The Brisbane Olympics may still be more than a decade away, but the competition to be part of the once-in-a-generation opportunity is expected to ramp up over the next few years as demand for senior sport industry executives takes off.
It’s estimated Australia will see upwards of $17 billion of economic and social benefits from the Brisbane Olympics. A sizable amount of this benefit will come in the form of indirect and social benefits, including increased participation in sporting activities across the community and greater levels of volunteering.
If working on the Olympics seems like a dream job, the process of positioning yourself to be in the driver’s seat must start now, and should begin with specialist qualifications.
Deakins University’s Executive Master of Sport Business is Australia’s only dedicated executive-level degree program and is expecting a swag of new enrolments following Brisbane’s successful Olympic bid.
Deakin Business School’s Foundation Chair in Sport Management Professor David Shilbury said the Olympics was just one internationally recognised event coming to Australia over the next decade.
“We have the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023, Netball World Cup in Sydney in 2027 and possibly the men’s Rugby World Cup in 2027, along with a host of other major international sports events that are all major events in their own right,” he said.
“We are heading into a golden era for the Australian sports and sports-allied industries and the demand for people with the skills and experience to manage and lead in the sector will be extraordinary.”
He said while the Olympics might seem a long way away, the short term would also provide a host of opportunities for people looking to extend their career in sport management.
“As the global sports industry bounces back from COVID-19, the demand for skilled sport managers will be very high. Many sports will want to bounce back with new strategies and a fresh start.”
David Campbell is one of the many students who has already started studying the Executive Master of Sport Business in anticipation of the Olympics coming to his hometown of Brisbane.
“I’ve always been very interested in the business side of sport. I found this course of much higher interest than a typical MBA, as it allows me to apply executive level business knowledge and theory to case studies applicable to the delicate niches found throughout the sporting industry,” he said.
David is currently working in the property industry but has previously worked in commercial roles for the Brisbane Lions and Tennis Australia.
“Hailing from Brisbane, I see great opportunity over the next decade as the city will evolve in preparation for the Olympics. While I don’t have a clear direction of where exactly I want to take my career, I feel as though this course will position me best for the many opportunities that are sure to arise in the sporting sector.”
Director of the Deakin Sport Network.
Professor Shilbury said the range of positions that will need to be created over the next decade to support the Olympics only would be significant.
“Just the organising committee will be a very large body when you consider the task they have. There are expected to be 80,000 volunteers required, and that entire function needs to be managed by a dedicated team of specialists with sport management experience and knowledge.”
Deakin University’s Executive Master of Sport Business is designed as a more advanced version of the university’s popular Master of Business (Sport Management), which is the number one ranked program of its kind in the country (Sport Business International 2020).
Delivered online via Deakin’s Cloud Campus, the Executive Master of Sport Business will provide students with a focus on specific business knowledge including areas of strategy, sport governance, leadership, and fan and participant engagement. Ultimately, you’ll have the skills to confidently undertake a range of sports-specific functions like broadcast rights negotiations, athlete welfare programs and workforce planning.
Professor Shilbury said the executive-level program was ideal for mid to senior-level sport executives and managers.
“We have developed the program to address a genuine gap in the market for people already in the sports industry who want to go the next level,” he said.
“The course learning outcomes are shaped around specialised and advanced industry knowledge for those wanting to shape and lead the strategic direction of their respective organisations.”
The program consists of eight core units and two elective units to be completed over the space of three trimesters. Six of the ten units are available over a duration of five weeks, allowing you to complete your degree in just one year full-time (or two years part-time) study.
With Deakin’s flexible Cloud Campus you also have the freedom and flexibility to go online when and where it suits your lifestyle.
For more information visit the Deakin University website.
