Sports Management

Courses

SM 210: Introduction to Sports Management

Credits 3
A broad survey course of the sports industry. Topics include youth, collegiate, international and professional sports, as well as the operation of professional and amateur teams, leagues, ownership structures, labor and management, facilities and event management, sports media, finance and ethics.

SM 240: Sports and Society

Credits 3
Examines the social, cultural, economic and political aspects of sports in society. Looks at demographic, commercial and global cultural influences on sport, as well as influence of sports on leisure activity, gambling, health and violence.

SM 273: Hospitality: Spas and Fitness Centers

Credits 1

Course will survey best practices in the marketing of spas and fitness centers and will bring guest speakers from the industry to discuss current challenges and opportunities. 

Field trips are a required component of the class.

SM 320: Facilities and Events Management

Credits 3
A practical course intended to teach multiple aspects of planning and managing events. Topics covered include ticket sales, crowd control, security, customer experience, facilities management, human resources management, revenue generation, marketing and promotion.

SM 321: Collegiate Sports

Credits 3
A look at the administration of individual and team sports on the college level. Covers the practical aspects of training, sports/academic interface, scholarships, ethics, the NCAA and “amateurism.”

SM 340: Sports Media and Promotion

Credits 3
Focuses on the role of media and promotion to generate fans and build brands. Topics include attracting fans and sponsors, dealing with traditional and digital media, financial considerations of media deals and sponsorships, and media research into fan and sponsor expectations.

SM 350: Sports in the Global Arena

Credits 3
International competitions, Olympics, World Cup, FIFA and sports around the world are covered. Topics include national preferences, public versus private support, training of athletes, doping, corruption and how sports interact with international politics.

SM 360: Labor and Management in Sports

Credits 3
Approached from a political science perspective, this course traces the evolution of bargaining power by players in various team sports and treats the role of player unions within the framework of the larger history and practice of labor/management relations in the US. Examines the power of leagues, team owners and agents on player compensation and working conditions.

SM 380: Sports Analytics

Credits 3
Deals with the use of data and quantitative methods to measure performance and make decisions to gain an advantage. The course is designed to help students build analytical skills using sports as the area of application. Topics will include critical thinking, statistical analysis, game theory, optimization and prediction.