What is Sport Management?

PHED 210Principles of Sport Management

Today’s Topics:

• Defining Sport and Sport Management• Nature and Scope of the Sport Industry• Unique Aspects of Sport Management• Competencies and Career Planning• Professional Preparation• Future Challenges and Opportunities

Sport Managers Are Glue

“Sport managers are the wonderful glue that binds successful sport organizations, sport events, athletes, health clubs, and virtually every sport industry-related business.”

(Davis, p. 5)

Defining Sport

“Sport is any activity, experience, or business enterprise focused on fitness, recreation, athletics, or leisure. …sport does not have be competitive, nor does it always require specialized equipment or rules; in fact, sport includes activities such as working out, running, and dancing.” (Parks & Quartermain, p.7)

Sport Management is “any combination of skills related to planning, organizing, directing,

controlling, budgeting, leading and evaluating within the context of an organization or department whose

primary product or service is related to sport and/or physical activity.” (Parks

& Quartermain, p. 8)

In essence, sport management is the application of management processes to sport environments. Sport Managers need: management skills and experience AND an understanding of both the sport system and the value of sport in society.

Sport Industry- all sport-related products offered to customers

Sport Performance

Sport Production

Sport Promotion

Sport Industry Segmentation

Participation Products/Influence Promo Tools

A View of the Sport Industry by Setting

Sport Setting Examples of Organizations

Professional Sport

Blue Jays, MLS, NFL

Amateur Sport NCAA

University Athletics

Ohio State, Iowa, USC

Municipal Recreation

City of New York Parks and Recreation, etc

A View of the Sport Industry by Setting (continued)

Sport Setting Examples of Organizations

Government (Federal and

Provincial/Territorial)

Sport Canada,Ontario Ministry of

Tourism and Culture

Private Clubs Granite, Toronto Cricket Club, Osler Ski Club

Social/Charitable Organizations

Heart and Stroke, Kids Help Phone, YMCA

Sport Marketing/Consultin

g Firms

International Management Group,

GEM Group

A View of the Sport Industry by Setting (continued)

Sport Setting Examples of Organizations

Corporations Pepsi, Labatt, Rexall

Sporting Goods Nike, Fila, Adidas

Sport Media TSN, The Score, Sun Sports

Health/Physical Activity-Related

Goodlife, Sport Medicine Clinics

Sport Law/Agents

“Jerry McGuire”

Tourism Tourism Ontario

What makes the sport product unique?

1. Aspects of the sport product are intangible.

VS.

What makes the sport product unique?

2. Sport is subjective and heterogeneous.

What makes the sport product unique?

3. Sports are inconsistent and unpredictable.

What makes the sport product unique?

4. Sport is perishable.

What makes the sport product unique?

5. Sport evolves emotions.

Sport Marketing Sport Enterprise Financing Sport Industry Career Paths Sport as a Social Institution

Unique Aspects of Sport Management

“Sport is a distinctive social activity that is frequently thebasis of an individual’s social identity.”

Sport Context

The Old Rules of Employment (Bridges, 1994)

Employee was ‘located’ at a particular level of a vertical hierarchy

Employee was ‘located’ within a department or functional unit

Employee had a job description Employee career paths involved

moving up the vertical hierarchy toward greater power and financial reward

New Rules!!!! Everyone is a contingent worker Everyone is an entrepreneur Everyone may not have pensions or benefits More and more work will be done by project

teams Managers will facilitate teams reaching

objectives Long term employment with one organization

will be the exception

“If you don’t know where you’re going

any road will do.”

Professional Preparation

• Sport management programs available in the USA

• Getting experience in the field before you finish school

• Having a professional attitude and image

• Business etiquette

Career Planning

• Values are the qualities, attitudes, beliefs, traits and concepts that have special significance or meaning for a person

• Interests are those activities in which you enthusiastically engage and find most enjoyable

• Skills are the developed aptitude, ability or personal quality needed to perform a task competently.

Skills Needed to Succeed in Careers in the 21st

Century

• Computer literacy• Flexibility/adaptability• Ability to work with

people of different ages, cultures, work styles

• Language skills• Personal career planning

skills• Technology skills

• Global awareness• Oral and written

communication skills• Self starter• Self comfort• Strong ethical framework• Environmental scanning

skills

What It Takes to Enter the Sport Management

Field

=

The Workplace is

The Challenges

• Technology• Ethics• Social Responsibility

Future Trends in the Field

Health and Fitness Industry:

• Growth in family markets

• Growth in niche markets (women, older adults)

• Growth in ‘spa’ settings

• Growth in personal training

Facility Management:

• Growth in domes and multi-pad arenas

• Growth in golf courses

• Growth in parks and trails

Sporting Goods:

• Growth in diversity of products …

• Growth in use of event management

Professional Sport:

• Growth in number of franchises …BUT

Top 10 Sports (2007) Golf (participation way up 1992-1998) #2 for men and

women Hockey (up) #1 for men

Baseball (up) Swimming (down) #1 for women

Basketball (up) Volleyball (down) Soccer (up) Tennis (down) Downhill Skiing (way down) Cycling (up)

Boom, Bust and Echo

Boomers born 1947-66 39-58 yearsBusters born 1967-79 26-38 yearsEchoers born 1980-95 10-25 years

Foot’s Sport Predictions:

•Hockey: demand for facilities will peak in 2002 and decline thereafter

•Skiing: no growth potential for boomers

•Tennis: limited growth potential

•Golf: still growing but this does not mean that any investment will succeed!

Demographic Shifts(Foot, 2007)

Hockey, skiing, & tennis Dance, swimming, golf, walking, bird-watching, cross-country skiing, personal health promotion

Spectatorship (pro sport)

Theatre … travel

So What Does This Mean For Your Career Interests

Team A: Owners of A Resort

Team B: Starting a new business in the New York area

Team C: Marketing Department of the NFL