Total credits with emphasis area
45
Core requirements
9 courses
Emphasis requirements
2 general electives + 3 sport management emphasis courses
Format
Core courses available online or on campus, emphasis area courses on campus (Thousand Oaks)
Next start date
October 26, 2026
The sport industry moves fast, operates globally and generates the kind of business complexity that requires real expertise to navigate. From NIL partnerships to international media rights, the people making those calls understand both the industry and the fundamentals of how business works.
Â鶹Դ´ sits in the middle of one of the richest sport markets anywhere. In this MBA with a sport management emphasis area, students learn from faculty and practitioners who work in and around this ecosystem every day, while the curriculum pairs that local depth with a global outlook.
Sport Management Emphasis Course Options
- Sport Communication and Public Relations
- Sport Digital Media and Consumer Behavior
- Global Sport Marketing and Brand Management
- Sport Media Strategies and Analytics
- Global Sport Business and Analytics
- Sport Events Planning and Facilities Management
- Sport Agency and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL)
- Global Sustainability and Sport
Visit our curriculum page for a full list of MBA courses or download our brochure.
Request Information
To learn more about the Graduate Degree Programs offered by the Cal Lutheran School of Management and download a brochure, please fill out the form. You can also get in touch with an enrollment specialist directly by calling us at 805-521-9856.
Your Sport Management MBA Roadmap
Students who take the MBA with a Sport Management emphasis complete 45 credits total. You’ll take your emphasis courses after you complete your core courses.
Core and capstone courses can be completed online, on campus or through a hybrid approach. Sport Management emphasis electives are completed on campus in Thousand Oaks.
Who Is the Sport Management Emphasis For?
For professionals working inside sport organizations, this emphasis builds the business foundation to move from operational roles into strategy and leadership. The MBA gives you the framework to take on more responsibility while letting you learn more about the sport industry at large.
Coaches and athletes transitioning out of competition bring a kind of industry knowledge that can’t be taught. This emphasis helps translate that experience into a business credential that opens doors on the other side of the game.
For others in adjacent industries, such as agents, trainers, influencers or media professionals, this emphasis adds the business depth and formalized credential to back up the work you’re already doing.
Where Can an MBA in Sport Management Take You?
Earning an MBA with a sport management focus suits professionals who want to move up, step into a leadership role or bring sharper business thinking to an industry they’re already working in. The career opportunities span North America and beyond. A few examples of where it can lead:
Frequently Asked Questions: Sport Management Emphasis Area
The MBA with a sport management emphasis is the full MBA, with sport management specialization added through four targeted electives. You’ll complete the same core business coursework as every other MBA student, then use your emphasis courses to focus on the sport industry.
The MS in Sport Management is a shorter and more specialized program built specifically around the sport industry. It’s 30 credits, fully online and can be completed in about a year. If deep sport industry expertise is the primary goal and you want to get there quickly, it’s worth a serious look.
If you’re considering both, an enrollment specialist can help you figure out which one fits where you’re headed. Call 805-521-9856.
The MBA with a sport management emphasis is a business degree first, with focused sport industry coursework built on top. If your goals involve leading organizations, managing budgets or shaping strategy within a sport context, an MBA plus an emphasis gives you the broad business foundation those roles require, along with focused knowledge of the sport industry’s structure and current issues.
If your goal is deep expertise in the sport industry specifically, without the general business coursework, Cal Lutheran’s Master of Science in Sport Management may be the better fit.
The core and capstone courses can be completed online, on campus in Thousand Oaks or through a hybrid approach.
Sport management emphasis electives are completed on campus in Thousand Oaks.
Contact an enrollment specialist at 805-521-9856 for more information about the mix of formats.
Yes. The MBA with an emphasis area is available as a part-time or full-time program. If you’re balancing a full-time job or other responsibilities, we recommend taking no more than two courses per term.
Yes. Cal Lutheran offers funding options from internal and external sources, including scholarships, grants, credit reductions, veterans benefits and employer discounts. Visit our financial aid page for details, or call an enrollment specialist at 805-521-9856.
If this is the direction you’ve been looking for, start your application. or talk to an enrollment specialist at 805-521-9856.
