Sports Management – Athletic Administration

The BBA in Sports Management-Athletic Administration is designed to help you build a solid base of knowledge in the core areas of business, while at the same time learning the basic principles and practices of sports administration. With a strong foundation from classes covering all aspects of the field, taught by industry-savvy instructors and enhanced by real-world experiences, you’ll be well prepared with an athletic administration education second to none.

• You’ll study with professors who bring years of industry experience, having worked in a variety of athletic administrative roles including athletic director, marketing, fundraising, NCAA compliance, facility management and advising, as well as international work as a leading authority on global and intercollegiate sport administration.
• Tiffin University is the only sports management program in the world coordinating an Olympic academic experience. Since 2004, our students have traveled to the Games to interact with Olympians, IOC members, and directors associated with the host city organizing committee.
• Athletic administration students have nationwide access to sport professionals with a connection to Tiffin University. These relationships make possible invaluable mentorships, internships, professional connections and even job opportunities.
• Our program has a strategic partnership with the MLB Cleveland Guardians (formerly Indians) and NBA Detroit Pistons. Students are able to interact with team administrators, gaining practical, hands-on training and experience.
• Our Sport Management Advisory Council is comprised of alumni and practitioners in the sports industry who provide input on current trends, insights to ensure a relevant curriculum and experiential learning opportunities such as internships, practicums and mentorships.

BBA to MBA Program

This accelerated pathway allows you to take classes that count as dual credit towards both your BBA and MBA degrees, giving you the ability to earn a bachelor’s and master’s in just five years, saving you both time and money. Learn about our MBA programs.

Peregrine Results

Graduating seniors complete a standardized test called the Peregrine Exam, which is also given at other universities. TU graduates consistently test higher than the national average. On the Peregrine Exam, in the area of Management, Tiffin University School of Business students scored on average 13.57 percentage points higher as compared with students from ACBSP (Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs) schools, and 14.67 percentage points higher when compared with students from AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) schools.

Linking industry knowledge to professional practice, our degree program provides a real-world sports management education that provides guidance and opportunities to enhance the competencies of TU students who aspire to work and thrive in the business of sports.

A Professional Program Taught by Professionals

Various courses in the program are taught by professionals in the field, including a certified NBA sports agent, President of the National Olympians Association in Sierra Leone, former Director of Media Relations for the Boston Celtics, Marketing Coordinator for the Atlanta Braves and others.

Everywhere, Internships

TU students have interned with myriad sports organizations, including pro franchises such as the Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia Force and Indiana Fever. Our students have secured internships at college athletic departments all across the country – from Wake Forest University, to the University of Notre Dame, to Boise State. And, they’ve interned in nearly every area of sport such as the NCAA Final Four, PGA tour events, professional tennis tour events, Cleveland Sports Commission, Tampa Bay Sports Commission, the Sugar Bowl, ESPN, Women’s Sports Foundation, LRMR (LeBron James) Marketing Company, CCTV Sports Network and many others.

Sports Management Advisory Council

Our sports management department brings together alumni and industry professionals in an advisory council, which provides invaluable professional insights and guidance to all areas of our program. The council includes a sport lawyer from Harvard who practices in Washington DC and China; a five-time Olympian from Puerto Rico with extensive executive experience with national governing bodies of sport; an associate strength and conditioning coach with the Green Bay Packers, and an Olympian from Romania working as professor of kinesiology from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. The council also currently includes five alumni who work with the MLB Guardians (ex-Indians), NFL Pittsburgh Steelers; eBay, MiLB Louisville Bats, Michigan State University (strength and conditioning) and with Pyramid Sports and Entertainment as an NFL agent. Industry professionals and alumni extended invitations for 2022 include a scout for the NFL Indianapolis Colts and the VP of Operations from the AAA Louisville Bats.

In the TU sports management program you’ll develop career-ready skills in the best way possible – by doing. As part of a professional, hands-on education, you’ll apply learning and gain valuable experience as you’ll have the opportunity to:

• Complete an internship and field experience – both are required
• Collaborate on and present major projects – most courses incorporate them
• Analyze sport case studies
• Engage in a mock scheduling project for a Power Five FBS program – negotiate guarantees and media spots, execute contracts, create a budget, develop policies and calculate revenue sharing
• Pursue studies in the emerging field of sports analytics – the major requires a course in the topic
• Receive hands-on training in game operations
• Serve as a sales associate for a professional sport team
• Serve on committees for leadership development program
• Attend sport business conferences
• Design campaigns for rebranding a franchise
• Design sport tourism events
• Build and maintain sports-related websites
• Learn to use tools such as Canva and Adobe Spark to create media graphics
• Attend Sports Management Club speaker series – the club has recently featured speakers from the Cleveland Cavaliers, NHL Columbus Blue Jackets, The Ohio State University Athletic Department, the Detroit Tigers and the National Fastpitch Softball League.

CURRICULUM

Sports Management Core 

CONCENTRATION: ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATION

• SMG220 Principles of Athlete Development – 3 hours
• SMG315 Supervision in Sports – 3 hours
• SMG325 Facilities Design and Management – 3 hours
• SMG375 Sport Governance and Administration – 3 hours
  Total – 12 hours

Some courses may have prerequisites. See course description for details.

Students should take SOC280 Sports in American Society as an open elective.

Total BBA hours 121

This is a sample course sequence to illustrate course offerings for this major. Consult the official Academic Bulletin for detailed registration and advising information.

SAMPLE COURSES

Sports Marketing and Promotions (SMG235) – This course is designed to assist students in understanding the techniques of writing common to the sports business with a focus on social and digital media applications for successful marketing and promotion campaigns. Students will gain exposure to writing, designing and editing a variety of documents used for sport sponsorship proposals, brand awareness campaigns, fan loyalty programs, marketing plans, endorsement deals and event fundraising plans. Students will apply fundamental principles of sport blogging, meeting deadlines and web layout for the internet.

Facilities Design and Management (SMG325) – Provides dynamic models and options for planning, maintaining and managing sport & entertainment facilities in the present and future. Concentration is on the design, maintenance, and full utilization of facilities that are realistic, cost efficient, environmentally sound and aesthetically pleasing. Topics include design, construction, refurbishing, finance options, risk assessment, risk management, security, operations and procedures.

Principles of Athlete Development (SMG220) – This course explores the physical, psychological, and emotional aspects of development for athletic performance at the youth & interscholastic, recreation and leisure, intercollegiate, professional and elite level. Issues will also address athlete development influenced by substance abuse, career-transition and off-field behaviors.

Supervision in Sports (SMG315) – This course explores the responsibilities and duties of sport supervisors in the youth, scholastic, collegiate, club and professional sectors on a national and global scale.

FORMAT

On Campus – Offered in a 15-week semester format with a start date of January and August

Other CONCENTRATIONS

Other Sports Management program concentrations:

• Esports Management
• Sports Marketing

The global sports industry is worth up to $620 billion today. With growth that is faster than global GDP, the industry’s long-term prospects appear strong. Highly sought after by sports-related organizations, Tiffin University sports management graduates are succeeding in all sectors of the sports industry.

CAREERS

• Academic Advisor
• Assistant Athletic Director: Career Enhancement
• Associate Director of Athletics
• Associate Head Strength and Conditioning Coach
• Athlete-Services Coordinator
• Athletic Administrator
• Athletic Director
• Coaches and Scouts
• Compliance Coordinator
• Director of Finances and Events Team
• Director of Football Administration
• Director of Major Gifts
• Director of Operations
• Director of Premium Seating and Hospitality
• Equipment Manager
• Executive Administrative Assistants
• Facilities Manager
• Facility/Ballpark Operations
• Fitness Trainer
• Featured Sports Columnist
• Game Operations
• General and Operations Managers
• Head Coach
• Manager of Business Development
• Marketing & Event Manager
• Media Manager
• NFL Agent
• NFLPA Contract Advisor
• Park Services
• Player Development
• Program Specialist
• Promotions and Events Manager
• Recreation Services
• Scouting Services
• Sponsorship Coordinator
• Sport Consultant
• Sports Editor
• Stadium Operations Manager
• Ticket Sales
• Tournament Operations
• Umpires and Referees

WHERE TU GRADS HAVE WORKED

• 9round Fitness, LLC
• Alliance Management Group
• Altria Group, Inc.
• Arizona Coyotes (NHL)
• Beijing Starz Sports International Management Co.
• Bleacher Report
• Bowie Bay Sox
• Buckeye Impact
• Cal Ripkin Baseball – Myrtle Beach
• CCTV (Beijing, China)
• Cincinnati Reds Ballpark Operations
• City of Westerville Parks and Recreation
• Cleveland Guardians
• Cleveland Soccer Club
• Columbus Crew
• Creative Artists Agency
• Delaware North
• Edison State Community College Athletics
• First Energy Stadium
• Florida State Golf Association, Inc.
• Heidelberg University Athletics
• Hurricane Jr. Golf
• Indianapolis Colts
• KingsTalent
• Lakeland Community College Athletics
• Louisville Sluggers
• MC Sports
• Michigan State University Athletics
• Millersville University Athletic Department
• National Fastpitch Softball Association
• ONE Championship
• Northwood University
• Oakland United School District
• Pacesetters Soccer Club
• Penn State University Athletics
• Rio Grande University
• Sacramento River Cats
• Sandusky Country YMCA
• Sandusky Sports Park
• Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
• Southern Methodist University Athletics
• St Lawrence University Athletics
• Stay Fit24
• University of South Carolina Athletics
• University of Wisconsin Lacrosse
• USA Softball
• Weber State Sports Properties
• Western Governors University
• Yale University Athletics
• YMCA Greater Cleveland
• Youngstown State University