Sports Administrator - Career Advice - Office and Administration

Sports Facility Manager
Sports Marketing Manager

Sports administrators manage sporting clubs, associations and occasionally an entire sport. They work across all levels of sport all over Australia, from small, amateur clubs in the remote north, right up to Future Growth Strong multi-million dollar professional teams.

Sports administrators may be responsible for activities such as fund raising, promoting the sport in school and the wider community, attracting corporate sponsorship and liaising with councils, governing bodies and other sporting clubs.

Sports administrators manage sports clubs, associations and peak bodies, undertaking activities such as promoting their sport, obtaining corporate sponsorship and refining the rules and structure. Sports administrators usually work with a voluntary board or committee to develop strategies and programmes to achieve the aims and policies of the club, association or peak body.

ANZSCO ID: 139915

Knowledge, skills and attributes

A sports administrator needs:

a keen interest in sport
good organisational skills
good interpersonal skills
a high level of business and management skills
to be able to work as part of a team

At ground

Duties and Tasks

Talk to members, fans and stakeholders, conducting research to determine their needs
Develop programs and services that meet the needs of members, fans and stakeholders
Consult widely to develop short-term and long-term business plans for their sport
Supervise the design, planning and maintenance of sport and recreation facilities
Plan and organise sporting and other related events
Supervise office, facility and/or program staff and volunteers
Identify staff training needs
Coordinate the business activities of a sport or club
Report to various committees and/or government agencies
Plan and oversee promotional and marketing activities
Secure funding and prepare, implement and monitor budgets.
Identifies formal standards and regulatory codes appropriate to a sports needs and assists with the completion of documentation.
Identifies and develops objectives, strategies and plans to achieve greater awareness of sport and maximise efficient use of an organisation's resources, including identifying potential improvements to systems, marketing and promotion
Implements a record system to monitor the progress of new initiatives and activities
Assists in the locating and hiring of coaches, umpires and other necessary officials

Working conditions

The working conditions and environment of a sports administrator vary greatly depending on the size of the club or association they work for. They usually work in offices, though may frequently be required to travel to visit sponsors, educational institutions, media organisations and other stakeholders. Working hours often include weekends and evenings.

Tools and technologies

Sports administrators should be familiar with the equipment used in the sport they represent, though they do not necessarily have to have a high level of sporting skill. A large portion of a sports administrators job is carried out over the phone or using a computer, those who need to travel a great deal usually use a mobile phone and laptop computer. These workers also generally need to be familiar with word processing and accounting software.

Education and training/entrance requirements

To become a sports administrator you usually need to complete a degree in sports management, commerce, business, management, sports science or a related area.

Most sports administrators require additional experience and skills in business and management.

Did You Know?

The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is Australia's biggest sporting stadium.

But it is also steeped in a rich history; established in 1853, less than 20 years after the founding of Melbourne, it is often described as the beating heart of this fantastic city.

It has been the home of Australian football since 1859, and was the birthplace of Test cricket in 1877 and one-day international cricket in 1971.

It was the main stadium for the 1956 Olympic Games and 2006 Commonwealth Games, attracts up to 100,000 fans to the annual AFL Grand Final and the ‘G comes to life each Christmas at the Boxing Day Test.
(Source: MCG)

A sports facility manager is responsible for the sporting equipment and maintenance of a particular sporting ground or arena. A facility manager ensures that all sporting equipment and facilities are Future Growth Strong maintained to a high standard, are kept in safe working order and hygienic. Facility managers also ensure the maintenance of the sporting arena/ground in general, making sure it is fit for both the athletes and the public.

Stadium, arena, and facility managers, sometimes called general managers, sports facility managers, or stadium operations executives, are responsible for the day-to-day operations involved in running a sports facility. They are involved in sports facility planning, including the buying, selling, or leasing of facilities; facility redesign and construction; and the supervision of sports facilities, including the structures and grounds, as well as the custodial crews.

Today’s stadiums or arenas provide much more than a playing field and seats for sports and event spectators. The modern sports facility usually has one or more of the following: practice areas, home and visiting team locker rooms, physical therapy areas, sports equipment storage, press rooms, press boxes, facility maintenance equipment storage, cafeterias, food vendor areas, and offices for those who run the various aspects of the facility and teams who play there, as well as promote and market both facility and team. Those who manage these venues for sports events are responsible for ensuring that everything runs smoothly for the athletes, the fans, the advertisers, the media, and their own staff.

ANZSCO ID: 149113

Alternative names: Sports Facility Director,


Knowledge, skills and attributes

A sports facility director must be a jack-of-all trades with a slew of different skills to maintain smooth operations for their arena or stadium. To be successful, sports facility directors must possess strong interpersonal and public relations skills for communicating details about events properly.

Leadership abilities are essential because many sports facility directors often manage at least 10 or more employees. Having managerial, critical thinking, problem solving, decision-making, strategic planning, and other related business skills is crucial. Sports facility directors should also be equipped with the technical skills in turf management, HVAC, sound systems, and First Aid to handle any emergency situations confidently.

Stadium

Duties and Tasks

Common duties will typically include preparing current financials for the owner of the facility, managing staff and inventory, as well as ordering supplies, equipment and scheduled maintenance or repairs. Depending on the size of the facility and the number of staff available, facilities managers may also be in charge of human resources, which could include recruitment, training, employee scheduling, and other employee-related duties. They may even develop marketing strategies, advertising, pricing policies, and be a point of contact to ensure visitors to the facilities receive positive customer service throughout their stay.

The role of the Facility Manager is to manage, maintain and ensure the safe and efficient operation of sports ground assets for club success. This position may include turf management, repairs and maintenance, security, cleaning and higher technical requirements. Facility Managers need to be able to plan in advance, anticipate changing environments and modify services where required for social, participation or financial reasons. Recommendations on improvements and more substantial infrastructure upgrades can be considered by the committees with up to date relevant information, asset registers and status reports from the Facility Manager.

To assist Facility Managers in identifying and assessing facilities and enable them to make well informed recommendations to the committee about upkeep, repairs and replacement it is important to have a ‘Facilities Management Plan’. This plan is a resource for the entire club to be able to understand, contribute to and clearly identify needs for the successful operation of the club.

Working conditions

Typically, managers will work onsite, working directly with their employees and potentially interacting with customers. It would be normal for a facilities manager to work regular business hours, but weekends and early mornings may also be high traffic times for customers. Some managers may take a hands-on approach, creating classes and schedules, directing front desk staff, and overseeing training. It may also be possible for a facilities manager to take a more operational approach, hiring the appropriate employees for the day-to-day running of the facility and focusing more on the financial, marketing, and goal-setting aspects of the facility.

Education and training/entrance requirements

Depending on the size and scope of the facility, some employers may require a formal degree in the areas of business administration, or management. Candidates could potentially improve their employment outlook by pursuing a more specialized degree: bachelor's degree and graduate programs in recreation and sports administration or sports management are available at multiple universities.

A sports marketing manager uses their training in marketing and flair for publicity to help create and Future Growth Strong maintain a positive image for their sport. This can be achieved through a variety of means, using social media, charity events, press conferences and community initiatives as ways of raising community awareness and recognition.

Whether in baseball, football, basketball, or soccer, loyal fans are essential to successful sports franchises. Sports marketing managers use television, radio, magazines, and social media to strengthen fan relationships. They also develop strategic partnerships that can add value to the sports organization they represent.

ANZSCO ID: 131114

Alternative names: Sports Marketing Director,

Knowledge, skills and attributes

General marketing knowledge is necessary to work in sports marketing, as well as specialized knowledge important to the sports world. Marketing professionals will need exceptional writing and communication skills to communicate with individuals within sports and the customers and clients who count themselves as sports fans. In today’s digitally-obsessed world, skills in social media and internet marketing are also essential pieces of the sports marketer’s toolkit.

The personal nature of fandom as it pertains to sports means that personal customer engagement through social media is an exceptionally valuable method for building loyalty. It almost goes without saying that sports marketers also need an in-depth level of knowledge about sports. It’s not just a matter of knowing the rules of the sport, but understanding the history, attitudes, and environment of players and fans.

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Duties and Tasks

Sports marketing managers develop marketing campaigns to engage fans and attract business sponsors. They support the revenue goals of sporting arenas, sports teams, professional sports franchises, leagues, and other sports-related organizations. They also work at sports consulting agencies as advisors to organizations and athletes.

Sports marketing managers often oversee marketing staff. They regularly interact with executives and administrators to define marketing strategy and messaging. Sports marketing managers use various marketing tactics, including website content optimizations, television advertisements, stadium billboards, public relations, and social media. They also develop promotional programs such as contests and giveaways to bolster fan engagement.

Sports marketing managers stay current on trends and methods to enhance the experiences of fans and garner the attention of potential sponsors and partners. They often negotiate contracts with strategic sponsors, as well.

Securing Sponsorships With Clients and Businesses
Increasing Merchandise and Ticket Sales
Generating Awareness for Athletes and Team
Pursuing Innovative Marketing and Advertising Opportunities

Working conditions

The variety of tasks included in a sports marketing manager job description enables them to work in a number of environments. The most common work settings are in advertising and/or public relations agencies, management companies, the in-house marketing departments of sports teams, or self-employed.

Most professionals work full time in an office setting. In some instances, they may need to work off-site to meet with vendors and advertising partners, or visit sports venues to monitor product and advertising placement.

Education and training/entrance requirements

For aspiring professionals seeking to launch their career in the exciting and rewarding field of sports marketing management, earning a Master of Science in Kinesiology and Sport Management can help position them for success.

Employment Opportunities

Current trends in the sports industry point to its future. A few examples include the following:

There are more women’s sports today than in the past, creating new sponsorship opportunities for advertisers and brands.
Virtual and augmented reality technology will continue to enable sports organizations to provide their fan base with unique ways to experience sports while reaching global audiences.
Cause marketing will continue to bring together sports personalities and organizations to raise awareness of issues impacting society.

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