Sport Management Department
What is Sport Management?
Since its inception as an academic area of study in 1966, sport management has grown as rapidly as the sport industry. SportsBusiness Journal, the leading sport-based publication, recently estimated the sport industry to be valued at $213 billion domestically with growth being seen in the United States and internationally. This industry is very broad, with jobs available in marketing, sales and event management among others as well as in segments of the business, from professional and intercollegiate athletics to recreational facilities and non-profit organizations.
Sport management programs provide business lessons specific to sport, offering students a distinct advantage in a very competitive industry. Classes blending theory with practical examples and required field experiences provide students with the tools needed for successful careers in sport.
Why Study Sport Management?
Based on its blending of liberal arts and professional education, our sport management program produces graduates with the leadership, team-building, critical-thinking and ethical decision-making skills needed to shape the future of the sport industry. St. John Fisher College’s Sport Management program has been approved by the North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM) Program Review Council. This council evaluates programs for quality of education, breadth and depth of course offerings and practical opportunities available for students. Only one-quarter of all programs in North America have been approved by this group, demonstrating the quality of the Fisher Sport Management experience.
SportsBusiness Journal, in a June 2005 edition, named Rochester, NY as the #1 minor league sports market in the country. This distinction demonstrates the range of practical opportunities for our students right down the road from our campus. In addition, as the summer home of the Buffalo Bills Training Camp, Fisher students have opportunities not afforded to other sport management programs.
Please peruse our program, a program we are excited about and one we are confident provides graduates with all of the tools needed for success. If you have any questions or would like to request more information please contact any member of our department faculty or fill out our online Sport Management Question Form.
Mission
The Sport Studies Department seeks to develop in students the knowledge, skills and experience that will enable them to obtain leadership positions in the sport management field. Serving students directly and the sport management industry indirectly, the department provides a broad-based curriculum that is grounded in the liberal arts and encourages critical analysis of the cultural and social significance of sport, the need for ethical and moral decision-making and the role of sport as business.
Rob Crean '06
The Sport Management program at St. John Fisher provides students with a unique combination of classroom learning, group projects and real world experience. In addition to the traditional classroom setting, students also get exposed to the sports industry through a healthy dose of guest speakers and internship opportunities. Because the field of sport management is constantly evolving, the faculty at Fisher understands that the curriculum cannot be taught strictly through tests and textbooks.
More than three years after graduating with a degree in Sport Management, I continue to draw on the lessons and experiences I had at Fisher on a daily basis. During my time in the program, I grew as both a student and a person, developing confidence in myself and critical thinking skills as a result of numerous presentations, group meetings and internships. In addition, the faculty's constant emphasis on professionalism stays with students well after they leave Fisher. The most beneficial aspect of the program for me was the continuous encouragement and support from the staff when it came to pursuing internships. They truly want each student in the program to be in position to find a job in the student's area of interest immediately following graduation, and in many cases, they have been successful in doing just that.
My professional career path has been a direct result of an internship I completed during my senior year, volunteer work I did in the Fisher athletic department and skills I developed in the Sport Management curriculum. Wherever my career takes me in the future, I'll know that Fisher is where the foundation was built.
Rob Crean is the Manager of Communications for the Phoenix Coyotes (NHL)