Professional Organizations for Sports Management Professionals
- Sports Marketing Association
- College Sports Information Directors of America
- North American Society for Sports Management
- National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators
- National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics
The sports industry continues to grow and to stay competitive, it might be wise to join a sports management organization. With sports marketing, sports media, facilities and universities continuing to grow their sports programs, there are a variety of ways to work within the world of sports, according to Forbes. However, there is also high competition vying for these jobs. Without contacts or outstanding qualifications, it can seem like a difficult industry to break into.
Belonging to or working with professional organizations can help you build up your network.
Joining a professional organization geared towards sports management professionals allows you to build up visibility and make connections within the industry, according to USA Today.
Here are five great professional organizations for sports management professionals.
1. Sports Marketing Association
Sports Marketing Association, also known as SMA seeks to create meaningful connections between students, academics and professionals within the world of sports marketing. It is a non-profit organization that has courses and programs available to help advance career opportunities and to build sports marketing knowledge through career development opportunities, networking, and implementation of marketing strategies.
They also have a conference each year that connects graduate and undergraduates with professionals in the industry. The networking event has industry leaders appearing with cutting edge research and providing key insights into the industry.
2. College Sports Information Directors of America
Also known as CoSIDA, this organization was founded in 1957 is the second oldest sports management association in collegiate athletics. It has over 3,000 members in the field of college sports. Many of the members are in media relations, communications, and even college sports public relations. There are all levels of professionals within the organization and their mission is to help PR and communication professionals throughout the collegiate levels with professional development.
CoSIDA provides continuing education to help professionals understand and meet the challenges and opportunities within the world of collegiate sports. It also has an annual convention geared towards helping members pursue leadership roles while providing resources to the members.
3. North American Society for Sports Management
This organization is made up of professionals and students in recreation, leisure, and sports. It seeks to encourage scholarly writing, professional development, and research for sports management. It publishes the Journal of Sport Management with theoretical and applied approaches to sports management.
It seeks to involve students with Student Representatives on their Executive Board. Each year, the student representatives create events for their annual conference so other attending students can practice their networking skills with professional sports managers and professors. They also have a job board which has postings for academic sports management jobs.
4. National Association of Collegiate Women Athletics Administrators
This institution was created to empower women with athletic administration careers. They seek to provide networking, mentoring experiences and educational courses for their members. The personal development and professional resources available help promote leadership and success for women as athletic administrators. They have four leadership development programs as well as a symposium that focuses on graduates and women aspiring for a successful career in athletics.
They also seek to promote discussion for the members specifically geared towards the issues and news specifically for women within intercollegiate athletics. They also have an extensive job board for members.
5. National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics
The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, or NACDA, is the biggest association in the States for collegiate athletic administrators. It has 12,500 members from Mexico, Canada, and the United states. It has a unique intern program for students and it also creates networking opportunities for the members, as well as training in Sports Management and Management/Leadership. They provide workshops, seminars, and clinics for members looking for new ideas or to exchange information with others.
It also has an annual convention that look at modern issues within athletic administration and provides interactive sessions for all levels of the profession. It also hosts a postgraduate scholarship program.
Related Resource: 5 Great Books About Sports Management
Conclusion
Joining any of these top five organizations for sports management professionals will provide ample opportunities to network and learn from other professionals within the industry. They provide the chance to put the classroom theory into real world practice while allowing you to build connections with others in the industry.