University of Technology Sydney

21646 Managing Professional Sport

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2024 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Business: Management
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Undergraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 48 credit points of completed study in Business Faculty Bachelor's Degree OR 48 credit points of completed study in Business Faculty Bachelor's Combined Degrees OR 48 credit points of completed study in Health Faculty Bachelor's Degree OR 48 credit points of completed study in Health Faculty Bachelor's Combined Degrees
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 27307 Sport Management

Description

This subject aims to provide students with critical understanding of the theories, knowledge and skills necessary for managers in commercialised sport to operate effectively in increasingly complex sociocultural environments and competitive business markets.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
1. Identify and recognise key processes associated with 21st century sport management and the business of sport, including changing commercial, socio-cultural and global environments within which the sport industry operates
2. Discuss the principles and practices associated with the management of sport in commercial settings, including equalisation strategies, salary caps and draft systems
3. Integrate leading edge sport management research theory towards practical operational responsibilities such as risk management, player welfare and occupational health and safety
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the managerial and professional practice dynamics of sport as a business, the application of best practice models, and an awareness of key financial and operational challenges for professional sport

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

This subject is aligned with the graduate attribute of Intellectual rigour and innovative problem solving.

This subject also aims to provide students with critical understanding of the theories, knowledge and skills necessary for managers in commercialised sport to operate effectively in increasingly complex sociocultural environments and competitive business markets.

This subject is core to the Bachelor of Management (Sport Business Major), and an elective in the Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Management and the Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science.

This subject also contributes to the development of the following Program Learning Objectives for the Sport Business Major in the Bachelor of Management:

  • Apply critical thinking skills to analyse contemporary managerial challenges, enabling the development of creative solutions relevant to professional practice (1.1)

Teaching and learning strategies

Teaching and learning strategies include formal lectures, tutorials and group discussions. Content for this subject will be supported by the UTS Learning Management System.

Students are expected to read and prepare the weekly materials including research articles, case studies, and associated practical and academic sources in preparation for the lectures and tutorials. In-class sessions will build on these sources and lead into collaborative problem-based workshop sessions with design thinking elements. These workshop sessions are project-based and will combine pre-class activities with active learning experiences that go beyond the prescribed group activities that form the official assessment. In class feedback on group activities and designed pre-work will be provided weekly starting from week 2 onward.

Content (topics)

  • Distinctive economic features of commercial sport
  • Ownership and financial models in professional sport
  • Labour market regulations in professional team sport
  • Player unions, associations and agents
  • Leadership and innovation in professional sport
  • Organisational culture and high performance sport
  • Occupational health and safety in sport
  • Sport governance and risk management

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Project Seminar (Group)

Objective(s):

This addresses subject learning objective(s):

1, 2, 3 and 4

Weight: 25%

Assessment task 2: Major Paper (Individual)

Objective(s):

This addresses subject learning objective(s):

1, 2, 3 and 4

Weight: 40%
Length:

2000 word minimum limit (not including the reference list).

3000 word maximum limit (not including the reference list).

Assessment task 3: Exam (Individual)

Objective(s):

This addresses subject learning objective(s):

1, 3 and 4

Weight: 35%
Length:

2 hours

Minimum requirements

Students must achieve at least 50% of the subject’s total marks.

Required texts

No presribed text. Links to the weekly readings are available through Canvas.

References

Frawley, S., & Schulenkorf, N. (2022). The Routledge Handbook of Sport and COVID-19. London: Routledge.

Frawley, S., Misener, L., Lock, D., & Schulenkorf, N. (2019). Global Sport Leadership. London: Routledge.

Hoye, R., Smith, A., Westerbeek, H., Stewart, B., & Nicholson, M. (2015). Sport Management: Principles and Applications. London: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Pedersen, P. M., & Thibault, L. (2014). Contemporary Sport Management. New York: Human Kinetics.

Schulenkorf, N. & Frawley, S. (2017). Critical Issues in Global Sport Management. London: Routledge.