Principles and Practice of Sport Management - Essay Example

Recently, sports have become too much of a game to be a business and have also become too much of a business to be a game (Masteralexis, Barr, and Hums, 215). The sports industry in the United States is developing at a high rate owing to the use of improved technology and massive support from the government and sporting fraternities.

Professional Sports. Professional sports entail athletes competing as a team or as individuals, and the reward system is based solely on performance. A professional sport is a major international recreational activity that contributes billions of dollars to the economy every year. North America has been able to develop many international players, and this has made the region lead in the world of sports. The use of improved technology and increased demand for sports programming have also made North American sports a hit in markets abroad. North America holds five major international leagues namely, the National Hockey League, the National Football League, the National Basketball Association, the Major League Baseball, and the Major League Soccer (Rosner and Kenneth, 496).

Other international leagues are played in Africa, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia and they include American football, baseball, soccer, rugby, cricket, basketball, hockey, and volleyball. Other professional sporting events involve individual sportsmen and women, and these include action sports like tennis, track events like relays, and field games like javelin. The NASCAR, Nextel, and Professional Golfers Association, organize these events and act as the key management of the sports industry.

Sports Agency. Representation of athletes in competition by individuals led to the emergence of a sports agency. The sports agency evolved and developed due to high competition as sports agencies tried to market their clients in the world of sports. International Marketing Group was the first sports agent to represent athletes in competitions back in 1960 when it first represented Arnold Palmer. There are over 4,300 professional agents in the five main leagues and out of these, only 1600 to 1800 of the agents are registered (Masteralexis, Barr, and Hums, 220). In most cases, many agents either do not have clients or engage in the part-time agency while supplementing their incomes through other means. Most athletes have more than one agent representing their interests. This is mainly due to the high competition which has made potential agents spend sleepless nights looking for promotional deals for their clients. In the United States, Major League Soccer (MLS) has attracted adoration the world over due to the quality representation of coaches and sound management of the sport and other related activities. MLS operates under Federation International de Football (FIFA) regulations although FIFA has not embarked on registering its agents since 2001.

The purpose of an agent is to serve an athlete or the client to the best of their abilities while ensuring high performance by the athlete. Agent representation is quite significant in places where there is a need for contract negotiations, and it handles endorsement deals and all financial processes on behalf of an athlete. A trustworthy agent should not only take care of an athlete but also help the athlete to secure opportunities both in the sports industry and other sectors like advertisements. An athlete should find an agent who is experienced in contract negotiations and is reputable.

In conclusion, relationships between athletes and their agents, management, and even those concerning the sports industry are essential to the continued success of professional sports. Professional sports have played a major role in the development of the economy of many countries in the world. Though sports agents play a vital role in helping athletes to secure opportunities in the sports industry and elsewhere, ethical practices should be enhanced to safeguard the athletes’ interests.