Planning and managing sporting events requires strong leadership, organization, and communication skills, along with a love of the game. At Southern Nazarene University (SNU), our Master of Arts in Sport Management Administration (MASMA) program helps students develop the expertise needed to manage complex events, lead teams, and build meaningful connections across the sports industry. Whether overseeing a local tournament or coordinating large-scale events, sports event managers play a vital role in creating memorable experiences for athletes and fans alike.
Essential Skills for Sports Event Managers
Sports event managers must possess a combination of both soft and technical skills to assist them in overseeing the planning process and running a successful event. Here are a few skills that a sports event manager needs to carry out their job duties effectively:
- Enthusiasm: A passion for sport is a must. Enthusiasm is contagious! When a sports event manager demonstrates enthusiasm for their job and event planning activities, they encourage others around them to take on the same passion. This can influence the event teams' attitude and their ability to face each challenge with optimism.
- Sports knowledge: Sports event managers can benefit from having a strong working knowledge of the sport for which they are planning events. This is helpful, as they may need to coordinate referees, practice schedules, and warm-up times for athletes. For example, a sports event manager uses their knowledge of ice hockey to hire the correct number of referees and linesmen for a multiple-game tournament.
- Interpersonal communication: Sports event managers can also benefit from being able to adjust their communication strategies to aid the understanding of the person with whom they are speaking. This is especially important, as sports event managers regularly communicate with people who have different professional backgrounds and personalities.
- Budgeting: In a sports event management position, individuals receive budgets from upper management to be used in the planning, marketing, and execution of sporting events. A sports event manager's ability to delegate budgeting expenses and to distribute their budget across multiple activities ensures they produce quality events.
- Adaptability: Being able to adapt to changes is a critical skill in sports event management because changes in weather, staffing, vendor availability, and budgeting can all impact the quality of the sporting event. Sports event managers should be able to adapt quickly to change to ensure they still host a successful sporting event.
- Networking: Sports event managers need to be able to network with team owners, coaches, event venues, supply vendors, volunteers, and freelance professionals to support their work and event activities. By networking, sports event managers can create contacts to enlist for upcoming events and future professional experience.
What Does a Sports Event Manager Do?
Sports event managers have a wide range of responsibilities relating to planning and overseeing sporting events. These are some examples of the types of job duties sports event managers have:
- Human Resources: Hiring and training event staff, including event planners, event coordinators, security details, broadcasters, referees, and event volunteers. These are just a few folks who will help plan a successful event.
- Budget Management: Negotiating price points with event contractors, venues, or sporting arenas. Paying employees, vendors, and service providers.
- Tournament Director: Scheduling sporting events like tournaments, games, or team dinners to ensure fairness to all teams with availability to practice facilities, mealtimes, and game-for-game venue spaces.
- Marketing Director: Coordinating with sports marketing professionals to develop flyers, print or digital advertisements, and purchasing channels for spectators to buy tickets.
- Facilities Management: Overseeing event set-up and cleanup activities to ensure they're prepared for events.
- Gameday Operations: Creating schedules for employees and volunteers like ticket inspectors, ushers, concession staff, and other roles. Making sure all the spectator experience support personnel are in place before, during, and after the event.
- Logistics Management: Working with event personnel to plan transportation routes and lodging locations for spectators, staff, and sports teams. Ensuring that all stakeholders feel comfortable and their needs are being met.
- Head Security Officer: Planning for potential emergencies with security staff and other personnel so they can react quickly to incidents like medical emergencies, extreme weather, or other threats. This aspect of event planning has become more essential in recent years. Having a professional security force may be the best plan.
Preparing for a Career in Sports Management
Southern Nazarene University prepares graduate students to meet the real-world challenges of working in Sports Event Management, Intercollegiate Athletics, and the broader world of sports business. Through the MASMA program, students gain hands-on knowledge in areas such as operations, leadership, budgeting, marketing, and strategic planning.
SNU’s flexible format allows working professionals to take classes one night a week in-person or 100% online, balancing their studies with their careers while learning from experienced staff who bring industry insight and student support to every class. Graduates leave equipped to manage sports events at every level, from local community leagues to collegiate and professional organizations. Skills in event management are critical to success at every level of the sports industry.
If you’re passionate about sports and interested in transforming that passion into a meaningful career, learn more about SNU’s Master of Arts in Sports Management Administration to take the next step in shaping the future of sport.
