Sport Management

Why study sport management?

Students who study sport management follow their interest in the business operations behind their favorite sports and receive a multi-faceted foundation for their career.

  • The interdepartmental major combines the strengths of coursework from exercise and sport sciences with communication, business administration and journalism.
  • Sport management courses are taught with a forward-looking perspective, integrating technology and cutting-edge topics. 
Stock Photo of Sport Management

Academics at AU

Beyond AU

Rebecca Falkner Axelrod ‘20, who majored in sport management and later earned a Master of Arts in sports administration & leadership (MSAL), is the executive director of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Heart of America. Her district covers St. Joseph, Missouri; Lawrence, Kansas; and the Kansas City metro area. Falkner Axelrod oversees adult & junior competition, adaptive & wheelchair tennis and community outreach. While at Augustana, Falkner Axelrod was part of the women's tennis team and served as president of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC).

Rebecca Falkner Axelrod

Course Descriptions

Major Map

Faculty


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Latest News

This year’s Viking Days festivities included a special dedication ceremony for Augustana’s School of Business — now the Rydell School of Business, supported by Bill and Ellen Rydell. The Augustana community celebrated on Thursday, Oct. 3, with a gathering in the Madsen Social Science Center, home of the newly-named school.

At the Birdcage and home of Sioux Falls' professional baseball team, you’re guaranteed to find Vikings among the Canaries. Along with three Augustana Baseball alumni in Sioux Falls Canaries uniforms, the team employs an alumnus as its sales executive and three students as summer interns. Canaries President Brian Jamros is also a familiar face within the Augustana School of Business and its Master of Business Administration (MBA) Program.

Augustana University will offer sports broadcasting as a minor beginning in the fall. The minor will help students build careers in a field that includes both traditional broadcast and cable outlets, and new and ongoing digital platforms.

Highlights

management class

Careers

Careers in sport management include coach, recruiter, sports journalist, event operations manager, sales agent and sports data analyst. 

Hands-On Learning

Internship opportunities include:

  • Augustana Athletics game-day promotion, compliance, marketing and fan engagement
  • Sanford Pentagon
  • Sioux Falls sports teams — Canaries, Skyforce, Stampede and Storm
  • Local schools — working with athletic directors

Sport management students study away in:

  • Australia — focusing on global sport management with AU faculty
  • Costa Rica — focusing on exercise science with AU faculty
  • Nicaragua — focusing on poverty
  • Norway — focusing on  sport and physical activity with AU faculty

Courses & Organizations

Students in this major study business administration, communication, journalism, physical education and psychology.

Students can complement their studies with a minor in coaching. Sport management students should also consider earning the Master of Arts in sports administration and leadership at Augustana.

Sport management students often participate in:

  • Business Club
  • Elmen Center Recreational Services
  • Specialty marketing
  • Sports sections of student publications — The Mirror and The Edda
  • SKOL Club
  • Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAAC)