Sales Training in Career Preparation: An Examination of Sales Curricula in Sport Management Education

Abstract

Sales skills have become one of the most common requirements within sport management job postings. As thousands of graduates compete in a competitive career market, it is essential to better understand not only the needs of the industry but also the qualifications expected of sport management majors. The current study examines 481 colleges and universities as well as 10 sport management hiring managers to determine the prominence of sales courses within sport management curricula as well as industry perceptions of preferred qualifications. Results indicated 26.2% of sport management curricula in the United States offer a sales class, while 73.8% do not. Of those that do offer sales, 59% of the institutions make the course a requirement, while 41% offer the class as an elective. Qualitative findings from hiring managers included disagreement regarding degree-based value, the desire for prior face-to-face experience and a passion for sales as essential hiring qualifiers, and expectations of the industry/sal...