Most Affordable PhD's In Sports Management Online

Earning an online PhD in sports management could pitch you leadership skills for hitting a home-run into executive-level jobs in North America's $75.7 billion sports market. Doctoral programs are increasingly using Internet-based platforms to train sports administrators at the highest level. Sports management PhD online degrees help creative, team-playing leaders score competitive advantages for business and academia positions with 24/7 course flexibility. Finishing a time-consuming doctorate is like topping the leaderboard because only two percent of Americans hold PhDs. You'll join an elite list of doctoral-trained athletes like Frank Ryan, Shaquille O'Neal, Lise Leveille, and Mike Marshall. Affordable sports management PhD online programs are academic slam dunks to avoid fumbling with large loans.

Explore these promoted online degree programs.

These top, accredited schools offer a variety of online graduate degree programs. Figuring out where to apply? Consider one of these online Master's or PhD programs.

5 Most Affordable Online Sports Management PhD Programs in 2021

Why Pursue a Sports Management Doctorate Online?

Sports industry practitioners frequently question whether spending years on Ph.D. tuition will add career value. While experience does trump degree, affordable sports management PhD online programs can give you an extra edge over opponents for promotions. Racking up resume points with doctoral training proves to employers that you're capable of forming well-researched, executive decisions. According to the U.S. News & World Report, organizations generally respect online degrees for the self-discipline and time management skills they foster. One survey from Troy University found that 74 percent of industry veterans found online PhDs helpful for job advancement. Studying online lets you continue working full-time, customize learning schedules, learn tech tools, and cut commuting costs.

When searching for online PhD in sports management programs, you'll find three distinct degree types available. The most frequent choice is the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), a prestigious, academic-oriented research degree conferred after an original dissertation to display the utmost expertise in sports science. The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) is a slightly less intensive applied, professional degree where teaching methods are taught within the sports management arena. The Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) is another practice-oriented, advanced study option where sports staff can contribute to managerial theory for public- or private-sector organizations. Each sports management doctorate type poses taxing, yet gratifying challenges in leadership development.

Wondering where your sports management PhD online will be useful? Doctoral graduates will unlock upper-level career opportunities in several different sports disciplines. For example, recreation administration is a fitness industry niche focused on coordinating community or municipal activities like summer camps. Facility management deals with the upkeep and renovation of sports stadiums and arenas for safe play. Sports marketing is a business subfield concerned with promoting teams and fan merchandise in multimedia channels. Since 1991, the AMA has recognized athletic training as a clinical field for preventing and rehabilitating players' sports injuries. Here are some job titles where a sports management PhD online would be advantageous:

Athletic Director- College and high school administrations include athletic directors who oversee the smooth functioning of junior varsity and varsity teams for student-athletes. ADs will hire coaches, purchase equipment, schedule games, head team marketing, uphold league rules like Title IX, allocate facility budgets, and make academic eligibility decisions.

General Manager- Major and minor league teams rely on general managers to provide oversight for running multi-million operations with 100+ staff. GMs wear numerous hats, including drafting players, negotiating salaries, signing contracts, supervising coaches, acting as chief spokespeople, building sponsorships, and planning public outreach events.

Management Professor- Maybe you're called to help future generations tackle sports management PhD online programs by joining a university's tenure-track faculty. Management professors prepare lectures, grade assignments, proctor exams, pursue research grants, maintain labs, evaluate theses/dissertations, give career advice, join faculty committees, and develop new class curricula.

Sports Account Executive- Interests in marketing could lead PhD sports management online grads to this senior-level title where coordinating profitable ticket and merchandise sales is paramount. Sports account executives analyze revenue streams, pursue client relationships, choose pricing, oversee admen, create contests, lead sourcing, and report to GMs on promotional goals.

College Head Coach- Instantly recognizable names like Bear Bryant, Joe Paterno, and Jim Boeheim prove the power head coaches have to develop winning NCAA teams. Their duties include recruiting talent, setting training regimens, overseeing defensive and offensive strategies, directing game play from the sidelines, giving press conferences, and mentoring players.

Sport Performance Consultant- Getting an online PhD sports management degree could build the self-confidence to market yourself as a private practice expert in sport psychology. Sports performance consultants freelance to assess team's functioning, pinpoint strengths and weaknesses, plot improvement strategies, give leadership development workshops, and overcome issues like low morale.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) reports that the post-doc unemployment rate in the United States is 1.7 percent. PricewaterhouseCoopers has predicted 4.8 percent annual growth in sports revenue, so your sports management PhD online has a solid job outlook. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), entertainment and sports occupations will increase by 80,100 by 2026 for 10 percent growth. Specifically, the demand for coaches, athletic directors, and general managers will reach 13 percent, 10 percent, and 10 percent respectively. Demand is especially high for B-school sports management professors since college faculty numbers will jump from 1.31 million to 1.51 million over the next decade.

Paying for cheap online sports management PhD training could boomerang back big profits for exceptional ROI. The Economic Research Institute (ERI) found that doctorates provide average annual salary growth of 2.52 percent, or $4,001 per year. Professionals with PhDs combine for a mean base wage of $84,396 annually, yet sports management jobs often rise higher. General managers reported an average yearly income of $122,090 to the BLS. Postsecondary B-school professors bring home mean profits of $96,770 per year. College athletics director earn $110,945 on average according to Salary.com. Head coaches can score huge paydays too with Nick Saban at Alabama making $11.1 million and Dabo Swinney at Clemson making $8.5 million in 2017.

If you're convinced a sports management PhD online is your right path, filing your application is the next step. Admission requirements and deadlines vary drastically by graduate school, so do your homework. Most online colleges will expect relevant master's study, GPAs above 3.0, sports business experience, and course prerequisites like research methods. Take practice tests and sharpen your vocabulary to reach your best possible score on the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Request letters of recommendation from your professional contacts at least three months before your application due date. Brainstorm, outline, write, and proofread a personal statement that perfectly sums up your sports-related goals. These little tips could make or break your success getting into online PhD in sports management programs.