What is a sports events manager?
With the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup, Roland-Garros every year and the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France regularly hosts major sporting events. While these events attract the most media coverage and reach the widest audience, many competitions take place in French stadiums every week. Whether an event is global or regional in scale, organisation is essential. That is why clubs, federations and venues call on a sports events manager.
The sports events manager is the cornerstone of the various sporting events held every year, such as football championships, tennis tournaments, swimming competitions, basketball matches, ceremonies (award ceremonies, openings, etc.), trade shows and more.
They are the one responsible for designing these events, managing them from start to finish. To carry out this remit, they must work to the specification agreed in advance with their clients. These may be institutions or organisations, such as international sports federations (UEFA, FIFA, the IOC, etc.) or professional clubs.
Beyond organisational skills, the sports events manager needs strong management and administrative skills, along with a knowledge of law, which is essential to see their projects through.
Between logistics, budget, regulations, venue safety, staffing, entertainment and guests… the sports events manager can leave nothing to chance! Everything is planned meticulously so that sporting occasions are memorable.
A sports events manager has to be extremely available. Business travel in this job is very frequent and often long-distance. Sporting events can take place nationally or internationally.
They must also be extremely flexible and patient, since, depending on the scale of the event, a sports events manager may work on the same project for weeks, months or even years! For example, an event such as the World Cup or the Olympic Games takes several years to organise.
In practice, the role is the same as that of a traditional project manager, but in sport and event organisation. What matters is being organised, driven and above all able to anticipate the last-minute complications that can arise at an event of this kind.
What does a sports events manager do?
Sporting events are among the favourite forms of entertainment of a large part of the population. The sports events manager therefore goes to great lengths to satisfy both the general public and the athletes taking part. To do so, they take on a range of responsibilities, such as:
- designing and organising a sporting event: choosing the venue, the speakers and the suppliers… A sporting event has to be remarkably well organised to avoid the unexpected. Should complications arise, the project manager must be able to find solutions to them
- developing an original concept: the aim of these projects is to promote and broadcast a sporting event, but also to satisfy the spectators, who always expect a real show
- promoting the event: thanks to their knowledge of communications and advertising, the sports events manager is responsible for getting news of the event out to everyone
- coordinating and scheduling events while keeping to the budget and the deadlines set
- managing a team
- setting up the booking and ticket sales process
- leading meetings with clients
In short, the sports events manager has a broad skill set and must be everywhere at once as the project takes shape.
The essential qualities and skills of a sports events manager
To stand out from the crowd and get ahead of the competition, several skills are required and certain qualities are essential to work as a sports events manager.
The most valuable of all: a keen knowledge of sporting practice. The sports events project manager must know inside out the world of sport, its history, its development, its regulations, the athletes, the coaches, the referees, and so on. Alongside this sporting knowledge, they also need a good general knowledge.
This job demands a great deal of rigour and patience. The manager needs a flair for organisation, but must also know how to analyse and anticipate risks.
What is more, a taste for working with people is essential! Constantly dealing with others, the sports events manager is open, at ease and highly communicative. It is precisely these qualities that enable the project manager to lead a team, and above all to draw on their commercial flair during negotiations with suppliers.
Finally, it is vital:
- to be self-reliant
- to be creative and innovative
- to be a good listener
- to have a strong command of English
- to be able to manage stress
Salary and career prospects
Pay for a sports events manager varies. Even so, the salary remains attractive as this is a role that carries responsibility.
Early in their career, a sports events manager can earn a monthly salary of around €2,000 gross. With experience, this can rise to €3,500 gross.
The salary also varies according to the organisation the manager works for and the size of the project they are given.
With time and experience, a sports events manager can move on to a role as logistics manager, communications manager or sports event manager for larger organisations.
The events project manager generally works for an events agency, a company, an institution or for sponsors.
Which programmes lead to a career as a sports events manager?
To become a sports events manager, you need to hold the baccalauréat. After school, the ideal path is to study to at least degree level and to opt for a bachelor's degree specialising in careers in sport. For greater responsibility and a deeper knowledge of the field, it is advisable to continue to master's level.
Programmes leading to a career as a sports events manager can be taken at events schools, communications schools or schools specialising in sport.
The role of sports events manager asks a great deal of one single person. New graduates will therefore need to show tenacity and have a strong character, if they want to earn their place in the demanding world of events.
The fast-growing sport business sector is attracting more and more young people. A career as a sports events manager is therefore a good route to take if you want to break into the world of sport while combining professionalism and enjoyment.
