Is a Sports Management College Degree for Undergraduates a Good Choice

by Alex Morgan · August 30, 2023

Sports Management is a great undergraduate degree and one that many students opt for. That’s because it has the potential to grant students the ability to work with their favorite athletes, for their favorite teams, and in their favorite sports.

These kinds of motives are the reason why the industry generates around 95,000 jobs every 10 years—and it’s slated to increase by 2031. So, what exactly does this degree entail? And, is it really a good choice for undergraduates? If so, what makes it a good choice?

And, what are some of the most popular sports management undergraduate programs in the United States? That’s what we’re here to find out as we understand why college sports degrees are best and which universities a student should go to. So, let’s begin.

What is a Sports Management Degree?

A sports management undergrad degree is a baccalaureate degree which focuses on the intricacies of sports as a business. It assists students in understanding the key components of every sport and how they operate as a business. That’s why this degree usually focuses on:

Business foundations and aspects of sports
Sports industry insights and courses
The legal and ethical side of the sports industry
And practical as well as theoretical understanding of sports management.

The point of an sports management degree for undergraduates is to accumulate the student with enough knowledge so that they can manage various aspects of any sport. This includes:

Sports marketing
Event planning
Facility management
Sports agencies
Athletic management
Athletic training
And managing sports as a business.

Now, this latter set of intricacies depends on the bachelor’s or master’s in sports management in the USA and how the program tackles each subject. However, the point of a sports management degree is to make the students managers in specific areas of sports.

3 Things that Make an Undergraduate Sports Management Degree a Good Choice

There are many reasons that sports management degrees are a great option. But before you enroll in undergraduate sports management programs, it’s important to understand the things that make it a good choice. The three main reasons that make it great are:

It’s a thriving industry
It has diverse career paths
And it can teach a blend of skills.

Now, sports management degrees usually have a blend of various courses. This includes marketing, management, accountancy, et cetera. All that is the perspective of sports, but they still teach you the business side of it.

Now, there are undergrad sports degrees that also focus only on the athletic side. However, they can be just as beneficial as the ones on the business side. So, regardless of the path one chooses in sports management, it appears to be a good choice to take for undergraduate students.

Top 5 Universities in the USA for Sports Management Degrees

Now, there are many universities across the United States and some of the best colleges for sports management are in California, North Carolina, and other states. But here we’ll talk about the top 5 universities in the United States with great sports management programs.

1. University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, Michigan

The University of Michigan is one of the leading universities in the United States, and there’s no wonder why this university has one of the leading undergraduate college degrees in sports management. It has many programs, including both master’s and bachelor’s, and the undergraduate program for sports here is called:

Bachelors in Sports Management

The Bachelor in Sports Management has both sides covered, including the athletic and management sides of sports. That’s why the curriculum of this program offers courses such as:

Sports Econ & Pol

Sports & the Media

Introduction to Accounting

Human Resource Management in Sports

Monetizing Sport

As you can see by the program’s course, it focuses on both sides of sports as a business. This makes it a great choice to opt for if you’re looking for an undergraduate college degree program.

2. University of Florida — Gainesville, Florida

The University of Florida is yet another great name in the institutions around the United States. It has great undergraduate programs, so it shouldn’t be a surprise it has one of the top college sports management programs, called:

Bachelor of Science in Sport Management

The Bachelor of Science in Sport Management at this university offers great opportunities. That’s because the focus of the curriculum here is mainly on management and the intricacies of sports. The courses found in this program include:

Principles of Macroeconomics

Social Issues in Sport

Sports Operations and Facility Management

Sport Business and Finance

Managing Organizations in Sport

Aside from this, it also includes a promised 12-credit internship towards the end of the four-year program.

3. Rice University – Houston, Texas

Rice University in Houston is another great option for anyone looking for a good undergraduate sports management degree program. The reason this stands out among sports management degrees USA is its versatility. The program here is called:

BA in Sport Management

The BA in Sport Management happens to be one of the best sports programs in the United States today. That’s because it has a solid curriculum and courses that encompass all the necessary subjects in sports, including:

Intro To Sport Management

Sport Ethics

Soccer Analytics

Sport Business Analytics

Leadership In Sport Management

These courses make it a great program because not only does it have unique courses, but it also teaches the intricacies of sports thoroughly. Thus making it another one of the best options in the United States.

4. Syracuse University – Syracuse, New York

Syracuse University is another stellar option and perhaps the best option for New Yorkers. It’s also one of the only Universities on this list that offers two sports management programs. The programs here are called:

Bachelor Of Science In Sport Management

Bachelor Of Science In Sport Analytics

Now, both of these have great courses and curriculums. But, what makes the university the top choice in New York are the focus on various area of sports, including:

Game Theory and Economic Strategy

Probability and Statistics

Managing the Sport Organization

Web Scraping with Python for Sport Analytics

Sport Economics

Sports Data Analysis

Now, both of these programs have some shared sports-related courses. So, it comes down to whether one wants to be on the analytical side or the business side of things.

5. North Carolina State University – Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University is another top option and perhaps the best option in NC. It has a lot of programs, including a master’s in sports. But it’s the undergraduate sports program where you should keep your attention, and it’s called:

BS in Sports Management

The BS in Sports Management is an outstanding option for those who wish to understand the science of sports and the intricacies of sports as a business. That’s apparent from the curriculum, which focuses on:

Economics and Business Statistics

Introduction to Statistics

Economics and Business Statistics

Professional Development and Internship Orientation

Evidence-based decision-making in Recreation, Sport, Tourism, and Event Management

Leadership in Sport Administration

Thus, another great program that you can enroll in in the United States today.

Conclusion

These are some of the top universities and their programs that prove that college sports management degrees are a great choice for undergraduate students. You can always find the best program for sports management in your own state. So, make sure you pick the one that’s most affordable and nearest to you.