How Much Money Does Someone in Sports Management Make?

Like thousands of people who watch sporting events, you may wonder how much money an agent makes when an athlete is signed. Sports agents are portrayed as behind-the-scenes individuals who make a ridiculous amount of money.

Behind the scenes

Sports agents are responsible for finding talent and convincing athletes that they should represent them. Everyone may be trying to sign your athlete, so you'll need to secure some major contracts for your budding star. That means convincing executives to take a chance on your star and convincing your star to endorse a product they may not like or may never have heard of. You'll have to push until you can't push anymore because you will not get paid until your athlete is signed.

Education

Ever heard that those who can, do, and those who can't, teach? Well, people in sports management usually know the game inside and out. They have usually studied kinesiology and/or sports management. Competition in these schools is fierce, so it is important to be able to network.

Show me the money

As glamorous as TV makes it seem, sports agents do not get paid as well as you may think. According to SportsManagementWorldwide.com, if you sign a rookie to the NFL, you'll make a commission of about $6,750 (assuming the athlete is being paid at least $225,000). And according to SportsManagementCareer.org, a winter sports manager makes about $60,000 to $70,000 a year.

But of course, if you're the agent for the next Sydney Crosby or Wayne Gretzky, you've pretty much got it made. A player of their stature might be signed for $10 million, in which case you would make a cool $400,000. Most other agents, though, will still be clipping coupons.

References

• Sports Management Worldwide: Sports Agent Salaries
• Bloomberg Businessweek: How to Pick a Sport Management Program
• Sports Management Careers: Jobs and Salaries in Sport Management Careers