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.
Kogod’s Sports Management specialization will be 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 program's cohort model will intentionally enroll 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, Name-Image-Likeness (NIL) strategy, sponsorship, operations, and facility management. In partnership with American University Athletics, Kogod students have the opportunity to shadow Athletics staff and leadership 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.
Students will develop a comprehensive understanding of the structure, governance, and economics of the sports industry while applying core business disciplines—such as finance, marketing, operations, and analytics—to real-world sports management challenges. Through data analysis, experiential learning, and applied projects, students will also build the skills to navigate legal and ethical issues, communicate effectively with industry stakeholders, and deliver strategic solutions for sports organizations.
In Sports Analytics, students will learn how to gain insights from analyzing sports data through descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics. Analytical work conducted primarily in R programming language. Students obtain, format, and organize sports datasets; form clear inquiries addressable through data; apply common analytics techniques; think critically about real-world implications and causality; and understand challenges in implementing analytical findings. Topics include statistical modeling, Monte Carlo simulation, predicting performance, measuring player and team value, causal inference, next-generation location data, win probability models, game theory, and sports betting analytics.
Taught in the fall, Revenue Strategy and Growth in Sports will examine how sports organizations generate revenue and manage financial constraints. Focus on sponsorship development and activation, facility operations and premium seating strategies, NIL marketplace and athlete compensation models, salary cap strategy and roster construction, and revenue sharing mechanisms. Students analyze real-world revenue models used by professional and collegiate sports organizations.
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.
"The sports management program is all about giving students a combination of industry know-how and real, resume-ready experience," said program director Matthew Bakowicz. "Our focus on hands-on projects, internships, and direct engagement with industry leaders is intentional; our students graduate ready to step into front-office roles as the sports industry continues to expand and evolve."
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.