Sports Management – Sports Marketing

The BBA in Sports Management-Sports Marketing is designed to provide you the management and marketing fundamentals you’ll need to launch or enhance a sports business career. You’ll take a variety of courses covering all aspects of sports marketing, taught by faculty who bring years of industry experience. You’ll gain practical insights into the world of sports marketing, as well as professional connections – all part of a hands-on, real-world sports marketing education.

• 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 one of the only sports management programs in the world coordinating an academic experience at the Olympics. Since 2004, our students have traveled to the Games to interact with Olympians, IOC members, and directors associated with the host city organizing committee and the International Sport Business Conference.
• Sports marketing 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), NBA Detroit Pistons, MiLB Toledo Mud Hens, and the Toledo Walleye hockey organization. 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.
• On a national standardized test by Peregrine, in the area of Marketing, Tiffin business students scored on average 8.7 percentage points higher as compared with students from other ACBSP schools.

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.

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 Sports Management-Sports Marketing 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
• Serve as commissioner for an athletic conference or as a marketing manager of a professional sport venue in a role-playing scenario.
• Engage in a team classroom project in which you’ll work virtually with group members from a sport management program in southern Florida.
• 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: SPORTS MARKETING

• MKT253 Marketing Communications – 3 hours
• SMG235 Sports Marketing & Promotions – 3 hours
• MKT364 Event Marketing and Management – 3 hours
• SMG335 Sport Media Technology – 3 hours

Total – 12 hours

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

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.

Marketing Communications (MKT253) – This course deals with operation and management of the advertising and promotion function with respect to both its positions within the marketing system and its relationship to the other business functions.

Event Marketing and Management (MKT364) – Examines the practices for scheduling, planning, organizing, promoting and supervising commercial and private events. Business planning is emphasized as students are familiarized with theories, terminology and logistics for marketing, promotions, management, decision making and analyses of customer behavior. This course emphasizes the creation and implementation of core documents to present to prospective investors, clients and employees.

Graphic Design (ART325) – This course will investigate the mechanics of visual perception using digital design tools. Focus will be on the formal properties of design including space, line, plane, mass, shape, texture and color; and the organizational fundamentals of unity, balance, rhythm and movement. Students will prepare and produce a series of digital design projects that are relevant to professional practices. Emphasis will be given to the principles of planning and visual thinking needed to communicate ideas. Problem solving on an individual and group level will be stressed.

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
• Athletic Administration

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

• Assistant Athletic Director: Career Enhancement
• Associate Director of Athletics
• Athlete Development/Fundraising Officer
• Athletic Coordinator
• Client Services
• Community Relations Services
• Director of Finances and Events Team
• Director of Major Gifts
• Director of Operations
• Director of Premium Seating and Hospitality
• Event Coordinator
• Fan Engagement
• Fan Services
• Manager of Business Development
• Marketing Coordinator
• Marketing & Event Manager
• Membership Director
• Promotions and Events Manager
• Public Relations / Communications Director
• Retail salespersons
• Scouting Services
• Social Media Coordinator
• Sport Administrator
• Sport Agencies
• Sport Commissions
• Sports Authority

WHERE TU GRADS HAVE WORKED

• 9round Fitness, LLC
• Amateur Athletic Union of the U.S., Inc.
• Anderson University Athletics Broadcasting
• Bleacher Report
• Bowie Bay Sox
• CCTV Sports (Beijing)
• Cleveland Guardians
• Cleveland Soccer Club
• Colgate University Athletics Marketing
• Columbus Blue Jackets
• Creative Artists Agency
• Dunham’s Sports
• JKS Incorporated Creative and Design (NC)
• KingsTalent
• Legends Hospitality
• Louisville Sluggers
• Maryland Blue Crabs
• Michigan State University Athletics
• Middlesboro Daily News Sports Department (Editor)
• MLB Philadelphia Phillies
• National Fastpitch Softball Association
• New Orleans Pelicans
• NFL Pittsburgh Steelers
• ONE Championship
• Ottawa University Sports Information (MO)
• Penn State University Athletics
• Pittsburgh Steelers
• Snelling Hospitality (Cleveland)
• Southern Maryland Blue Crabs
• Southern Methodist University Athletics
• Virginia Tech University Athletic Development Office
• Weber State Sports Properties
• Yale University Athletics