IIM Shillong to start course in sports management

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Shillong will start a six-month course in sports management by the end of October. The course will focus on equipping students with information in areas of sport event management, sports marketing and sponsorship sales, an IIM spokesman said. The course will have 30 seats.

"The course is designed to equip students with the basic concepts and practices to enable them to gain a foothold in the emerging Indian sports market. The course will provide
employment opportunities in sports organisations like golf management companies, sport marketing companies and sport associations," said the official.

He said the high visibility and entertainment value of sport provides opportunities in the organisation and marketing of sport events, sports-related advertising and venue signage, athlete endorsements, facility construction, sporting goods and licensed merchandise, event management and marketing services, sponsorship and ticket sales, media broadcast rights and multimedia. According to IIM Director Ashoke Dutta, India is witnessing commercialisation of sports.

"Owning clubs is coming up in big way. IIM Shillong can assist in lending professionalism in the sector of sports in the region," he said. The students will also be exposed to case studies of celebrity management and sport event organisation.

Officials in the IIM pointed out that the sports market in India has recently been witness to a slew of sporting events most notably the T20 Indian Premier League. The 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi is expected to further boost the market for sport and sport management professionals in the country.

In the Asia Pacific region, the sports marketing business ($250 bn globally) touched 15% growth this year and would touch 22% next year.