Sport facilities can range from gyms and park and recreation departments to large arenas and stadiums. A Sport Facility Manager is responsible for managing and maintaining sport and recreation facilities. Job responsibilities range from capital and operations management to leasing, construction, planning, designing, and marketing. Management must coordinate not only the facility but the employees of the facility to ensure operations run smoothly
Sport Facility Employers
Those facilities owned and managed by public entities provide employment opportunities that can be found locally or through professional organizations. Some facility owners hire private management companies to manage their facilities or provide specific services. Some of the largest sport facility management companies include:
- AEG
AEG is one of the leading sports and entertainment presenters in the world. AEG owns or controls a collection of facilities around the world such as the Staples Center, Target Center, Sprint Center, and the Home Depot Center.
- Aramark
Aramark is a leader in professional service, providing facilities management, food service, and uniform and career apparel to health care institutions, universities and school districts, stadiums, and arenas around the world. Aramark has 250,000 employees serving clients in 22 countries.
- Centerplate
Centerplate is one of the largest hospitality companies in the world, and they manage around 250 sports, entertainment and convention venues.
- Delaware North Companies
Delaware North Companies is a global leader in hospitality and food service with over 55,000 employees. Delaware North specializes in gaming and racetrack operations as well as sports facilities management.
- Spectra
Spectra provides innovative management, marketing, operations, and event booking services for public assembly facilities, including arenas, civic and convention centers, stadiums, ice-facilities, equestrian centers and theaters. Spectra is a division of cable giant, Comcast, and owns several professional teams and facilities.
- SMG Worldwide Entertainment and Convention Venue Management
SMG Worldwide Entertainment and Convention Venue Management provides management services to over 200 public assembly facilities including arenas, stadiums, performing arts centers, theatres and conventions, conference and trade centers. SMG controls over 1.5 million entertainment seats in over 65 accounts worldwide.
- 409 Management and Consulting
409 Management and Consulting is a venue management group that provides consulting in areas such as event, food and beverage and facility management. The company also operates an executive search division focused on sport facility management jobs.
Examples of Sport Facility Jobs
- Booking/Scheduling Coordinator
- Box Office Manager
- Change-over
- Manager Concession
- Crowd Manager
- Event Manager
- Facility Manager
- Human Resources
- Luxury Seating Sales/Management
- Maintenance
- Production Management
Sport Facility Management Associations
- International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities
- International Association of Venue Managers
- National Intramural-Recreational Sport Association
- Stadium Managers Association
Specialized Facilities Management
Some of the specialized sub-groups under sport facility management include the following areas. Since almost every sport occurs in a facility, this category is broad and covers areas not traditionally classified as sport facility management jobs.
- Bowling Centers
In 2012, there were 3,667 Bowling Centers in the United States employing 77,657 with total annual sales of $3 billion. By 2018 the number of Bowling Centers declined to 3, 573. Several large bowling facility companies include:
- Physical Fitness Facilities (Health Clubs and Spas)
In 2012, there were 29,960 Physical Fitness Facilities in the United States employing 252,181 people with total annual sales over $20 billion. By 2018 the number of facilities rose to 38,477 with revenue over $32 billion. Some of the largest associations for those in the physical fitness and health clubs areas are SHAPE and IHRSA.
The International Health, Racquet & Sports Club Association
Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE)
Additional information can be found at:
- Country Clubs and Amateur Sport Clubs
In 2012, there were over 30,000 country and amateur sport clubs in the United States employing 327,603 people with total annual sales of $23 billion. The numbers have stayed relatively stable over the years.
- Public Golf Courses
In 2012, there were 11,581 Public Golf Courses in the United States with total annual sales over $9 billion. By 2018 the number of golf businesses in the United States (including golf courses) was just over 19,000.
- Racing (Car and Horses)
In 2008 there were 4,571 car and horse race tracks employing 61,750 people with total annual sales of $10.95 billion. Those numbers have declined over the past decade.
- National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR)
NASCAR is the sanctioning body for one of North America’s premier sports. NASCAR is one of the top spectator sports in the U.S. NASCAR broadcasts in 150 countries worldwide and has the participation from a number of Fortune 500 companies.
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