The rapid professionalisation of sport across the world demands skilled business professionals. A new Deakin course will help meet that demand.
Over the past four decades, sport around the world has evolved into big business.
From match-day revenue through to sponsorships and broadcast deals, sport and business are now inseparable which means growing opportunities for skilled managers who can apply their business expertise in the sports arena.
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Sport is now managed like business with highly-qualified sport managers, many of whom have come from our sport management programs at Deakin,’ explains Professor David Shilbury, Deakin Business School’s (DBS) Foundation Chair in Sport Management.
‘There is more money in the big sports – and even the mid-range sports – that requires careful management. The culture of sport has changed from a pure leisure mindset to a mix between leisure and business.’
A premium program for global sport managers
As the global sport industry bounces back from COVID-19, the demand for skilled sport managers is expected to be high.
To meet this, Deakin Business School is now offering a premium program for experienced sport managers who want to take their career to the next level.
The Executive Master of Sport Business is designed to enhance the specialist knowledge of professionals who work in the business of sport, says Prof. Shilbury.
‘It is targeted at industry professionals with at least five years of relevant work experience and is strategically designed to address a gap in the availability of advanced knowledge for experienced sports professionals working in developed sport markets.’
Unique delivery, international focus
Delivered fully online and with some core units offered as five-week innovative learning experiences, the program can be completed in one year of full-time study or the part-time equivalent.
One of its key features, explains Prof. Shilbury, is accelerated learning that provides advanced sport business knowledge.
‘It assumes significant on-the-job experience and the ability to tackle, in a mature way, the vast array of managerial issues confronting the management of sport and sport organisations. It also recognises the level of sophistication that’s now evident in the Australian sport industry and other advanced nations with well-developed sport systems such as Germany, New Zealand, France, the UK, the US and Canada.’
Specialist knowledge for the post-COVID world
There’s hope that a speedy rollout of COVID vaccines will soon allow us to emerge from pandemic restrictions and resume a normal life. When we do, sport will be a key a player in restoring our confidence in safe community participation.
‘There will be pressure to consider current and future sport delivery systems at all levels and grapple with complex issues in the return to sport post-COVID. This course will facilitate this type of dialogue and exchange between senior members of the sport industry,’ he says.
Advanced, contemporary focus
Developed in consultation with the Sport Management Industry Advisory Board, the Executive Master of Sport Business provides deep consideration of contemporary issues such as sport business analytics (which support both marketing and HR practices), sport workforce planning, sport industry regulation and negotiation skills, leadership and governance as well as fan and participant engagement.
‘This course provides advance knowledge beyond that offered in traditional programs across Australia,’ says Prof. Shilbury.
Deakin has more than 30 years of experience as an industry leader in sport management education and is a flagship university for the integration of sport into business programs.
‘We have the largest and most experienced staff of sport management scholars in Australia, and our existing master’s degree has been globally recognised, recently ranking as high as 3rd in the world,’ says Prof. Shilbury.
‘With a large alumni base working across the global sports’ industry, DBS is the only Australian business school nominated in the prestigious Sport Business Postgraduate rankings and is renowned for its progressive real-world approach.’