Sports Management

Sports management is the discipline concerned with the business and organisational dimensions of sport, from elite professional clubs and national governing bodies through to community sport providers and sports event organisations. It combines business and management principles with specialist knowledge of how the sports sector operates, examining marketing, finance, governance, event management, facility management, community development, and the commercial and ethical challenges that sport organisations face. Sport is one of the UK's most significant cultural and economic sectors, and it requires professional management capability at every level.

At Roehampton, this three-year degree with a foundation year includes a sandwich year in industry and work placement opportunities, giving you both a supported entry into higher education and significant professional experience before you complete your studies. You will study leadership strategies for sports teams and organisations, marketing and advertising for sport brands, community sport development, and the governance and financial frameworks within which sports organisations operate. The foundation year provides the academic and subject-specific preparation needed before you progress to the main degree, making the programme accessible to students from a wider range of backgrounds.

Real professional experience through placements and the sandwich year is central to what the degree offers, placing you in sports organisations where you can apply and develop your management skills in practice.

Sports management graduates move into careers in professional sport clubs, national governing bodies, sports events companies, local authority leisure services, sports charities, sports marketing agencies, and facility management. The business skills developed in the degree are also applicable in other sectors, giving graduates options beyond sport itself. Community sport development, sports participation programmes, and the growing area of esports management are among the emerging fields available to graduates.

Postgraduate study in sports management, event management, or business administration is an option for those who wish to develop further specialist knowledge or move into strategic leadership roles.