Sports management is one of those business niches that everyone coming out of a good season in their fantasy football league thinks they can get into. Most won’t get past dreaming about it.
There are only so many professional teams and players out there that need managing. And only so many people with the talent and expertise it takes to get the job.
If you’re in California, though, you’ve got a better chance than most. It’s one of the biggest sports markets in the world, and home to more business schools offering degrees in the field than anywhere else.
There are more than 20 major sports franchises in the Golden State – sorry Oakland, your A’s just got trimmed off the list. Add to that 26 D1 schools, and who knows how many minor league and developmental teams where rising stars get a chance to show and prove. And that’s only the core of the industry.
California is also home to world-class training academies, health clubs, local leagues, talent management firms, and some of the wealthiest high schools in the nation — many of which have bigger athletic program budgets than a lot of semi-pro teams in other parts of the country.
There’s plenty of opportunity here, but a lot of competition too. In a multi-billion-dollar industry with a lot of hungry up-and-comers, your only real shot at a win is plenty of natural talent and an MBA in Sports Management.
What Do You Learn in a Sports Management MBA?
In California, MBA programs come in all flavors. For the most part, they’re self-explanatory. Marketing MBAs teach you about marketing, Accounting MBAs teach you about accounting. Generally speaking, these types of programs teach you a specific skill set you can take to just about any industry.
Sports management MBAs, though, are kind of the opposite. They teach a wide set of skills that you’ll apply in just one specific industry. The best way to illustrate this principle is to talk about the typical curriculum.
While each program is a little different, you’ll likely take classes in:
- Financial management in sports
- Sports ethics and laws
- Marketing athletic organizations
- Facility and event management
- Data analysis for sports enterprises
- Talent acquisition and management
This wide-angle approach can be helpful whether you’re aiming for a high-level administrative role at a large organization or any kind of role at a smaller one. In both cases, you’ll be wearing a lot of hats.
Is an MBA in Sports Management Worth It? A Statistical Salary Rundown
In a field this elite, the sample size is too small for any government-reported data on salaries. But it’s no secret that there’s some serious money to be made in sports management — and a couple of industry statistics hint at just how much.Â
For starters, the sports sector in Los Angeles generated almost $12 billion in economic output in 2023 alone. That’s a $3 billion increase over the previous year. Not many industries can brag about that kind of year-over-year growth. And if you’re instrumental to making it happen, you’ll likely earn a little more than bragging rights. This is an industry where bonuses are where the real money is.
The Employment Development Department of California reports that the state’s spectator sports sector paid out over $950 million in wages in the first quarter of 2024. On average, this sector employed roughly 16,400 throughout the quarter. Average weekly wages sat at $4,482.
Of course, Showtime’s then freshly-inked contract with the Dodgers might skew those stats a bit. But with that kind of money floating around, it’s not outlandish to think promoters, accountants, and other behind-the-scenes personnel can bring home a decent purse. If you’re looking for a good ROI on your MBA, specializing in sports management might be a great way to get it.
Alternative Options: Other Ways to Advance or Break Into California’s Massive Sports Industry
If the broad Sports Management MBA curriculum doesn’t appeal to you, there are other ways to learn the skills you need to land a job at your dream organization.
Option 1: Pursue a General MBA or Another Degree Concentration
While Sports Management MBA programs can offer some invaluable industry knowledge, you can develop a versatile and equally valuable skill set through generalist MBA programs and with business concentrations of all kinds. This might be a good option if you aren’t entirely sure you want to stay in sports your entire career.
Say, for instance, your dream job is marketing for the repatriated LA Rams. You could pursue an MBA in Marketing from just about any business school in California. To tailor your skill set to sports management, you want to pick a school close to Los Angeles that offers some internships or alumni connections in the professional football world.
Option 2: Earn a Master of Science in Sports Management
While a lot rarer, you can also pursue an MS in Sports Management instead of an MBA. The main difference between MS and MBA programs is that MS programs tend to focus more on hard technical skills. MBA programs of all kinds focus more on organizational leadership principles.
California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks is a great example. They offer an online MS in Sports Management program that allows you to specialize in either Global Sport Business or Digital Media, Communication, and Marketing. Their curriculum offers a unique emphasis on data analytics, consumer behavior, and intellectual property rights.
Because more students than ever take advantage of online schooling these days, you’ll find a lot of accredited, nationally-respected programs out there.
Sports Management MBA Programs Online and at California Campus Locations
While being in California gives you a big job market to tap into, the home field advantage kicks in before that. With a massive professional, semi-pro, and collegiate sports industry to service here, you would expect to find some of the best MBA programs in sports management in the country right here.
Here you’ll find both online MBA in Sports Management programs and on-campus options, including traditional and executive MBA options. The sports management programs here offer more than a collection of electives. They’re well-developed programs that offer unmatched mentorship, internship, and networking opportunities.
San Diego State University
Fowler College of Business
San Diego, CA
AACSB
Master of Business Administration in Sports Business
Concordia University Irvine
School of Business and Economics
Irvine, CA
IACBE
Master of Business Administration in Sports Business
La Sierra University
Tom and Vi Zapara School of Business
Riverside, CA
WASC (regional)
Master of Business Administration in Sports Management
Point Loma Nazarene University
Fermanian School of Business
San Diego, CA
ACBSP
Master of Business Administration in Sport Management
Azusa Pacific University
School of Business and Management
Azusa, CA
IACBE
Master of Business Administration in Sport Management
2024 Employment Development Department of California salary and employment figures for California’s spectator sport sector reflect national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed January 2025 through the Quarterly Census of Employment & Wages Data Search Tool.