When you’re deciding to take on a new challenge, one of the first things you’ll need to consider is what formal training you need to get started. Even if you have a good deal of experience, you’ll soon discover that there’s a lot more to it than you think. That’s why it’s always a good idea to look into any available online courses that can help you get started on the right foot. After all, nobody wants to start their new adventure in sports marketing only to discover that they’re not prepared for it. That’s why we’ve put together a list of some of the most essential online courses for a sports marketing beginner, which can also be used to complement your existing knowledge. So, here they are – 10 essential online courses for a sports marketing beginner.
Global Sports Industry
Have you ever thought about working for an international organization? If not, you might be in for a pleasant surprise. International sporting events are becoming more and more common, and many leagues and teams are looking for marketing managers, brand ambassadors, and communication chiefs to help them grow their businesses internationally. If you’re passionate about sport and looking for a new challenge, this could be the right fit for you. You’ll need to understand global economics, culture, and sports-marketing-related terminology to be able to succeed in this field. Thankfully, this is a very accessible online course that can help you get started.
It’s essential to learn about the economics of sponsoring sport, the roles of a sports marketing manager, and how to break down marketing barriers between countries. We recommend this course for anyone looking to expand their horizons beyond domestic sports and marketing. Be sure to sign up for the free trial so you can get started.
Marketing Analytics
An error in judgement – we know what you’re thinking. How can you be sure that the numbers you’re seeing are actually correct? Believe it or not, there are some people in sports who don’t actually care that much about the sport itself. They just want to focus on the bottom line and be as efficient as possible. These are the so-called bean counters, and they come in three distinct varieties: the money grubbers, the numbers freaks, and the political scientists. You’ll need to be proficient in gathering, analyzing, and presenting data in order to work in this role. And while it might seem like a job for a data scientist, this is actually one of the most accessible courses to help you get a foundational understanding of marketing analytics. This is a must for anyone working in any sports-related field.
Knowing how to properly present data in a clear, concise, and compelling way is essential. Once you’ve mastered that, you can move on to advanced analytics courses that will take your knowledge to the next level. With every passing year, the field of sports analytics grows larger, and larger, and larger. The demand for skilled professionals in this area is expected to grow by 20% in the next four years.
Sports Law
If you’ve ever been involved in a legal dispute over a game, sponsorship deal, or some other aspect of sports, you’ll know just how complex and confusing sports law can be. You’ll need to know the relevant statutes, case-law, and precedent if you want to avoid serious legal trouble. Luckily, this is also one area where there are some very accessible online courses. The sooner you start studying, the sooner you’ll be able to put this essential knowledge to use. If you want to work in an area where you can apply your legal knowledge, consider the area of corporate gaming law or sports law. It’s a very broad area, so you’ll have lots of opportunities to grow your knowledge and skills.
The best thing about these online courses is that you can study them at your leisure. While it’s not recommended that you use them in place of a traditional college degree, they can certainly be used to complement your existing knowledge and experience. With the information and insights you’ll gain from these courses, you’ll be able to rise above the challenges presented to you by the unenviable position of being a professional in sports.
Marketing Research
Just because you’ve decided to further your education in sports-marketing doesn’t mean that you have to limit yourself to learning about sports. You’ll also need to familiarize yourself with the various methods used for research and analysis in marketing. From analyzing markets and trends to identifying customer segments, you’ll need to be able to pull data from various sources and present them in a clear, concise, and compelling way. For a more in-depth look at research methods, you can take this online course. However, if you’re looking for something a little less intense, there are also a number of marketing research courses online that you can study at your leisure.
The best thing about these various marketing research courses is that you can study them at your leisure. While it’s not recommended that you use them in place of a traditional college degree, they can certainly be used to complement your existing knowledge and experience. With the data and insights you’ll gain from these courses, you’ll be able to make meaningful contributions to your organization and push it towards greater success.
Sports Management
This is an area that many people consider to be part of a traditional MBA. While there is a lot of overlap between sports management and marketing, you’ll need to be careful to not confuse the two. A good sports manager is essentially a person who can bring together a team of experts to form a functional organization that can successfully execute a sports strategy. This is a broad area, so it will probably be best for you to study the various functions (finance, marketing, sales, human resources, etc.) and roles within a sports organization. Once you have a basic understanding of the field, you can delve into more specific areas (such as team performance) or transition into a more senior role (such as Chief of Staff or Director of Marketing).
Depending on your career goals, you might want to consider whether or not you want to specialize in this field. If not, it’s certainly a good idea to become at least proficient in marketing, sales, and accounting within the sports industry. If this is the case, consider signing up for an executive MBA so that you can specialized in sports management. It’s a very broad field, so you’re sure to have lots of opportunities to specialize and grow your knowledge and skills.
Sports Economics
This is one of the more niche areas within sports-marketing, but it’s also one of the more important. If you’re not familiar with it, sports economics can be defined as the branch of economics that studies the various aspects and functions of sports (e.g. the economics of sports teams, leagues, and sponsorships). Once you’re equipped with an economic understanding, you can move on to more specialized courses that will expand your insights and competence in this area. For a more in-depth look at sports economics, you can take this online course. However, if you’re looking for something a little less academic, there are also several business economics and sports economics online courses that you can study at your leisure.
If you decide that this is a good area for you, be sure to seek out further specialization in sports economics through an online MBA or executive education. There are also a number of sports economics scholarships that you can apply for, so you don’t have to worry about affording a standard education in this area.
Responsive Marketing
We’re constantly bombarded with ads and marketing materials from all sides. Whether it’s a billboard in the street or a pop-up ad on a website, it’s rare to have a space that doesn’t have something marketing-related on display. This is why it’s important to develop a marketing strategy that will allow you to reach your audience when and where they are. The best way to achieve this is through digital marketing, which is the umbrella term used to describe all of the strategies and tactics employed to attract, retain, and motivate customers via the internet and other digital platforms. Responsive marketing is all about taking your marketing activities online and adapting them to fit various devices and platforms.
If you’ve been tasked with leading a digital marketing team, you’ll soon realize that this is an area where you’ll need to be constantly learning. The number of devices and form factors available for consumers to access the internet has increased exponentially, and it’s up to you to know how to reach your audience on these various platforms. Luckily, this is also one area where there are several accessible online courses. The sooner you start studying, the sooner you’ll be able to put this essential knowledge to use. If you want to work in an area where you can apply your digital marketing skills, consider the area of inbound or e-commerce marketing. With every passing year, the field of digital marketing grows larger, and larger, and larger. The demand for skilled professionals in this area is expected to grow by 22% in the next four years.