In addition, through a conversation with a notable Athletic Director, I posed the question: Where are all our Sports Management grads go going to go? Each year thousands (more like tens of thousands) of students walk the stage with a Sport Management Degree – yet the number of available jobs are declining.

According to The New York Times, nearly all of the big pro leagues are dumping jobs and looking to shore out the bottom-line during the current economic cycle; add to the fact that it is nearly impossible to find steady employment on the client representation/management side, especially as someone with limited experience.

While some sport(s) management programs offer an emphasis on core business principles, many do not. According to several studies, many sport(s) management departments prefer to be entirely separate from business programs.

To me, this robs students of the most important aspect of the industry – Business.  Even at the University of Florida, with a ‘top-notch program,’ the offering of business related courses within the department is very limited (maybe two legitimate business courses).

So why limit yourself to one path? Even if the sports or entertainment industry was flourishing, the chance of you switching careers (or burnout) more than five times in your lifetime is relatively high.

It is my belief that you have to be highly marketable and as ‘well rounded’ as possible in order to compete as an agent or even as a manager on the other side of the coin.

So before you graduate or enroll for the summer or fall, look into marketing, management, finance, advertising, public relations, entrepreneurship courses, or even take some online MBA classes – these will prepare you well for an internship or an entry-level job in sports or entertainment.

If you’re a freshman or sophomore (actually any level of school), think about pursuing internships in areas outside of sports such as finance, public relations, or marketing – these will enable you to jump right into real tasks when you find the right sports opportunity.

Also, if you think writing is ‘left at the door’ of the sports world, think again – the more effective and ‘well-written’ you are, the greater chance of advancement. As an employee, you’re selling yourself each and every day – writing well will show that you can convey the needed message or write the most effective proposal for business opportunities.

As an intern at Dynasty Athlete Representation, LLC, I have written as much or more than I ever have in school or with any other venture (including start-ups with Business Plans).

Nearly everything I have learned through undergraduate business school – has prepared me to effectively construct marketing plans, prospect analyses, and a variety of reports for both superiors and business partners.

While none of these are prerequisites (or a supplement) for a successful career or internship experience, it definitely helps, because a sports agency is a business.

Is a Sport(s) Management Degree worth it? from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor’s degree and be currently enrolled in graduate school and looking for exposure to sports at a collegiate level.  Candidates should also possess excellent computer skills (including Word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook) and have good organizational skills, work well under multiple deadlines, be able to communicate well over the phone, and demonstrate a professional attitude. Candidates would need to currently live in the Indianapolis area or be willing to relocate during the 6-12 month internship period and expect to work 20-25 hours a week. Monthly stipend for the position is $1500. Candidates must also be open to relocation when placed into a full time position with some regard given to region.

Specific duties include, but are not limited to: providing administrative, sales and marketing support to BCA office staff, assisting in the planning of the 2010 BCA National Convention, coordinating certain sponsor functions, assisting in collection, design and preparation of sales kits and research projects, constructing the weekly BCA newsletter, and updating the BCA web site.

Visit www.bcasports.org and www.learfieldsports.com for more info on these organizations.

If interested in this opportunity, please email your resume to Kearsten Huddleston at khuddleston@learfield.com or Jason Buckner at jbuckner@learfield.com and let them know that you learned about the internship from your friends at SportsAgentBlog.com.

BCA Sports Properties Internship from Sports Agent Blog - Sports Business, Sports Law, Sports Negotiations, NCAA Rules