Global Sport Management
Global sport management is a degree that addresses the business, organisational, and strategic dimensions of one of the world's largest and fastest-growing industries. Sport has evolved from an amateur recreational pursuit into a global commercial enterprise involving major broadcast contracts, multinational sponsorships, sovereign wealth investment, and technology platforms that reach hundreds of millions of fans. Managing sport at the international level requires a blend of general business competencies, including strategy, finance, marketing, and operations, and specialist knowledge of the distinctive structures and dynamics of the sports industry, including how leagues, clubs, governing bodies, and events are organised and financed.
At the University of Portsmouth, this four-year dual degree programme includes a sandwich year with work placement and a year abroad, and the dual degree structure means you graduate with an internationally recognised qualification from more than one institution. This is a significant credential in an industry that is inherently international in its operation. The curriculum covers sport business and management, event management, sports marketing and media rights, sponsorship, talent management, governance of sport, and the regulatory frameworks that shape how sport is organised globally.
The work placement gives you professional experience in the sports industry before you complete your degree, and the year abroad provides direct exposure to how sport is managed in a different national and cultural context.
Graduates from global sport management programmes enter careers across the sports industry and the broader commercial sector. Roles in sport event management, club and league administration, sports marketing, athlete management, sponsorship and commercial partnerships, and sports media are all destinations for graduates with this combination of management knowledge and industry understanding. Governing bodies, national Olympic committees, and international sports federations employ people with management skills and international experience.
The dual degree and the year abroad make graduates particularly competitive in roles with an international dimension. Postgraduate study in sport management, business administration, or event management is available for those who want to develop their expertise further.