Sports Managers
Lead -in
Look at the photo. How does it represent sport managers?
Reading: Sports Managers
Sports managers combine some of human's great passions: sports, business and health. Over
the last decade, sports managers have bridged the gap between the business, sports, health and
entertainment sides of athletic organizations. This multibillion-dollar industry is very competitive,
and sports management professionals must be enthusiastic, hardworking and have energy to
invest into this exciting, satisfying career.
Sports management has many different facets. Sports managers can handle the financial aspects
of an athletic organization, create marketing strategies for special events, direct athletics in a
school setting or help athletes negotiate contracts or sponsorship and endorsement deals. Other
responsibilities may involve public relations, sporting goods sales, facility management, athletic
fund-raising or sports broadcasting. Those who focus on such a specialized side of sports
management as sports medicine will help athletes stay healthy through nutritional, fitness and
psychological well-being. Regardless of specific responsibilities, sports management
professionals often work irregular hours, including nights and weekends, and do a significant
amount of traveling.
Sport management positions carry a variety of job titles. Program directors in community sport
programs, marketing and promotions director, academic services for student-athletics, corporate
sales director, director of ticketing and finance, sporting goods sales representative, intramural
director of campus recreation, facilities coordinator, athletic director, compliance director, athletic
business manager, and fitness manager are all sport management titles.
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Pronunciation
major
service
provision
approach
agent
highly
opportunity
increasing
government
passion
professional
competitive
create
varied
voluntary
franchise
energy
participation
social
objective
association
enthusiasm
money
country
source
consulting
requirement
Vocabulary
special – specific – specialised
• Sports managers can create marketing strategies for special events.
• Those who focus on such a specialised side of sports management as sports medicine will help athletes
stay healthy.
• Regardless of specific responsibilities, sports management professionals often work irregular hours.
Fill in the gaps with the following words:
A. special B. specific C. specialised
1.
2.
3.
4.
She chose one _________ book from the list.
I gave a _________ gift to my very best friend.
The store _________ in gourmet food.
The government has set up a ____________ commission to coordinate the activities of
Russian ministers and organisations to organise the Olympics.
5. I am not able to give you a _________________ answer.
6. The website __________________ Information Services gives information on programs in
toxicology, environmental health, and chemistry.
Comprehension exercise
Mark the correct statements as «True or False.». Correct the wrong ones («False»),
using the text, and expand on the correct ones. Sentence «0» is the example.
•
0 The work of a sports manager is very dull.
2
1. The business, sports, health and entertainment
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
sides of athletic organisations are still very far
from each other.
Sports management has many different aspects.
Sports management never deals with business
issues.
Sports managers can work with the press.
Medicine is one of the specialized sides of sports
management.
Sports managers work only regular hours quietly
in the office.
Useful language
That is not really so...;
That is true...;
No doubt this is true/false...;
As it is stated in the text...;
The idea in the text is as follows…
It seems in the text the arguments are a bit
different…;
Answer the questions on the text:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What human's great passions do sports managers combine?
What traits of character should sports managers have?
What are the possible facets of sports management?
What are other responsibilities of a sports manager?
How can those who focus on sports medicine help athletes?
What negative aspects does the work of a sports manager have?
Video
Lead-in
1. schedule
A. having finished using or doing something
2. venue
B, someone who acts to arrange an agreement between people
who are unwilling or unable to communicate directly
C. to watch or organize a job or an ac>vity to make certain that it
is being done correctly
3. internship
4, oversee
5. through
6. mean
7. clientele
8. enhance
9. intermediary
10. vast
11. revolve
D. extremely big
E. all the customers of a business when they are considered as a
group
F. the place where a public event or mee>ng happens
G. to move or cause something to move around a central point or
line
H. a mean number is an average number
I. to improve the quality, amount, or strength of something
J to arrange that an event or ac>vity will happen at a par>cular
>me
K a period of >me during which someone works for a company
or organiza>on in order to get experience of a par>cular type of
work
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Match the words to their definitions.
Mark the statements as true or false.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
To become a sports manager you have to have a bachelor's degree.
The primary duty of sport managers is concluding contracts.
Sports managers work both for individual athletes and teams.
Sports managers oRen smooth out conflicts.
It is easier to find a job if you graduate in sports.
Personal experience as an athlete is an advantage when becoming a sports manager.
Before becoming a sports manager you have to do some internship in sports.
Collocation
Match the verbs and nouns.
1. to handle
A. trainers
2. to run
B. conflicts
3. to smooth out
C. scheduling
4. to get
D. someone’s needs
5. to work
E. job prospects
6. to hire
F. someone’s way up
7. to meet
G. the operation
8. to enhance
H. proper attention
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Video: Becoming a sport manager
Watch the interview with James W,. the sport
manager. Answer the following questions.
1. Who does he work for?
2. What is he responsible for?
3. How did he get the job?
4. What sport did he do, when he was a child?
5. Who persuaded him to go to university?
6. How did his father inspired him?
7. How important is family for him?
8. What are his future plans?
Read the extract and add the missing prepositions.
My name’s James W, I work for David Lloyd Bromsgrove ............. a Sports Manager. I’m
responsible ................. all activity within the club, and it’s all around ensuring that member gets
everything out of their membership, that they participate ................ whatever they want, and that
they enjoy using the Club and get value for money.
There’s been a lot of roles ......... the way, sort of through old structures and new, and I’ve seen
quite a lot of things come and go, as you do I suppose inside a – I’ve only ever worked .............
David Lloyd. A friend of mine had just joined ............ a Fitness Instructor, he got that as his part
time role to gain some experience .......... the industry, and advised me to apply. I was that
keen, ............ the time, to get this part time role, I was in Kos, .......... a holiday with all my
University friends, and I kept ringing up to check if they’d got back ................ me. And eventually
they offered me the job while I was on holiday, ’cause I think they just thought, who’s this crazy
guy that keeps ringing up ............ a role?
Match the verbs with the nouns.
1. to miss out
a. sport
2. to gain
b. benefits
3. to be keen into
c. a football team
4. to run
5. to put everything into
d. an ooportunity
e. experience
6. to talk through about
f. work
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Read the interview and explain the expressions in bold.
My dad was a very successful businessman, and
Lloyd
Bromsgrove as a Sports Manager. I’m
responsible for all activity within the club, and
it’s all around ensuring that member gets
everything out of their membership, that they
participate in whatever they want, and that
they enjoy using the Club and get value for
still is, in a completely different industry, in the
money.
really made me tick. And that I’d have been
There’s been a lot of roles on the way, sort of
unhappy doing that. So he was a real inspiration.
through old structures and new, and I’ve seen
What I really enjoy is football, both playing, I run a
quite a lot of things come and go, as you do I
football team, and I also follow Manchester United.
suppose inside a – I’ve only ever worked for David
So we’ve been to Moscow, Rome, Barcelona last
Lloyd. A friend of mine had just joined as a Fitness
year. It’s sort of my time, and where my wife and
Instructor, he got that as his part time role to gain
my kids are great are they understand that, it’s
some experience in the industry, and advised me
where I sort of down tools, that’s sort of my
to apply. I was that keen, at the time, to get this
release.
part time role, I was in Kos, on a holiday with all my
I put everything into work, I really do, when I’m
University friends, and I kept ringing up to check if
there. What I’ve – what I’ve learned having a family
they’d got back to me. And eventually they
is really investing your time and using it to the best
offered me the job while I was on holiday, ’cause I
of its ability when you’re not there. I remember
think they just thought, who’s this crazy guy that
when I was a child how much it – how important it
keeps ringing up for a role?
was to me my family, you know, my Dad being at
I think I had the usual sort of boyhood dream of
home and my Mum being at home, so I really try
being a footballer, but never quite had the talent
and make sure I’m there as much as I can.
unfortunately for that to ever become reality. From
I’d love to have my own Club within David Lloyd,
school age I’ve always had a real keen interest in
I’d love to be a General Manager, that’s sort of
sport, and PE was one of my A-Levels that I took,
where I want to get to, you know, I’d like to think
and my most favourite out of all my A-Levels that I
that’s going to happen sooner rather than later. I’m
took. I always wanted to be kicking a ball, or
getting to the stage now where I feel like I could
holding a tennis racket. Where that came from I
do the role, but that’s sort of – would be a real
suppose was my family life, my Dad was keen into
success story for me if I could get General
sport and it had been a massive part of his
Manager of my own Club, it would be great.
upbringing.
I suppose
I suppose a key moment really was that there was
I’ve got a dream if you like of having a home away
someone that was a friend of my – was a close
from England, somewhere hot, somewhere we can
friend of the family that had been to University
just go and chill and not have to worry about
before me, and talked me through about the
things, and I think that would be a dream to one
benefits of going, and how it would make me more
day have my own place abroad,
independent and really mature. And I think it’s safe
so that my family can enjoy that.
M y name’s James W, I work for David
haulage industry. He’s of an Irish background, and
it’s very much said that your son sort of comes in
and works for the business, and that tends to be
the way things happen. But he never forced me to
do that, he always encouraged me to do what I
wanted to do, because he knew that’s what I – that
to say I wouldn’t have gone to University if it
wasn’t for that person in my life sort of saying to
me – you can’t miss out on this opportunity.
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