University of Akron announces new degree programs in sport analytics and sport business

AKRON, Ohio – The University of Akron this week announced two new undergraduate degree programs starting this fall: Bachelor of Science in Sport Analytics and Bachelor of Business Administration in Sport Business.

The university established the programs to respond to growth in the global sports industry. The global sports market was valued at approximately $390 billion in 2020 and is projected to grow by more than 50% to nearly $600 billion by 2025, according to a recent report, “Sports Global Market Opportunities and Strategies to 2030: COVID-19 Impact and Recovery.”

“The global sport industry continues to grow, providing ever-increasing employment opportunities,” UA College of Business Dean R.J. Nemer said in a news release. “UA continues to create curriculum that responds to these industry needs and the needs of our students.”

The programs will be will be housed in the college’s Department of Management.

Bachelor of Science in Sport Analytics

Created with input from leading analytics experts and data scientists, the Sport Analytics degree offers students a foundation in math, statistics, computer programming and business in preparation for attaining jobs focused on analytics in the sports industry.

Sport organizations are using data analytics to gain an edge in virtually every aspect of their business. These analytics can be used to help boost player and coach performance, optimize personnel decision-making and create new customer engagement platforms and initiatives.

The University of Akron’s sports analytics program combines traditional sports management courses with technical classes to prepare students for all aspects of working in sport analytics. The program allows students to hone their quantitative, critical thinking and decision-making skills, and learn core sports and business administration principles. Students can customize their area of study and gain industry experience through internships and a capstone consulting project.

“The most important skills for success are a mixture of hard technical skills and soft people skills,” Cleveland Cavaliers Vice President of Basketball Strategy and Personnel Jon Nichols said in a news release. “The ability to work with numbers and code to manipulate large data sets is key, as well as the ability to communicate complex results and analyses to non-technical people.”

Bachelor of Business Administration in Sport Business

The Bachelor of Business Administration in Sport Business focuses on the core areas of business and experience by applying business concepts in sport-specific settings. The program features a network of existing relationships with area sports teams and organizations.

“The University of Akron’s B.B.A. in Sport Business is distinctive based on its home in the College of Business,” Associate Professor of Management Matthew Juravich said in a news release. “This allows our students direct access to the resources of an Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-accredited business school along with expert faculty and unique relationships with sport organizations across the region. Graduates of our program will develop a strong business foundation with experience and expertise in sport business that will empower them to become future leaders in the industry.”

The program allows students to focus on business concepts in sports, including financial issues, sales and leadership. Students who complete the program will be prepared to work in various sports industry areas, including management, administration, sales, marketing, licensing/branding and facilities operations.

To learn more about the University of Akron’s College of Business or other degree programs visit uakron.edu/cba/.

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