The global sports economy was valued at $2.3 trillion as of February 2026 and is expected to grow to $3.7tn in 2030, fueled by rising fan engagement, social media footprint, media rights, sponsorship revenue, and data analytics. Beyond what happens in game play, sports are a complex business ecosystem involving marketing, analytics, finance, operations, and strategic partnerships — all core functions if you want to work in a sports organization’s front office.

Demand for expertise in sports and business is strong: the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the sports and entertainment sector in the US is expected to grow by nearly 100,000 jobs per year until 2034.

These trends — from growing digital fan engagement to expanding global markets — make sports management skills increasingly valuable for students eager to pair business savvy with a passion for sports.

Sports in the Kogod Curriculum: Sports Management Specialization

What Do You Learn in Kogod’s Sports Management Program?

Kogod’s Sports Management specialization is a 15-credit track within the Business and Entertainment major, with classes in sports analytics, revenue operations, gaming and entertainment, and front-office strategy. The specialization follows a cohort model that intentionally enrolls 25–30 students per year, creating a tight-knit community with targeted internship support and direct access to decision-makers in professional and collegiate sports.

The sports management curriculum emphasizes how sports organizations “win off the field,” with coursework in data analytics, NIL strategy, sponsorship, operations, and facility management. Students learn by shadowing partners in American University Athletics, working sporting events in different capacities, and engaging in site visits that connect classroom concepts to live sports environments in the DC market and beyond.

Real-World Learning, Internships, and Jobs: How Kogod Prepares Students to Start a Career in Sports

Real-world learning is the sports management program’s defining feature, positioning internships and applied projects as the bridge to full-time roles in the sports industry. Students participate in live-event work, consulting projects, and industry site visits, including trips to major league franchises and DC-area professional teams, that accelerate career readiness and build job-ready portfolios.

Kogod’s Career Development, Alumni, and Industry Engagement teams maintain pipelines with professional sports teams, college athletic departments, entertainment agencies, and media properties to help students secure competitive internships and entry-level roles. Kogod students have previously worked on client consulting projects, landed internships, and secured full-time jobs with organizations like Monumental Sports, the Washington Wizards, the Washington Nationals, and more.

Learning from Industry Titans: Sports Executives at Kogod Connect with Students

To demonstrate to students what long-term success in sports business looks like, Kogod draws inspiration from leaders who have built influential careers at the intersection of sports, investment, and innovation. Past events with sports business leaders include former NBA player-turned-entrepreneur Jamal Mashburn, Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Co-chairman Ed Glazer, and Washington Spirit CEO Kim Stone.

• Former NBA All-Star Jamal Mashburn spoke candidly about transforming his basketball career into a diversified business portfolio spanning restaurant franchises, car dealerships, real estate, and hospitality. Mashburn walked students through how he evaluates deals, builds strong operating teams, and uses the same discipline that fueled his basketball career to lead in boardrooms and investment meetings.
• Ed Glazer, Co-Chairman of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a member of the family ownership group behind Manchester United, unpacked what it means to steward two globally visible sports brands. In conversation with students, he discussed long-term thinking in franchise ownership, from stadium development and premium fan experiences to investing in real estate and automotive ventures through US Property Trust and US Auto Trust. Glazer emphasized that front-office careers demand both quantitative skills and a deep understanding of community impact, reminding students that “every decision shows up in the fan experience on game day.”
• When Kim Stone visited campus, she drew on her leadership roles with the Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, and now as CEO of the National Women’s Soccer League’s Washington Spirit to illustrate the evolving business of live sports and entertainment. She shared how revenue strategy, venue innovation, and fan engagement come together to power major sports organizations, highlighting the unique opportunity in women’s sports as a high-growth, under-innovated space.

Sports Partnerships at American University: Kogod and AU Athletics Work Together to Develop Strong Leaders

The Lincoln Ball Athletics Leadership Award

A signature piece of Kogod’s collaboration with AU Athletics is the Lincoln Ball Athletics Leadership Award, which recognizes Kogod student-athletes who lead with integrity, excel academically, and elevate their teams and communities. Endowed through generous alumni and parent support, the award will be funded for at least a decade and honors one male and one female Kogod student-athlete each year with a financial prize and campus-wide recognition.

Named for former AU men’s basketball standout and Kogod graduate Lincoln Ball, the award symbolizes the school’s belief that leadership in the locker room and leadership in the boardroom are deeply connected. It also reflects Kogod’s broader strategy: using athletics as a platform to develop business leaders who combine competitive drive with academic rigor and community impact.