Sport Management: Who We Are and Where We Are Going

Abstract

Due to the popularity of sport, the need to have sport management programs that properly train practitioners is justified (Pedersen & Thibault, 2014). However, with 505 sport management bachelors programs worldwide (“Degrees in Sports,” n.d.) housed in various academic units, there is little consistency within the field of study. This paper strives to explore the field of sport management and to better understand sport management faculty members’ perceptions of the discipline. Grounded in Foucault’s (1971) theory of discourse, total of 154 sport management faculty members worldwide participated in the study. The data revealed there is a lack of consistency within the field regarding faculty members’ perceptions of sport management. This study offers a vital, first step in an empirical examination of a critical phenomenon in the sport management academy.