Date of Graduation

5-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Health, Human Performance and Recreation

Advisor/Mentor

Edmonston, Craig

Committee Member/Reader

Schmitt, Craig

Abstract

Today, millions of people throughout the globe are taking part in sport, either through active participation or through watching athletes. According to the State of the lndustry Report from the Sports & Fitness lndustry Association and Sports Marketing Surveys USA, 232.6 million Americans participated in sports and fitness activities during 2021 (Broughton, 2022). Add to this number the millions of people who do not participate but are regular attendees or viewers at sport events, and it is staggering to realize how society's interest in sport has increased. Thus, the need for more informed sport managers in the public, nonprofit, and commercial sector has led to an increase in the need for Sport Management as a career. Schwab et al. (2020) assert that "applying management skills in a sport-related setting" (p. 202) is on the rise. According to Wintemute (2022), the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates over 900,000 combined sports and entertainment and management occupations will be added between 2020 and 2030.

In answer to the need, "the first academic program in sport management was started at Ohio University in 1964" (Schwab et al., 2020, p.197). According to the North American Society for Sports Management, as of 2012, there are "well over 300 such degree programs in the United States" (Schwab et al., 2013, p.17). Typical sport management programs cover the business side of sports, including “brand management, event planning, facility management, and the legal aspects of sports and athletics” (Seiter, 2023). The diverse coursework prepares students for a variety of careers in the sport management arena “within professional, collegiate, and amateur athletic organizations” (Wintemute, 2022, para.4).

Although the surge in the popularity of sport has occurred in the modern day, sport management was a part of the ancient world. Someone had to plan and oversee the many early sporting events held at Mt. Olympus and in the Roman Colosseum. Remains of ancient stone courts belonging to the Mayans and the Aztecs also serve as examples of older cultures where sport was important and where management was necessary (Fried & Kastel, 2021). Thoroughbred racing, which began officially in 16th Century England, called for additional management skills as wagering became a major part of the sport. The creation of the modern Olympic games in 1896 required additional duties for managers, which meant even stronger management techniques were needed. With the increased number of participants and viewers in the modern era, especially in both professional and intercollegiate athletic contests and in organized youth programs, there is a need for additional and more intense management techniques (Schwab et al., 2013). According to Covell and Walker (2017), "athletic administration is FAR less about theory, concepts, and scholarship of the administrator and much more about practice...communication, hard work, and organization” (p. xii).

Keywords

Internship; Event Management; Sports Management

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