Offutt School of Business

Sports Management

Turn your passion for sports and business into a career.

Our new sports management program will prepare you with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in one of the fastest-growing sectors of the global economy. You will learn to navigate the unique managerial, financial, legal, and marketing challenges within professional sports, collegiate athletics, and other sports management.

Major in Business with a Sports Management Concentration

The business major offers eight concentrations. The business major with a sports management concentration includes coursework in organization and administration of physical education and athletic programs, intro to project management, and business analysis and strategic management.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

The Offutt School of Business Difference

The Offutt School of Business continues to expand academic program options that meet the needs of both incoming students and future employers. The new sports management concentration joins an existing suite of management degree programs offered through the OSB, including management, human resource management, project management, and supply chain management.

The sports management program stands out due to its interdisciplinary approach. Students will take classes primarily in the Offutt School of Business, but they will gain insight from expert faculty across multiple programs throughout the college through supporting coursework in communication, physical education, and psychology. There’s plenty of hands-on experience as well, including an internship in the sports management field.

Benjamin Iverson, Vice President for Enrollment

Sports management has been one of the most requested programs from incoming students. It’s an exciting program and one with many hands-on learning opportunities in professional and recreational sports settings in the growing Fargo-Moorhead area.

Enhance Your Skills

Gain a strong business foundation while developing specialized expertise in event planning, sponsorship and promotions, analytics, fan engagement, facility operations, and the business strategy behind sports organizations. Through coursework, hands-on projects, and experiential learning opportunities, you will apply business concepts to real-world scenarios involving teams, leagues, agencies, and community organizations.

Be a Game-Changer

The sports management concentration requires an internship, allowing you to gain valuable hands-on learning as well as connections throughout the community. Graduates will have a specialized career niche with high employer demand and the possibility for a wide variety of roles — from professional and collegiate athletics to community recreation. The sports management concentration cultivates transferable skills, including strategic decision-making, event planning, sponsorship development, consumer engagement, data analysis, and ethical leadership. These skills will serve graduates well whether they pursue industry careers, graduate school, or other professional pathways.

Career Paths

Graduates of the sports management program will be prepared to work in settings including:

professional or collegiate athletics
local and regional park district programs
sports operations or facilities
athletic administration
recreational sports leadership
sports marketing
athletic event planning
sports sales or promotions

Hired! Concordia business graduates are employed by a variety of companies, including:

Global, Ethical, Entrepreneurial

Our students attend classes in a state-of-the-art facility. They receive a hands-on educational experience, dedicated to developing global, ethical, entrepreneurial business leaders.