Sports General Manager

The English language is filled with verbs that describe the job of a Professional Athlete. For instance, run, play, sweat, jump, kick, hit, swing, throw, shoot, and score. When it comes to describing the job of a Sports General Manager, however, all that’s really needed is one word: manage.

Imagine a sports team as a company: As a Sports General Manager, you’re the CEO, and Professional Athletes are your employees. Your job therefore involves three Ps: people, profits, and press.

1. People: It’s your job as a Sports General Manager to hire and supervise Coaches and support staff, and to recruit, trade, and dismiss Players for your team, whether it’s a professional football, basketball, soccer, baseball, or hockey team. To do this, you assess your team’s strengths and weaknesses, then seek out Players who meet its needs with the help of a Sports Talent Scout. Upon recruiting new Players — usually through an annual league-wide draft —you’re then responsible for leading and overseeing contract and salary negotiations.

2. Profits: You manage your team’s budget and revenues. Think of a team as a product: You’re hired to create and market a product that people want to buy. Although the easiest way to do that is by assembling a winning team, other strategies might involve stimulating ticket and merchandise sales through advertising, promotions, half-time entertainment, and stadium concessions or amenities.

3. Press: You explain your decisions to Sports Reporters and fans as your team’s chief Spokesperson.

Simply put: A professional sport is both a game and a business. While Professional Athletes play the former, you run the latter!