Master of Business Administration (MBA): Sports Business
Elevate your sports industry expertise with a master’s in sports business.
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Gain a Competitive Edge With a Sports Business MBA
The world of elite sports is big business, valued in the hundreds of billions of dollars globally and constantly growing. This fast-paced and dynamic industry needs leaders with a solid business foundation and contemporary skill sets to lead their organizations. The MBA in Sports Business from Concordia University Irvine is your competitive advantage.
Our modern curriculum is designed to meet the increasing sophistication of sports-specific issues in professional and college sports businesses today. You will gain practical, well-rounded knowledge as you network with professors and classmates. Our deep bench of Christian faculty bring their academic and professional expertise to help students discover and grow in their callings.
Located in the sports epicenter of Southern California, the MBA in Sports Business is offered through evening courses at our hilltop campus in Irvine. With top sports organizations throughout Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego, there is no better place to take the next step in your career.
On Campus
Pursue your degree on our campus in Irvine.
40 Units
Complete your program in 2 years.
$995/Unit
Financial aid is available to those who qualify.
“[The MBA in Sports Business offers] students a graduate curriculum that will prepare them for a successful career in sports is important progress for our industry.”
Cherie Cohen
Chief Revenue Officer, The World Surf League
Getting Started
Ready to lead others in the sports industry? The MBA at Concordia provides a strong foundation in management, accounting, marketing, and finance, while the Sports Business concentration follows a focused cohort model designed to keep students moving through the program together. With a prescribed sequence of sports-specific courses, students benefit from built-in structure, shared learning experiences, and a professional network of peers preparing for leadership roles in sports business.
Next Start
August 24, 2026
Curriculum
Core Curriculum (Sample Courses):
- MBA603 – Science of Management
- MBA604 – Account Reporting and Analysis
- MBA605 – Contemporary Marketing Strategies
- MBA606 – Data-Informed Finance
- MBA607 – Business Leadership Strategies
- MBAS609 – Sales and Revenue Generation in Sports Business
- MBAS611 – Sports Media and Public Relations
- MBAS612 – Fiscal Management in Sports Business
- MBAS613 – Sports Law
- MBAS614 – Sports Marketing
- MBAS616 – Data Analytics in Sports
- MBAS619 – Collegiate Sports Business
- MBAS623 – Social Issues in Sports Business
- OR MBAS625 – Brand Management in Sports Business
- MBAS696 – MBAS Capstone: Sports Business Plan
View the Concordia University Irvine Online Catalog for a full list of courses.
With your sports business MBA, you will be prepared to:
- Recognize and solve business problems.
- Integrate theory and practice for the purpose of strategic analysis.
- Employ and apply quantitative techniques and methods in the analysis of real-world business situations.
- Communicate to relevant audiences by composing clear, consistent, and effective written communication and oral business presentations.
- Work effectively with a team of colleagues on diverse projects.
- Identify and analyze the ethical obligations and responsibilities of business.
- Analyze sports business decisions using business knowledge and theories from the global sports business industry.
When you’re toward the end of your sports business MBA, you will start on your capstone.
At Concordia, your capstone takes shape as a sports business plan. You will create documents that will be used to formulate, develop, and communicate new business opportunities.
Your sports business degree capstone gives you the opportunity to apply your learning through real-world, hands-on experiences. Students may choose to develop a traditional business plan or participate in a project-based capstone that pairs student teams with corporate clients to solve real business challenges over the course of the semester.
Capstone projects can include:
- A comprehensive proposal for an original idea.
- A funding proposal for an entrepreneurial venture.
- A new product line or business venture within an existing organization.
- A consulting-style project developed in collaboration with a corporate partner.
Illuminating Mentorship Program
The Illuminating Mentorship Program is a unique opportunity offered to Concordia MBA students that allows you to work one-on-one with a mentor for two semesters throughout the course of your time in the program. A sounding board, business coach, advocate, advisor, connector, voice of reason, role model – your mentor sheds light on the path ahead. By being matched to mentors in your field of interest, you gain invaluable guidance that equips you for the pathway ahead.
What can you expect from a mentorship?
- Insight into current job trends in your target professional fields.
- Possible paths to reach your professional goals.
- Advice on how to be a better professional, employee, or entrepreneur.
- Strategies to build and grow your professional network.
- Encouragement to shine in your professional field.
- Examples of how to maintain a good work-life balance.
- 10+ meetings in-person or online over two consecutive 15-week semesters, excluding summer.
Students enrolled in the MBA program will work with our coordinator to be paired with a mentor. When a match is made, the mentor and the mentee will be contacted via email. After an application and interview process, the applicant engages in an orientation with the coordinator. MBA students gain immediate access to the Illuminating Mentorship Program, and there is no additional fee to participate.
Tuition and Fees
At Concordia, we understand that investing in your education is a significant decision. That’s why we offer a variety of scholarships and financial aid options to help make your academic journey more affordable. View tuition costs and fees.
Admission Requirements
View the Graduate Application page for full details on application and admission requirements.
Career Outcomes
An MBA is a hot commodity in the job market. A 2024 survey said that employers were most likely to hire MBAs in the coming year.1
For professionals with a love of sports, there’s good news: The sports industry is slated for even more growth. It’s projected that employment in sports and entertainment occupations will grow between 2023 and 2033, at an average of about 108,900 openings each year.2
Networking Opportunities
Join us at one of our upcoming Information Nights to learn more about the MBA program at Concordia University Irvine or attend an MBA Mixer to network with faculty, staff, alumni, current, and prospective students.
As a graduate student at Concordia, you’ll become part of a vibrant community of over 25,000 alumni and over 3,500 peers, fostering meaningful connections that support both personal and professional growth. Our dedicated faculty and staff are committed to helping you discover and develop your callings through mentorship and collaboration.
Located in the heart of Orange County’s thriving sports and business landscape, Concordia provides students with access to unique professional opportunities across the region’s sports industry. Through partnerships and connections within the OC sports community, students may gain hands-on experience with organizations and events such as OCVIBE, the Anaheim Ducks, Honda Center, the OC Sports Commission, the Hoag Classic, and major sporting events hosted throughout Southern California, including Super Bowl-related initiatives.
As a Founding Partner and the Official Education Partner of OCVIBE, Concordia offers qualified students exclusive internship opportunities with OCVIBE, the Anaheim Ducks, and Honda Center during the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. Students also benefit from a strong alumni network working across professional sports organizations, helping create valuable industry connections and career pathways.
Beyond sports, Irvine remains a hub for innovation and business growth, home to more than 900 tech companies and a strong presence of Fortune 500 organizations. Irvine’s strategic location in Southern California gives students access to a dynamic professional ecosystem and meaningful networking opportunities that support long-term career development.
Information Sessions
Attend an Information Session online to learn more about our program, the application process, financial aid, payment plans, and more.
Explore Financial Aid
Reduce your tuition costs with financial aid — with help from a team that wants to make your time at Concordia as affordable as possible.
Meet Our Faculty
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Elizabeth June McLaughlin
Adjunct Professor, School of Business
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Laszlo Zoltany
Adjunct Professor, School of Business Contact Email: Email Laszlo Zoltany…
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Kellie Playter
Assistant Professor & Internship Director, School of Business & Economics
FAQs
What is an MBA in sports business?
A sports business MBA combines a traditional MBA program with sports business master’s-level classes. At Concordia, you will take the expected MBA courses, like finance and MBA, but you will also be in several sports-related classes. These may include Sports Media and Public Relations, Sports Leadership, and Sports Law and Ethics.
Can I work in sports with an MBA?
You definitely can. Because an MBA provides so much business knowledge, it sets you up for success across industries. If you’re determined to work in sports, you may want to consider earning a sports business MBA. Not only will you gain the management skills you need to lead, but your sports courses can give you an advantage in the job market.
Is a master’s in sports management an MBA?
Not quite. There are some Master of Science (M.S.) programs in sports business, and then there are also MBAs that specialize in sports management.
M.S. courses would all be focused on sports, while MBAs still have the traditional core courses in business, served with a side of sports.
If you want to dedicate your entire career to sports, an M.S. might be the right degree for you. However, MBAs are known for being more versatile, and should you want to move to another industry, your MBA background would work in your favor.
Concordia offers a sports business MBA, which offers that combination of business and sports classes.
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Sources
1Graduate Management Admission Council, Corporate Recruiters Survey: 2024 Report, on the internet, at:
- 2024-gmac-crs-report.pdf (viewed Nov. 9, 2024).
- https://www.gmac.com/-/media/files/gmac/research/employment-outlook/2024-corporate-recruiters-survey/2024_gmac_crs_report.pdf (viewed Nov. 9, 2024).
2U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, on the internet, at:
- https://www.bls.gov/ooh/entertainment-and-sports/ (viewed Nov. 9, 2024).
Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.