Sport Management

"George Mason University’s close proximity to Washington, D.C., offers an abundance of opportunities in the sports industry. Whether your professional goal is to work in a local community sports setting or among national and/or international sport organizations, the wide array of distinguished opportunities available to GMU students will prepare each and every one for vast success post-graduation."
—G. Hunter Purcell, MS Sport and Recreation Studies '20

Preparing students to make a global impact in a $490 billion industry, the Sport Management Program offers opportunities to explore a variety of subfields—sport management, coaching, sport and American culture, sport and conflict resolution, sport and computer game design, and sport analytics. Our graduates land positions as college coaches, athletic directors, data analytic experts, sales managers, communications specialists and marketing professionals for college and professional sports teams and other sport organizations. George Mason University Sport Management grads work for the Washington Capitals, New York Yankees, UNC-Chapel Hill Athletics, US Soccer, Chicago Fire, New York Mets, Washington Football Team, DC United, Philadelphia Eagles, United States Tennis Association, George Mason University Athletics, American Express, Endeavor and the Boston Red Sox.

Our program is led by a renowned faculty that includes three former North American Society for Sport Management presidents (Robert Baker, Laurence Chalip, and Chris Green), a former NFL general manager (Charley Casserly), and a former Division I men’s basketball coach (Craig Esherick). Required to complete both a practicum and internship before graduation, students gain real-world experience, with a focus on professional development and connections in sports-rich metropolitan Washington, D.C.; the area boasts twelve major and minor league professional sports teams and seven Division I universities.