What major(s) and minor(s) in college should I pursue to get into the sports entertaiment industry?
I'm studying economics in college but I'm also considering a minor in either advertising or communications. What majors (or minors) will help me the most? #sports #broadcast-media #sports-media #espn #televison #sport-entertainment
4 answers
Shelby’s Answer
Hi Ben! I graduated from Michigan State last year in May, with a degree in Media and Information. The major was originally titled Telecommunications, and prior to that it was Media Arts. If you are considering communications/advertising, I would maybe look into Broadcast Journalism.
Don’s Answer
I agree with Mihir. What you major in really depends on what you want to do. I think you should start by figuring out your passion and then try to figure out how that passion can connect to the sports entertainment industry. There are jobs in the industry for nearly every major.
Obviously if you are looking to be on camera, a degree in journalism or communications will be much more beneficial than a degree in statistics, finance, exercise science, computer graphics or photography. So the challenge is to explore options in the sports field that relates to your degree.
Don’t be afraid to look beyond professional sports and major sports organizations/networks. College athletic programs, minor league teams, & Park & Rec departments may all have positions that fit your interests.
In was a marketing and management major and knew I knew I wanted to somehow be in the sports industry. I decided to get my masters in Sport Management. This program touched on various aspects in the sports industry from sports marketing, facility design, risk management, & organizational management.
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Mihir’s Answer
Hi Ben - it really depends on what job you want in sports entertainment.
If you want to work in the media, as others mentioned, journalism or marketing would help. Do note this route is common and competitive.
So if your passion is business or economics, then you could major in that while pairing it with some work/internship experience in sports. Similarly, I think skills like computer science and data analytics are going to be in high demand for every industry including sports entertainment. You may find this approach to be more effective and lucrative.
Hope that helps!
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