Understanding the Importance of Sports Law
There's more to working in sports than simply interviewing players on the field or providing a play-by-play account from a broadcasting booth. In addition, students majoring in Sport Management or working in a related field need to have a solid understanding of sports law. Anyone who works with players, puts together events for a stadium or even spends their time putting together press releases and other media needs to know that sports law is something that affects every aspect of the industry.
Why is sports law so important? There are several reasons why this segment of the sporting world is crucial. Let's discuss some of them here.
Players Need to Abide by Their Contracts
Every professional athlete, no matter their level, has a contract with a team. These contracts are negotiated and put into place by their manager, who works with both the player and the team to find terms and prices that are mutually agreeable. Not only do contracts cover salary and bonuses, but they also contain conduct clauses that ensure that players behave themselves on and off the field. In order to understand these contracts and make sure that the players that they represent abide by them, some knowledge of sports law is needed.
Stadiums Have Contractual Agreements
Some sports lovers prefer to work behind the scenes at a stadium, planning events, finding advertisers and handling publicity. Knowledge of sports law is also needed here because those advertisers sign a contract that contains plenty of terms and conditions. For example, the stadium might not be able to contact any of a certain advertisers’ competitors to see if they want to advertise as well. This can come up when planning events which often need sponsors. Someone who doesn't understand the language in the contract might reach out to the wrong company for a sponsorship, which can cause trouble with their current advertisers.
Endorsements Contacts Are Important
Players not only have contracts with their teams, but also with their own sponsors, whom they choose to endorse for a certain amount of money. These endorsements come with plenty of terms and conditions, such as making a number of promotional visits (such as a to a car dealership or store) or mentioning the sponsor on social media or in an interview. Putting together these contracts can be complicated due to the number of things that they cover, from compensation to requirements. The player and the sponsor (and sometimes the team or organization) need to communicate to ensure that everyone is on the same page.
If you want to learn more about sports law or work in sport management, we can help. Obtaining a bachelor's degree in the field is the best way to get started. Students can enroll in our degree program at Dean College, where they'll learn more about the career field and can prepare for a job representing sports players and other clients, or one spent behind the scenes, ensuring that the stadium's operations run smoothly during games and other events. Either way, a rewarding career awaits! Take the first step and learn more about the exciting career opportunities that await you, today.