With A Degree In The Field?

International sports management jobs come in many forms. Essentially, any sports management job involves handling the various “off-the-field” tasks that ensure the smooth operation of a sports team and organization.

Handling these tasks can be even more demanding on an international stage. That’s not to deter someone from seeking a career in international management. On the contrary, it’s meant to generate excitement among those attracted to jobs requiring them to actively apply their unique skills.

It would be impossible to list all the jobs you might fill with this degree. The next section of this blog will simply list some key examples of jobs worth being aware of.

Top 5 Careers With The Degree

The following are some of the more noteworthy careers you may pursue:

1. Marketing Manager

Sports Marketing and Sports Marketing Managers play a critical role in generating interest in and enthusiasm for a team, league, event, and more. However, effective marketing content needs to be aimed at the specific culture of a marketer’s target audience. Marketing content that resonates with potential fans in the United States might not make the same impression on fans in Germany, for example, which highlights one of the ways international management is unique compared to sports management in general. 

International sports marketing jobs often require those who fill them to understand other cultures and backgrounds. This quality helps them thrive in their careers.

2. Travel Director

Competing in sports on an international stage requires traveling long distances. Travel arrangements need to be thoroughly planned and confirmed to ensure a seamless transition from one venue to the next. Along with making sure a team is where they need to be when they need to be there, it’s also critical to arrange for proper shipment of gear, easy travel for support staff, and more.

This type of career may appeal to someone who is very organized. The best type of person to fill this role is someone who is quite detail-oriented.

3. PR Specialist

PR is similar to marketing in some ways. It involves managing an organization’s relationship with the public and the press. 

It also requires one to have a strong understanding of other cultures. A sports organization may need to adjust its PR strategy when operating in a foreign country. A skilled PR expert can help an organization achieve its goals flawlessly.

4. Event Coordinator

Organizing any type of major sporting event can be a demanding but rewarding experience for someone who loves sports and appreciates the energy of a major athletic competition. This is particularly true when an event involves guests and participants from multiple countries.

Someone with a degree or background in international sports management might be drawn to event coordinator jobs that involve planning games, matches, and performances that appeal to audience members from various cultures. Along with planning exciting international sports events, someone in this position might also be responsible for ensuring attendees and athletes are safe and that all venue policies are enforced.

Event coordinating involves (as the name implies) coordinating with various other groups and individuals to plan events that go off exactly as planned. Consider looking into such a career if you get a thrill from working with others to plan a sporting event that has a truly global reach.

5. Facilities Manager

The duties of a facilities manager may seem to overlap with those of an event coordinator, but the two roles are not exactly the same. A facilities manager is responsible for ensuring the venues held by sporting events are designed and maintained to properly facilitate said events, which is critically important when organizing international sporting events. These events tend to attract large numbers of visitors from across the globe. As such, the facilities in which they take place must be reliable, safe, and accessible. 

To some extent, a facilities manager (in cooperation and coordination with others) might also be involved in making sure the amenities and attractions at a venue appeal to an international audience. For example, they may be somewhat involved in choosing dining options that cater to guests’ tastes from numerous countries and cultures.

How to Get Started

Getting a degree or certification will naturally help you make the right impression on potential employers. However, you can only land your dream management position if you know which jobs are available.

JobsInSports.com can help by offering regularly updated listings of international sports management jobs that lead to meaningful careers. Get started by joining the network for free today.