Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Sports Business Management Keele University, UK

The sports industry - a fast-paced, global sector with exciting career possibilities. If you love sport and aspire to work in this dynamic field, our Sports Business Management BSc will develop your understanding of the inner workings of the industry, helping you to build a sound set of business skills so you can achieve your goals.

Our Sports Business Management programme provides you with an insight into the ever-changing sports sector and the option to learn about business. There is a strong emphasis on employability with opportunities embedded in the programme such as work placements and visits to stadiums, agencies, and offices so you can fully develop your understanding of the sports industry.

Programme modules focus on different aspects of business and sport including expanding areas of the industry such as Esports, environmental sustainability in sport, and women's sports. Year one will begin to develop your knowledge of management in organisations and what work means for employees as well as introducing you to current debates and challenges. You will become familiar with concepts of marketing and its importance for business, focusing on consumer marketing, business-to-business, social marketing, and sustainability. Marketing in a sports management context is explored including analysing marketing for different sports organisations plus how marketing theory can be applied to the sports industry.

You will study how fans engage with their favourite club or league and the complex relationship between them, and start to develop a solid grounding in the logistics involved in planning successful sporting events, ranging from charity and football tournaments to large-scale events. In addition to sport and business management modules you will begin to focus on your own professional development, growing your own personal brand and networks, and developing ‘all-round’ professional skills.

Additional optional modules in your first year enable you to choose topics such as investigating the relationship between globalisation and international business, and the different psychological and social influences that can affect consumer behaviour.  

In year two you will continue to learn about enhancing your own professional development and identifying how you can get ahead in the competitive job market. You will also further develop your understanding of what it takes to deliver successful sporting events, building on the knowledge you learned in year one, as you enhance your professional skills in areas such as leadership, time-management and teamwork. You will discover what role sport plays in the community in terms of equality, diversity and inclusivity and the benefits of sport for our mental health.

Marketing research is studied so you can understand the value of marketing information in the business decision-making process. You will also learn about the different concepts and techniques organisations can use to successfully communicate with their stakeholders.