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Sport Management

The sport industry is more than entertainment. It’s a business.

A career in sport management requires a love of athletics — and at York College, students and faculty in our Sport Management major are passionate about their work.

Job growth in sport management is on the rise, and YCP’s hands-on program will prepare you to excel in this expanding field. Our bachelor’s degree in Sport Management introduces you to the industry from all angles, and then gives you space to choose the areas of concentration for your future career. From day one, you’ll explore the business of sport, along with event management, operations, marketing, ethics, and much more.

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A sport management student wears a York college polo while sitting in the media booth above the athletic fields, holding a clipboard and leaning into a microphone.

Majoring in Sport Management

  • Key Courses

    Key Courses

    The sport management major offers a wide variety of required classes, electives, and real-world learning opportunities. These include:

    • SPM 130: Sport in Society
    • SPM 330: Sport Marketing
    • SPM 325: Facility and Event Management
    • SPM 340: Financing Sport Operations
    • SPM 425: Legal Aspects of Sport
    • SPM 480: Work Experience in Sport Management
  • Career Opportunities

    Careers in Sport Management

    No matter your interests, York College’s experienced faculty will guide you toward real-world opportunities that allow you to build a strong professional network in your preferred subject area.

    These are just a few of the many career opportunities available to graduates of the sport management program:

    • Athletic Director
    • Sport Marketer
    • Community Relations Manager
    • Stadium Operations Administrator
    • Event Manager
    • Sports Information Director
    • Fitness Center Manager
    • Ticket Sales Manager
    • Conference Administrator 
    • Coach

    Alumni of York College’s Sport Management program have gone on to work with a number of exciting professional organizations, including Adidas, Baltimore Orioles, Baltimore Ravens, DC United of Major League Soccer, Miami Heat, New Jersey Devils, York Revolution, and many others.


    Sport Management Salary Information

    The salary for sport management careers varies, depending on your specific role and location. Indeed.com reports that, on average, athletic directors make $62,000 per year, with top earners reaching salaries over $100,000. Marketing managers earn a median salary around $66,000, while jobs like community relations coordinator or event manager average closer to $50,000 annually. 


    Sport Management Degree Benefits

    With growing demand for sports management professionals and new roles in areas like esports, there are benefits to a degree in Sport Management that go beyond your future paycheck. 

    • Strong growth of the sport management industry means job security and new opportunities.
    • Follow your passion. If you love sports, there’s no other career path that will be as fulfilling. 
    • Job flexibility. Whether you’re ultimately seeking to become a coach, team executive, PR manager, or community leader, this degree will prepare you for a variety of jobs that suit your interests. 
    • Travel and experience. Many of the careers available to graduates of a sports management degree program offer the ability to travel across the globe for events or other job responsibilities. 
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  • Internships & Work Experience

    Internships & Work Experience

    All students in the Sport Management bachelor’s degree program participate in four semesters of practicum, an on-campus work experience with the Department of Athletics and Campus Recreation located in our state-of-the-art Grumbacher Sport and Fitness Center.

    In your senior year, you’ll also fulfill a required off-campus internship in an area that aligns with your desired career path. Students have worked at internship sites all over the country, including:

    • Madison Square Garden
    • Philadelphia Eagles
    • Penn State University Athletics
    • Roger Dean Stadium
    • Special Olympics
    • Tampa Sports Authority 
    • Under Armour

    How to get a sport management internship

    Sports involve teamwork, and sports management professionals are in high demand, but it is still a competitive field. As a Sport Management major at York College, you’ll receive personalized guidance as you decide which niche in the sports industry interests you most. From there, you’ll develop a strong academic foundation, coupled with real-world experience in your practicum courses.

    You’ll have the opportunity to build a network, with help from YCP faculty and the campus community — and with a history of successful YCP internships nationwide, you’ll have a wealth of industry connections at your fingertips. 

  • Mentorship & Community

    Mentorship & Community

    As a sport management major, you’ll have access to special events with sports management professionals, including our semi-annual Sport Industry Professional Day, student-alumni meet-and-greets, volunteer opportunities at major events like the Super Bowl and MLB Spring Training, and regional meetings like the Pennsylvania Sports Business Conference. 

    In addition to attending conferences and special events, York College sport management majors have the opportunity to participate in the Sport Business Association (SBA), a student organization that offers guest speakers, social events, and trips to visit sport industry organizations. Past events have featured facility tours with University of Maryland Basketball, game-day assistance for the Baltimore Ravens, and the Ivy Sport Symposium in New York City. 

    Faculty in Sport Management work closely with students and advisees, allowing for student opportunities that are not often available to undergraduates at other institutions — including undergraduate research. Our students’ research has been presented at industry conferences and published in respected academic journals. 

    The Sport Management program also includes the opportunity to take a course in International Sport and Entertainment, involving a short-term study abroad trip where students are introduced to professionals and facilities from another culture. Past classes have traveled to London and Paris. 

    Meet the Graham School of Business Faculty
  • High-Demand Skills

    What skills do you need for Sport Management? 

    To be effective in any sport management career, you will need a diverse skill set. These are a few of the fundamental sports management skills you should focus on adding to your resume. 

    • Business knowledge/acumen
    • Communication skills
    • Analytical skills
    • Organizational skills
    • Leadership
  • Accreditation & Professional Recognition

    Accreditation & Professional Recognition

    Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) The sport management degree program at York College of Pennsylvania has received specialized accreditation through the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) located in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. As of October 2020, only 54 sport management programs have received accreditation from COSMA, and achieving this distinction is something we are very proud of.

    Specifically, the sport management program in the following degree is accredited by COSMA:

    • Bachelor of Science in Sport Management 

    As part of this process, the sport management program has identified several key learning outcomes that will be heavily emphasized. Further, the sport management program has created aspirational benchmarks and regularly assesses students' on-going progress toward meeting the outcomes. The Outcomes Report below reflects the sport management program's commitment to continued excellence and the stated outcomes demonstrate areas of substantial importance to the program's students.

    2021-2022 COSMA Annual Report

Program Requirements

Required Courses and Degree Requirements for Graduation
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2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog

Related Programs

Contact Us
Graham School of Business
Molly Sauder, Ed.D.
Chair, Sport Management Department
Willman Business Center, Room 409
Phone: 717.815.6648
Fax: 717.600.3999
msauder@ycp.edu