Online MBA in Sports Management Programs
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“Sport management is a degree that will help a person to learn practical business principles while applying these ideas through projects and experiential learning opportunities in sports.”
LaJuan Hutchinson, PhD, Professor of Physical Education, University of West Alabama
The sports experience is following all the major global trends: digitalization, internationalization, and data-driven analytics. An online MBA in sports management provides professionals with the up-to-date knowledge and network necessary to handle a dynamic, interdisciplinary industry valued at over $400 billion dollars.
Those in traditional sports industry roles, such as sports agents, event and facility managers, sports equipment manufacturers, marketers, executives at professional sports teams, intercollegiate athletics administrators, and sports lawyers can all benefit from an MBA in sports management, preparing them for the complicated, intersectional challenges of the future.
The past two decades have seen an overall shrinking of domestic athletics markets in Western countries, but a massive proliferation of satellite and telecommunications to wider audiences abroad. Therefore, Industry professionals need to adapt to a new technological landscape and a new set of management, financial, and accounting policies. An online MBA in sports management familiarizes students with this new terrain while equipping them with the strategic methods and leadership skills necessary to excel in it.
The opportunity to pursue such programs entirely online allows working professionals to continue advancing their careers while furthering their education, proceeding at a customizable pace, with minimal logistical disruption. Advances in digital collaboration mean that online students can now access a school’s alumni and peer network just as they would on-campus, with opportunities for mentorships, internships, and job placement within the industry, all facilitated by the school’s partners and affiliates.
As the sports industry continues to evolve, so will its job demands. An online MBA in sports management equips professionals for the industry as it is today and what it will be tomorrow.
| Featured Sports Management & Marketing Programs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Southern New Hampshire University | Online MBA In Sport Management | View Full Profile |
| St. Thomas University | Online MBA - Sports Administration | View Full Profile |
| University of West Alabama | MBA - Sports Management | View Full Profile |
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For the latest academic year, we have 185 schools in our BSchools.org database and those that advertise with us are labeled “sponsor”. When you click on a sponsoring school or program, or fill out a form to request information from a sponsoring school, we may earn a commission. View our advertising disclosure for more details. |
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Meet the Expert: LaJuan Hutchinson, PhD
Dr. LaJuan Hutchinson is a professor of physical education at the University of West Alabama, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in sport management within the Department of Physical Education and Athletic Training and the College of Business and Technology. A faculty member since 2011, Dr. Hutchinson has earned a strong reputation for his dedication to both scholarship and service, receiving the 2020 Nellie Rose McCrory Service Excellence Award for his outstanding contributions to the University community.
Dr. Hutchinson has served as president of the Faculty Senate and has been an active member of numerous university committees and councils. He holds a PhD in exercise science from the University of Alabama and a master’s degree in movement science from Florida State University.
BSchools.org: What is something you wish the public understood about sports management?
Dr. Hutchinson: Sport management is a degree that will help a person to learn practical business principles while applying these ideas through projects and experiential learning opportunities in sports.
BSchools.org: What advice would you give to potential MBA candidates considering a concentration in sports management?
Dr. Hutchinson: Immerse yourself in sports news and information. Details about contracts, technology, stadium expansion, media rights, marketing, and finance are often major sports news.
BSchools.org: What does the future of this area look like to you?
Dr. Hutchinson: The future of sport management is extremely bright. Due to the growth in sports revenue and technology related to sports streaming, the sports business continues to grow exponentially. Anyone interested in a sports-related career should pursue an MBA in sport management.
Featured Online MBA in Sports Management Programs
The University of West Alabama provides a wealth of online MBA programs, including one with a concentration in sports management. To apply for admission, candidates need a bachelor’s degree with a 2.75 or higher GPA. Those with a lower GPA may be admitted on a conditional basis.
General courses for all concentrations include the foundations of business; comparative business law and ethics; managerial accounting; emerging technologies; research methods and design; managerial economics; financial management; marketing management; and strategic management and business policy.
The sports management concentration adds additional instruction in organization and administration and human performance; an athletic administration seminar; accounting and economics in sports; and sports management and marketing. The program consists of 33 credits.
| Location: Livingston, AL |
| Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 12 months or more |
Southern New Hampshire University offers one of the most affordable MBAs in the nation, and one where students can pursue additional certificates beyond the standard curriculum that add significant credentials to one’s resume with minimal additional coursework. All online MBA students take seven core courses that cover topics such as leading people and organizations; organizational strategy in a global environment; innovation and strategy for high-performance organizations; measuring success in an organization; optimizing brands; leading organizational change; and strategic opportunity management.
The curriculum of the sports management concentration includes courses such as sport and society; internationalization of sport business; and management of sports organizations. Providing an innovative educational experience grounded in relevant practice and theory, this online concentration enables students to become successful leaders in the sports industry.
Those with non-business academic backgrounds may be required to take foundational courses in mathematics and statistics, economics, financial reporting, business law, and/or human behavior in organizations. The program consists of 30 credits and can be completed entirely online. No GMAT or GRE scores are required for admission.
| Location: Manchester, NH |
| Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE); Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 12 to 24 months |
Grand Canyon University’s Colangelo College of Business offers an online master of business administration program with a concentration on sports business. Emphasizing on sports management, this online MBA allows students to blend their business acumen with a passion for sports and explore key concepts in operations and management. Graduates will be able to examine marketing, sales, revenue generation, and finance through the lens of the sports industry.
This 54-credit program includes courses such as sports business analytics; sports business revenue generation; strategic management; managerial finance; operations management; quantitative methods; finance principles; and applied business probability and statistics.
| Location: Phoenix, AZ |
| Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC); Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 24 months |
St. Thomas University offers an online master of business administration program with a concentration in sports administration. Encompassing elements of accounting, economics, psychology, marketing, communications, and law, this online concentration helps students learn how to effectively and ethically market sports and how to plan events, diving into the areas of sports budgeting, administration, and publicity. Moreover, students will delve into the major legal issues confronting sports administrators such as due processes, contracts, safety procedures, defamation, risk management, and collective bargaining and arbitration.
This online MBA in sports administration comprises 36 credits, however, nine additional credits of foundation courses may be required based on a review of transcripts. The curriculum includes courses such as sports marketing and promotions; facilities and event management; sports psychology; legal aspects of sports administration; financial management; international business; management ethics; and strategic marketing management.
| Location: Miami Gardens, FL |
| Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 12 months or more |
Florida Atlantic University’s MBA of sports management program has been ranked as one of the best in the world, and its alumni have gone on to work for some of the biggest sports teams and sports media networks across the globe. The core curriculum contains courses such as financial accounting; the global environment of management; advanced analysis of accounting data; marketing management in a global environment; management of information systems and technology; operations management; and global management strategy and policy.
The sports management concentration covers topics such as managing the sports enterprise; sports law; sports marketing; financial aspects of sports management; and sports business analytics. Students take another elective in either management and administration of intercollegiate athletics, or management of sport, entertainment, and convention venues. The program consists of 40 to 43 credits and may be completed entirely online. GMAT or GRE scores are requested but may be waived in consideration of relevant work experience.
| Location: Boca Raton, FL |
| Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 24 months |
Florida International University’s Graduate School of Business offers a professional online MBA with a specialization in sports management in partnership with Real Madrid Graduate School — Universidad Europea (EURM UE). Bringing renowned sports executives and leaders, top faculty members from across the globe, and the expertise from Real Madrid C.F., one of the best sports clubs in the world, this exceptional program prepares students to responsibly and successfully manage institutions in fast-changing environments worldwide.
Interestingly, students in this program will also have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of traveling to Madrid, Spain during their optional White Week program residency and experiencing the day-to-day operations at the club.
With nine courses from Florida International University and five courses from EURM UE, students will cover all aspects of business: marketing, finance, management, communications, entrepreneurship, human resources, analytics, competitive strategy, operations, and information systems.
The curriculum includes courses such as marketing and communications; managerial skills and human resources; entrepreneurship and sports for development; sports facility operation; business law for entrepreneurs; strategic management; management of information systems; and international business.
| Location: Miami, FL |
| Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 17 to 24 months |
Selected as one of Apple’s Distinguished Schools for innovation, leadership, and educational excellence, the curriculum of Lynn University’s online MBA is designed to give students global managerial and decision-making skills that can position them for leadership roles in a multinational environment. The university offers two options for students to earn their degree. A standard online MBA (12 to 24 months) and a 10-month online MBA. The sports management concentration is offered only in the standard online MBA program.
The core curriculum comprises foundation courses in business modeling; managerial accounting; financial management; operations management; a graduate orientation seminar; and a strategic management seminar.
The sports management specialization includes classes in the management of sports business; issues in intercollegiate and professional sports; legal aspects of athletics; sports marketing and public relations; and current topics in sports management.
Students will round out their education with elective courses from other specializations like international business, human resources, and media management. The program totals 37 credits and may be completed entirely online. No GMAT or GRE scores are required to apply.
| Location: Boca Raton, FL |
| Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE) |
| Expected Time to Completion: Full-time (12 months); part-time (24 months) |
Saint Leo University’s online MBA in sports business offers a diverse student body and an ethically-focused Catholic faculty.
Students will take MBA core classes in management essentials; professional development; human capital for organizational performance; managerial economics; financial and managerial accounting; and global business management, and pair these with courses in sports marketing; financial aspects of sport; facility planning and management in sport; and risk management and legal concepts in sport. The program consists of 36 credits and may be completed entirely online.
The school encourages applicants to submit GMAT scores, but this requirement may be waived considering other factors such as work experience, GPA, motivation, and leadership qualities.
| Location: Saint Leo, FL |
| Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); Accreditation Council for Business Schools & Programs (ACBSP) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 24 months |
Shorter University’s Robert H. Ledbetter College of Business offers an online accelerated master of business administration (MBA) program that offers students a competitive edge and an executive education helping them stand out in today’s business landscape. Graduates receive a Christ-centered educational experience in which professors help students through personal experience, networking opportunities, and knowledge, allowing them to become successful in their career paths and as stewards of the world.
The concentration in sport management in Shorter University’s online MBA program is accredited by the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA). This 30 to 33-credit program features coursework in sports operations & event management; sports marketing; leadership & administration of sports; risk management in sport; business of sport; managerial economics; business analytics & research methods; and legal & ethical environment of business.
| Location: Rome, GA |
| Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC); Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 24 months |
Tiffin University’s online MBA in sports management features a 200-hour mentorship program that gives students practical experience with sports franchises, athletic departments, and agencies that have links to the university. This professional program will equip students with the real-world skills, experience, and knowledge they need to succeed in this dynamic industry. Focusing on the whole sport and team from a business perspective, this online concentration prepares students for management roles in various sports and recreation settings.
The core curriculum of the online MBA program includes courses such as managerial finance; managerial business foundations; managerial economics, fundamentals of quantitative business; quantitative business analysis and research; global & transnational management; strategic management; and legal and ethical issues in management.
For the sports management specialization, students take classes on communication and fundraising in sports; business strategies in sports; personnel management in sports; and sports mentorship. The program consists of 36 credits and may be completed entirely online. No GMAT or GRE scores are required to apply.
| Location: Tiffin, OH |
| Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC); Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 18 to 30 months |
One of the top-ranked online MBAs in the nation, the program at UMass Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management provides graduates with a comprehensive knowledge base and a network of over 3,500 alumni currently working in the industry. Students take 11 core classes in strategic information management; business law; operations management; financial and managerial accounting; corporate finance; economic analysis for managers; statistics for business; marketing strategy; and leadership and organizational behavior.
The sports management focus offers electives in sports analytics; applied sports market research; consumer sales strategy in sports context; and digital media in sports. Depending on their academic background, some students may be required to take foundational classes in accounting and finance. The program consists of 45 credits and can be completed online, with optional campus visits. A GMAT or GRE waiver is available for those who qualify.
| Location: Amherst, MA |
| Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE); Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) |
| Expected Time to Completion: 24 months |
