Sports Marketing from Coursera

Today, there is demand for people skilled in Sports Marketing. Organizations want your expertise to strength and grow customer bases and teams want to enlarge their fan base, attract new sponsors to their sport, build strong programs with existing sponsors, and run their fan conventions and other events. In addition, a wide range of companies recognize the value sports relationships have in positioning and building their brands. In this Sports Marketing MOOC, you will learn:

— Ticket pricing strategies

— How a crisis might happen in sport

— How all types of companies are using sports to enhance and position their brands

— How to promote and market a sporting event

— How to develop sponsorships

— How to use social media to grow your team’s follower base and promote your sporting events, conferences and conventions

The Sports Marketing MOOC was created by Professor Candy Lee of Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism and Integrated Marketing Communications. She is joined by experts in the many specialty topics important to Sports Marketing.

What's inside

Syllabus

What is sports marketing?

Welcome to the first module of Sports Marketing. This course showcases sports-specific marketing strategies and trends. In subsequent modules, we will discuss how sports marketing is both similar and different from other kinds of marketing, but to start our course, we’ll provide a broad overview of the differing aspects of sports marketing and will also break down the components of sports marketing as a concept.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Explores a unique intersection between sports and marketing, which is standard in the sports industry

Delivered by Candy Lee, a renowned professor recognized for her work in sports marketing

Covers key aspects of sports marketing, including ticket pricing, crisis management, and brand positioning

Emphasizes practical applications, such as social media growth and event promotion

Ideal for those seeking to build a career in sports marketing or enhance their skills in the field

Provides insights into the evolving nature of sports marketing, particularly in digital spaces

Reviews summary

Sports marketing: foundational overview

According to learners, this course offers a positive foundational overview of sports marketing. Students praise the broad range of topics covered, from ticket pricing to crisis communication, making it ideal for beginners or those transitioning into the field. Many found the practical examples and real-world case studies particularly helpful for gaining actionable insights. While the course provides a solid base, some feedback indicates that certain sections, particularly on digital and social media trends, may feel outdated, suggesting it's more focused on core, timeless principles than current techniques. The instructor and guest speakers are noted as knowledgeable, though video production quality can sometimes vary.

Video production quality is inconsistent.

"Some of the production quality of older videos is a bit shaky."

"Production quality varies, some videos are great, others look a bit old."

Instructor and guest speakers are knowledgeable.

"Professor Lee and the guest speakers are knowledgeable and offer great insights."

"Professor Lee is engaging."

"The guest lecturers provide diverse perspectives."

Offers real-world examples and practical strategies.

"The case studies and real-world examples brought the concepts to life."

"I felt this course gave me practical strategies I could apply immediately."

"Practical insights were offered."

"The assignments were practical and helped solidify concepts."

Provides a broad introduction to sports marketing.

"This course provides a very solid introduction to sports marketing."

"It gives a broad overview of many topics mentioned in the syllabus..."

"Fantastic course for understanding the fundamentals."

"Solid overview. It touches on all the major areas."

"It's definitely geared towards those looking to get a foundational understanding or perhaps transition into the field."

Some content, especially digital, may feel outdated.

"Some of the lectures felt a little dated in terms of technology trends..."

"The information is outdated, especially the social media section. The examples feel old."

"If you're looking for modern sports marketing techniques, this isn't it."

"...although digital marketing aspects could be more current."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Sports Marketing with these activities:

Review high school algebra skills

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Refresh high school algebra skills on Khan Academy to ensure you have a strong foundation for this course.

Browse courses on Algebra

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Visit the Khan Academy website
Create a free account
Navigate to the Algebra section
Review concepts as needed

Review marketing fundamentals

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This will provide a foundation upon which the rest of the coursework can build.

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Read introductory marketing textbooks or articles
Review online marketing courses or tutorials
Attend workshops or webinars on marketing fundamentals

Learn about social media marketing for sports

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This will help you understand the importance of social media in sports marketing.

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Follow sports marketing experts on social media
Read articles and blog posts about social media marketing for sports
Take courses or workshops on social media marketing for sports

Three other activities

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Ticket Pricing Strategy Practice

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Apply ticket pricing strategies to real-world scenarios to solidify your understanding.

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Identify different ticket pricing strategies.
Analyze factors that influence ticket pricing.
Use a pricing model to determine optimal ticket prices.

Crisis Communication Planning Walkthrough

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Develop a comprehensive crisis communication plan by following a guided tutorial.

Browse courses on Crisis Management

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Identify potential crisis scenarios.
Develop a crisis communication team.
Create a crisis communication protocol.
Practice and train for crisis situations.

Create a portfolio of your sports marketing work

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This will help you showcase your skills and experience to potential employers.

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Gather examples of your best work in sports marketing
Create a professional portfolio website or online presence
Upload your work to your portfolio and organize it in a way that highlights your skills and experience

Career center

Learners who complete Sports Marketing will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Sports Marketing Manager

This course in Sports Marketing from Northwestern may be useful to you if you want to become a Sports Marketing Manager. This course can help to build a foundation for promoting and marketing sporting events and conventions. It can also help with developing sponsorships and using social media to grow a team's follower base.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sports Marketing Manager

Event Manager

This course in Sports Marketing from Northwestern may be useful to you if you want to become an Event Manager. This course can help to build a foundation for promoting and marketing sporting events and conventions. It can also help with developing sponsorships and using social media to grow a team's follower base.

See salaries and explore the career path for Event Manager

Brand Manager

This course in Sports Marketing from Northwestern may be useful to you if you want to become a Brand Manager. This course can help to build a foundation for understanding how companies recognize the value sports relationships have in positioning and building their brands.

See salaries and explore the career path for Brand Manager

Public relations manager

This course in Sports Marketing from Northwestern may be useful to you if you want to become a Public Relations Manager. This course can help to build a foundation for understanding how to handle sports-related public relations and crisis communication.

See salaries and explore the career path for Public relations manager

Media Relations Manager

This course in Sports Marketing from Northwestern may be useful to you if you want to become a Media Relations Manager. This course can help to build a foundation for understanding how to handle sports-related public relations. It also touches on event marketing and the value of brand partnerships and sponsorships.

See salaries and explore the career path for Media Relations Manager

Sports Agent

This course in Sports Marketing from Northwestern may be useful to you if you want to become a Sports Agent. This course can help to build a foundation for understanding how the sports industry operates and how to negotiate contracts and sponsorships.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sports Agent

Marketing Manager

This course in Sports Marketing from Northwestern may be useful to you if you want to become a Marketing Manager. This course can help to build a foundation for understanding the principles of marketing and how to apply them to the sports industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Marketing Manager

Digital Marketing Manager

This course in Sports Marketing from Northwestern may be useful to you if you want to become a Digital Marketing Manager. This course can help to build a foundation for understanding how to use social media and other digital channels to market sports events and teams.

See salaries and explore the career path for Digital Marketing Manager

Social Media Manager

This course in Sports Marketing from Northwestern may be useful to you if you want to become a Social Media Manager. This course can help to build a foundation for understanding how to use social media to grow a team's follower base and promote sporting events, conferences, and conventions.

See salaries and explore the career path for Social Media Manager

Content Manager

This course in Sports Marketing from Northwestern may be useful to you if you want to become a Content Manager. This course can help to build a foundation for understanding how to create and manage content for sports websites and social media channels.

See salaries and explore the career path for Content Manager

Sports Journalist

This course in Sports Marketing from Northwestern may be useful to you if you want to become a Sports Journalist. This course can help to build a foundation for understanding the sports industry and how to write and report on sports-related news.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sports Journalist

Sports Broadcaster

This course in Sports Marketing from Northwestern may be useful to you if you want to become a Sports Broadcaster. This course can help to build a foundation for understanding the sports industry and how to communicate effectively about sports.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sports Broadcaster

Sports Commentator

This course in Sports Marketing from Northwestern may be useful to you if you want to become a Sports Commentator. This course can help to build a foundation for understanding the sports industry and how to provide expert commentary on sports events.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sports Commentator

Sports Analyst

This course in Sports Marketing from Northwestern may be useful to you if you want to become a Sports Analyst. This course can help to build a foundation for understanding the sports industry and how to analyze sports data and trends.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sports Analyst

Sports Historian

This course in Sports Marketing from Northwestern may be useful to you if you want to become a Sports Historian. This course can help to build a foundation for understanding the history of sports and how it has evolved over time.

See salaries and explore the career path for Sports Historian