Online Master’s in Sport Management

Sport Is Changing. Your Skills Should Too.

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36 credits

COMPLETE IN AS FEW AS 2 YEARS

2 specializations

SPORT MARKETING OR COLLEGIATE

ATHLETIC ADMINISTRATION

10:1

STUDENT-TO-FACULTY RATIO

Small classes

100%

online coursework

TAKE CLASSES FROM ANYWHERE

No GRE

ALL BACKGROUNDS

WELCOME

Breadth Across the Industry, Depth for Your Career

Sport jobs don’t fit neatly into boxes. A marketing coordinator at an athletic department might run social media, pitch sponsorship deals, coordinate game-day events and help draft press releases. A director of operations for a rec center might manage budgets, oversee facility rentals, negotiate vendor contracts and handle compliance questions.

Adelphi’s online Master of Science in Sport Management prepares you for that reality.

The curriculum covers marketing, communications, sport law, sponsorships, branding, public relations and facility management, so you have the expertise to handle any problem that lands on your desk. When you’re ready to move up inside an athletic department or transition into a new role, this program gives you the skills to say “I can do that!” when the opportunity comes up.

With 36 credits and 100 percent online coursework, you can finish in as little as 2 years while working full time.

Courses That Reflect Where the Industry Is Going

At Adelphi, you’ll study the areas reshaping sport right now, like media relations, sponsorships, branding and sport technology. You’ll also build the business fundamentals every sport organization runs on: management, market analysis, budget preparation and sport law.

Learn more about the specializations and see the full course list →

Industry Access, Wherever You Learn

Adelphi sits fewer than 20 miles from New York City, one of the most active sport markets in the world. That’s an advantage for our online students, whether you live an hour away or across the country.

Your faculty are working professionals with direct connections to teams, leagues and organizations at every level across the tri-state area and beyond. They bring those relationships into online classrooms and to support your career.

An optional on-site internship also lets you work at a sports organization near you. Past students have interned at ESPN, the New York Yankees, Madison Square Garden, MetLife Stadium and the USTA.

Request Program Brochure

To learn more about Adelphi University’s online MS in Sport Management and download a brochure, fill out the fields to request information or call us at 516.619.2209 to talk with one of our enrollment specialists.

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Why Adelphi’s Online Master’s in Sport Management?

Accelerated Online Format

You can finish the online sport management degree in as few as 24 months, saving time and tuition along the way. The coursework is fully online with pre-recorded lectures.

Two Specialization Choices

Build depth by following the Sport Marketing specialization or the Collegiate Athletic Administration specialization. Whichever you choose, you’ll build the same core skills across business, marketing, law and operations.

Lasting Career Support

Get résumé reviews, interview prep and job search support from Adelphi’s Center for Career and Professional Development, during your program and as an alum. You’ll also receive a reduced-rate WorkInSports.com membership and access to Handshake, which puts you in front of 1 million+ employers, including every Fortune 500 company.

Optional On-Site Internship

Work at a sport organization near you and earn up to six credits. Past students have interned at the WNBA, NHL and USTA as well as ESPN, Madison Square Garden and MetLife Stadium, just to name a few.

Hear From Sport Management Students & Faculty

“

For me it was a no-brainer. I knew that I’d get a quality sport management education at Adelphi. If you research the programs comparatively, Adelphi is at the forefront of sport management.

Bryan Flannery

Adelphi alum (’20) and public relations manager for the New York Liberty

“

Adelphi is located in the center of the world’s sport industry, providing countless internship and job opportunities. . . . What separates the Adelphi sport management program is the invaluable expertise that the industry pros on its faculty share in the classroom itself. A sport management degree from Adelphi will ensure that you have lasting relationships: I’m still in contact with my former professors.

Olivia Franks

Adelphi alum (’21 ) and hockey operations office manager for the New York Islanders

“

Our dedicated and experienced faculty have direct contact with numerous alumni and the sport organizations throughout the tristate area and the world to assist and help you get the inside track on the latest trends in sports.

Dan Bedard

Clinical Assistant Professor in the Sport Management program

Curriculum Overview

The Master of Science in Sport Management is a 36-credit program where you’ll move through six foundation and core courses that cover the industry from multiple angles, then choose a specialization in Sport Marketing or Collegiate Athletic Administration. You’ll finish with a capstone of your choice: an internship or an independent study.

What Courses Are in the Sport Management Program?

These six core courses give you a foundation in the business, research and operational sides of sport before you specialize:

Introduction to Sport Management
Research in Sport Management
Technology in Sport Management
Sport Management Personnel and Program Evaluations
Contemporary Issues in Sport Management
Sport Marketing

See all the course options for the online MS in Sport Management →

What Will You Be Able to Do With a Sport Management Degree?

Apply management and marketing strategies to sport organizations at every level, from youth to collegiate to professional

Measure and grow brand equity for teams, leagues, athletes and sport products

Develop communication and media relations strategies that reach fans, sponsors and stakeholders

Plan and manage sport facilities and events, from logistics to funding to on-the-ground operations

Work across sport law, athletic compliance and the policy issues shaping amateur and professional sport

Build sponsorship, licensing and partnership strategies that drive revenue and visibility

Explore the curriculum →

Download a curriculum guide

Sport Management Master’s: Who Is This Program For?

The online Master of Science in Sport Management is built for people who love sport and want a career that reflects it.

Most of our students are already working, whether inside the industry or in fields that could lead into it, but they come from a range of starting points:

Athletic department staff in collegiate or interscholastic settings looking to move into leadership
Marketing, communications and events professionals who want to work in sport
Coaches, former athletes and recreation staff ready for administrative or management roles
Fitness, wellness and recreation managers moving into director-level positions
Recent graduates building on a bachelor’s degree with a sport-focused master’s

No prior sport industry experience is required. Our curriculum gives you the foundation and the flexibility to apply it wherever you want to go.

Looking for an in-person option?

The MS in Sport Management is also available as an in-person option at our Garden City, New York, campus.

Learn more about the in-person degree →

Sport Careers: What Can You Do With an MS in Sport Management?

The sport industry has grown into a global market worth nearly $500 billion, and it’s still expanding.

Media rights, sponsorships, analytics, expanded women’s leagues and new revenue streams from licensing and betting are all reshaping what organizations look for.

A master’s gives you the management, marketing and business fluency to work across those areas, and a specialization helps you build depth where you need it most.

Role	Median Salary	Median Salary in New York Metro
Assistant Director of Athletic Compliance	$64,800	$83,200
Athletic Director	$78,300	$86,400
Director of Sports Marketing	$117,500	$113,000
Director of Corporate Partnerships	$108,900	$125,200
Event Operations Manager	$71,400	$80,100
Public Relations Manager	$121,700	$132,600
Recreation or Intramural Directors	$71,400	$78,100
Account Executive – Ticket Sales	$78,801	$93,443

Source: Lightcast Data Analyst and Salary.com

Where Adelphi Alumni Have Landed

Our graduates work across the industry, from professional teams and leagues to sport marketing agencies and nonprofits. Three alumni stories show the range:

Bryan Flannery (’20)

Bryan moved into public relations with the New York Liberty, covering one of the fastest-growing segments of the industry.

Read his story

Victoria Chiesa (’17)

Victoria built a career at the USTA, turning a niche in officiating into a senior brand strategy role.

Read her story

Olivia Franks (’21)

Olivia moved up from community relations intern to hockey operations office manager with the New York Islanders.

Read her story

Frequently Asked Questions: MS in Sport Management

What can you do with a master’s in sport management?

A Master of Science in Sport Management opens doors across the sports industry, from professional leagues and college athletics to marketing agencies and nonprofits. Graduates go on to work in:

Professional sports organizations (teams, leagues and governing bodies)
College and high school athletic departments
Sport marketing and brand strategy agencies
Event and facility management
Sports media and public relations
Nonprofit and youth sports organizations
Corporate social responsibility and sponsorship roles

Some alumni become athletic directors, marketing managers or operations executives, while others move into roles in sponsorship, event planning, facility management or sports media. Adelphi’s sport management graduates hold positions at nearly every professional organization in the tri-state area, including the New York Islanders, USTA Foundation and beyond.

A master’s degree signals advanced expertise that can qualify you for higher pay and leadership roles. Graduate-level education is often what separates entry-level staff from directors, managers and executives in competitive sports organizations.

Adelphi’s program also includes an optional capstone internship, reduced-rate access to WorkInSports.com and personalized job placement support through Adelphi’s nationwide network of sport industry connections.

Learn more in our guide to career options with an MS in Sport Management.

What’s the difference between sport management vs. sports administration?

The two terms are often used interchangeably, both in academic programs and in job postings, and the coursework does overlap. Both degrees prepare you for leadership in the sports industry by building skills in business, marketing, finance, communication and organizational management.

The difference comes down to emphasis.

Sport management programs tend to take a broader business view, covering marketing, sponsorship, branding, event management and the business strategy behind sport organizations.
Sports administration programs typically focus on the operational and leadership side of running an athletic department or sports organization, with coursework geared toward roles like athletic director, facilities manager or league commissioner.

Adelphi’s MS in Sport Management is, as the name says, a sport management degree but it still builds a foundation in operations, leadership and the day-to-day management of sport organizations.

Students who want to go further into the administrative side can add the collegiate athletic administration specialization, which takes a deeper look at running intercollegiate and interscholastic athletic programs.

Does Adelphi help with career development or job placements?

Yes, and this is one of the program’s strongest features. MS in Sport Management alumni hold positions in nearly every professional sports organization in the tri-state area, giving you a built-in network across the WNBA, USTA, NHL, NBA, NFL, PGA and beyond. Faculty members bring their own industry connections from roles in administration, coaching, marketing, PR and consulting. You can see recent guest speakers on our sport management LinkedIn page.

You can also earn up to 6 credits toward your degree through an optional internship lasting up to 16 weeks at a professional team, collegiate athletic department or nonprofit. A dedicated enrollment specialist helps you find the right fit using Adelphi’s relationships with sport organizations across the tri-state area and nationally.

Students also receive a reduced-rate membership to WorkInSports.com for access to career advice and industry interviews, plus full access to Adelphi’s Center for Career and Professional Development.

Visit our FAQ page for a full list of questions and answers or call 516.619.2209 to get your personal questions answered.