BA (Hons) Sport Business Management

Teaching & Learning

Year 1

What you'll learn

Contemporary Issues in Sport Management

Explore the latest trends and challenges facing the sports business industry. You'll examine how these issues affect various aspects of sports business management. During your study, you'll learn about different stakeholders involved in the sports industry and how they influence the decision-making process. You'll critique case studies from various sports organisations, both domestic and international, to understand how these issues manifest themselves in practice and how they can be addressed. By the end of the module, you'll have developed an understanding of the complex and dynamic nature of the sports business industry. In addition, you'll be able to evaluate and propose solutions to existing contemporary issues.

Personal, Professional & Academic Development (PPAD)

This module provides an introduction to personal, professional and academic skill development. It focuses on developing core skills for a career in sports business management or sports marketing, such as creativity, enterprise, teamwork, communication, research and leadership. You will also begin the process of career planning.

Introduction to Sport Marketing

Sport is one of society's major economic activities and knowledge of the role marketing plays in the sport business landscape has emerged as a valuable asset. In this module, you will develop an understanding of the unique nature and application of sports marketing principles and processes to the sports industry, as it becomes ever an integral element in the landscape of the sport business.

Digital Business

Develop the skills, knowledge, tools and techniques to effectively engage with the latest business innovations and new emerging technologies to create a competitive advantage for sports organisations. You will learn the foundation principles of digital marketing and recognise the key differences between traditional sports marketing and digital sports marketing.

Principles of Sport Business Management

Develop a comprehensive understanding of the principles of sport business management. You'll learn how sports organisations are managed effectively, develop strategies for long-term success, and understand the unique challenges and opportunities of the sports industry. During this module, you'll explore topics such as leadership, financial management, marketing and sponsorship, human resource management, operations management, and legal and ethical considerations. You'll also have opportunities to apply your learning through case studies and innovative assessment as well as attend guest lectures.

Sport Finance

There is a clear need for sports business managers to have financial awareness and the skill set to analyse and interpret financial statements to informevidence-basedddecision-makingg. This module will provide you with an applied knowledge and understanding of financial management principlesabouto the global sports industry.

Year 2

What you'll learn

Sport Economics

Develop the applied knowledge of how economic principles apply to the sports industry through an analysis of current contemporary issues such as athletes' salaries, evaluating professional athletes, and impacts of mega-events.

Leading & Managing People in Sports

Gain a holistic, contextualised, and integrated approach to the management of people in sports organisations and apply your learning to real-life scenarios. You will learn about aspects of human resource management processes, recognising the need to manage and work with people equitably from both a legal and moral perspective, and you will apply leadership styles and theories to real-life scenarios.

Professional Development in Sport Business Management

This module will enhance your knowledge and skills, support the development of your professional profile, and create solid foundations for you to work towards achieving your career aspirations. It will enable you to enhance your employability through the development of context-specific and transferable skills. You'll be supported to audit, select, engage in, and complete work-based learning activities to help boost your career prospects.

Research in Practice

Advance your skills in research and analysis to develop bespoke and creative research projects delivering business or academic insight. You will gain the knowledge necessary to devise and conduct research that underpins and informs business decision-making and strategies.

Strategic Management of Sport Business

Study the fundamentals of strategic management within the sports business industry. You will focus on a variety of environmental analysis and management models, which aid businesses in developing a greater understanding of their operations and strategic direction including the measuring, monitoring, and evaluation of this data to ensure long-term success. You will learn about scenario planning and the importance of change.

Integrated Marketing Communications

Sports fans and consumers are increasingly surrounded by media and marketing-related messages. This comes as a result of the digital and technological advancements transforming how we interact with each other and sports organisations. This also creates marketing opportunities and challenges for organisations when trying to attract, engage, persuade, and influence consumption-related outcomes. This module will enable you to gain an in-depth understanding of the marketing communications mix from both a theoretical and practical perspective. You'll explore how different forms of communication work together for a synergistic effect. You'll also be able to apply integrated marketing communications principles to evaluate and develop sports marketing campaigns.

Soccer & Society

Develop your understanding of relevant social science perspectives applied to contemporary soccer. You will learn to relate these critical approaches to important contemporary issues within the sport.

Events Management

Study the key concepts supporting sports events. This module will provide essential knowledge relating to the dynamic planning processes involved. You'll study the manager’s role in the organisation and delivery of successful events. You'll also engage in experiential learning where you'll work with external partners to deliver industry insight. You'll achieve this as you undertake a portfolio of experiences at sports events.

Sport Sponsorship

Gain a critical insight into the growth and development of sports sponsorship in a global and local context. You will acquire knowledge of the sponsorship management processes from a rights owner and sponsor perspective to understand the relationship and relevance to strategic decision-making.

Sport Entrepreneurship

Enterprise and the development of new SMEs is a vital engine of sport business and economic growth. It is also a growing aspiration amongst students to launch business start-ups. This module will equip you with a greater understanding of the application of enterprise skills to increasing income. You'll develop knowledge of the process, circumstances, considerations and barriers to enterprise planning and development within sport.

Sport Law: Principles & Practice

This module will give you a broad understanding of the legal principles which arise in contemporary sports business. You'll be introduced to the relationship between sport and the law and get an overview of sports regulation and jurisprudence and its impact on sports delivery. The module will also introduce you to the judiciary systems in England and Wales and the role of European and international sports law. Ultimately, you'll draw together your knowledge gained from previous modules to gain an understanding of the role of law and case law in the sports environment.

Sport Governance

Examine contemporary issues in sports governance across a variety of sports business contexts. Your studies will take a multidisciplinary approach, drawing on policy, law, sociology and relevant research, beginning with theories and models of governance. You will look at good governance in a range of business contexts and at regulatory oversight of governance in sports business, using appropriate cases or examples of good governance and failures as learning tools. You will critically examine areas such as corruption in sport, whistleblowing, and international anti-doping governance.

The Global Sports Business Environment

Gain an in-depth understanding of how sport has become a global phenomenon. You'll draw upon your existing knowledge and skills to unpick the historical, geopolitical, economic, technological, media, and ideological drivers of sports globalisation. You'll learn how to make informed decisions when developing global strategies within the sport business. You'll also begin to understand the response of global organisations to the features and influences of the sports business environment.

Final Year Project

Undertake an extended and largely independent piece of work that demonstrates research skills, critical thinking, and an awareness of ethical methodological approaches to study. You'll be provided with a choice of project types that reflect the key knowledge, skills and attributes of graduate careers associated with your course. This could be in the form of a traditional dissertation, consultancy project or business or marketing plan. This module will help you to generate new knowledge that has practical value and will prepare you for a career in your desired field.

Sport Business Analytics

Learn to utilise business intelligence in evidence-based decision-making to create a competitive advantage. You will analyse big data on customers, participants, fans, spectators and viewers and you will understand how to identify methods to improve efficiency and financial performance.

Year 3

What you'll learn

Sport Branding

Develop a critical understanding and awareness of contemporary sports branding issues and practices. You'll study the role of brands, the concept of brand equity and the advantages of creating strong brands in sport. Additionally, you'll explore the range of alternative branding strategies available to the sport's marketer and the different approaches to measuring brand effectiveness.

Sport, Peace-Building & International Development

Develop an awareness of the concepts, theory, policy and practice associated with SPD. You will draw upon various concepts and theories (such as hegemony, post-colonial, change and action, leadership, project and programme management) to illuminate the complex power and processes inherent in the practices of SPD.

Project Leadership & Creativity

Gain theoretical and practical knowledge of project leadership and creativity concepts, theories, and techniques as applied to sport-related projects. Using project management tools and techniques, you'll learn how to effectively plan, execute, monitor and evaluate sport-related projects. You'll also be able to apply creative problem-solving techniques to address project challenges and opportunities. In addition, you'll develop effective communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills necessary for project success.

Sandwich Placement

Enhance your employability and future career prospects by undertaking a year's paid placement between years 2 and 3. You'll have the opportunity to develop business contacts and professional networks, gain an understanding of the jobs and career market and develop key employability and professional skills.

This course offers the opportunity to take a ‘sandwich’ year – a year of paid employment in industry which will build your skills and experience. This is usually taken between the second and third year of your degree, typically making your course four years in total.

Students who choose the sandwich route find it helps with both their studies and getting a job after graduation. It can build your confidence, contacts, and of course your CV. Leeds Beckett advertises lots of placement opportunities and provides support in helping you find the right placement for you.

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

1. Devise and sustain arguments, and solve problems using ideas and techniques from relevant disciplines.
2. Critically evaluate arguments, assumptions, abstract concepts and data, to make judgements and frame appropriate questions and solutions which can be applied to the Sports Business Industry.
3. Communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
4. Exercise initiative, reflexive learning and personal responsibility are needed to undertake appropriate further training of a professional or equivalent nature.
5. Demonstrate a systematic understanding of coherent and detailed knowledge informed by the forefront of the relevant discipline and professional context in sports business.
6. Apply methods and techniques to review, consolidate, extend and apply their knowledge and understanding to initiate and carry out projects.

Gain the expertise to make a real impact in your chosen career and help you create an e-portfolio to impress future employers. Our students have set up their own companies and have gained management positions in high-profile sports businesses and leisure organisations, such as Virgin Active, the RFL, British Cycling and national governing bodies. They have also secured roles at professional sports clubs. Including Leeds Rhinos and Yorkshire Golf, and marketing and PR firms Banana Kick and Michael Page.

• Leisure club manager
• Sport development officer
• Stadium manager
• Sports marketing executive

You could choose to complete a sandwich year, which will enable you to focus on developing your employability skills and experience.