How to Develop the Skills Sports Industry Employers Want

Due to the entertainment value of sports many outsiders consider those that work in the industry to be nothing more than super fans, surrounding a widescreen TV for 8 hours a day while updating their Twitter feed with “OMG!!! Did u see that?! #StephCurryisAmazing”.

But nothing could be further from the truth.

The sports industry is a multi-billion dollar business venture, run by the same principles of any Fortune 500 company and the employees within the industry are highly skilled and well-educated.

To compete in this world takes passion and intellect – to thrive takes more of each.

Graduate programs with a sports business focus, like the Georgetown University Sports Industry Management Program (SIM) are designed to get the most out of their students through a practical and experiential learning model taught by experienced industry professionals.

Programs like SIM help to develop a student’s business acumen, specific to the sports industry and far beyond what a typical undergrad program can achieve.

One of the ways they are able to achieve this is through their highly successful internship program. Internships are a vital part of the process because they help reinforce the learning that takes place in the classroom, while providing a real-world experience and acting as a debut for potential employers.

“We’ve hired multiple interns from the GU program,” says John B. Schlieman, Vice President, Business Operations & Executive Entertainment at The Washington Redskins. “Many of these interns earned their way to full-time status and are now gainfully employed in their career of choice. Much of this stems from the solid makeup of GU students. They come in ready and prepared to work, perform at a diligent level, strive to supersede goals…all in a fast-paced and demanding work environment that is ultimately driven by tight deadlines and lofty expectations.”


If you missed that – it bears repeating “Many of these interns earned their way to full-time status and are now gainfully employed in their career of choice”

Isn’t that the goal of any education, to help guide you to employment? The unique part of the Georgetown SIM is that as a student you are provided access to a private database of internship opportunities.

To date, over 70 employers have preferred status in the Georgetown SIM internship program, ranging from professional teams like the Baltimore Ravens, to minor league baseball teams, non-profits, marketing agencies, events, broadcast media – you name it, the opportunities exist.

“It has been an absolute pleasure supervising interns who come to the NFL Players Association’s Communications Department from the Georgetown SIM program,” remarks Jilane Rodgers, Communications Manager, NFL Players Association.

“The men and women who have worked for me while pursuing their Masters in Sports Management at Georgetown have been exceptional. They are ambitious, intelligent and eager to learn. They also come into the internship with an above par skill set and advanced knowledge of the industry. These qualities are essential to the fast-paced world in which my team operates, therefore making Georgetown SIM students extremely desirable interns and future hires.”

As you consider your options for advanced education, take a look at the Georgetown University Sports Industry Management Program, it could be just the lift you need to raise your career ceiling to new heights.

photo credit: Georgetown University via photopin (license)