How to Manage a Professional Sports Franchise

Managing a pro sports franchise requires you to possess a multitude of talents.

Managing a professional sports franchise is a job that requires you to wear many hats, as you have responsibilities that range all across the board. Player personnel, coaching staff and the winning percentage of the team are merely one facet of the job description. A good general manager also needs a keen sense of business and marketing as well, since the team is for profit and, in its purest form, a product to be sold.

Instructions

1. Familiarize yourself with how the roles in the organization are delegated. As a rule, the general manager is in charge of all player signings and personnel decisions, but oftentimes teams allow for significant input from the coach or the owner. Learn how the system works in order to know what's expected of you from the beginning so that there are no surprises or power struggles later.

2. Learn the budget. Other than baseball, most leagues have a salary cap that limits your total team payroll. Figure out what your roster and coaching staff needs are, and fill them according to the parameters of your team's budget. For example, if you have a significant amount of cap space (money left to spend), you will be in a good position to land a coveted, high-priced free agent from another team. Keep in mind that your are also the one responsible for setting travel schedules, hiring training staff and other behind the scenes personnel. These too play a role in your bottom line.

3. Fill out your roster and coaching staff. Fill the obvious holes first. For instance, if you decide to fire your head coach after a dismal, sub-par season, then seek out a replacement. The same holds true for the athletes. Be mindful of the finer points, however, such as contract extensions and holdouts. Many times, an athlete seeks to rework his current deal even though it is nowhere near expired. Sometimes this is for long-term security, other times it's in the name of more money. It's your job as the middle man to keep both the players and the owner --- who controls the purse strings --- happy.

4. Address the business and marketing aspects and decide on a PR direction for your franchise. Ticket promotions, local TV ads and key sponsorships all come into play. Fan appreciation nights or other associated bargains to reward loyalty work well. Inspiring, montage-filled commercials showcasing the team's dedication are a good way to get the fans pumped up. Sponsorships are good for both you and the business in terms of cross promotion. For example, a locally produced cola can be "The Official Soft Drink of the (local team)."

References

• The Princeton Review: Sports Manager