Sports management is an interdisciplinary subject that can lead to a career in several different fields. According to the Princeton Review, there are 235 institutions that offer undergraduate degrees in sports management as of 2011. A strong knowledge of accounting, law, marketing and economics --- all subjects that are typically covered in a sports management course --- is particularly important for a sports agent.
Sports agents are responsible for dealing with an athlete's financial affairs, so a business degree can be extremely helpful. As of 2011 there are 26 business schools that offer programs in media/entertainment and sports management, according to the Princeton Review. The list of schools includes Arizona State University, Columbia University, DePaul University, East Carolina University, Northwestern University, George Washington University, Ohio State University, the University of California-Los Angeles and the University of Oregon.
The role of a sports agent is to sell his client's value to teams and sponsors, which makes a degree in marketing relevant to the job. Marketing programs typically teach students about the basics of accounting, economics, managerial marketing and the legal aspects of business. According to the Princeton Review, there are more than 500 schools in the United States that offer marketing courses.
Because sports agents are responsible for handling their clients' contract negotiations, having a background in law can be very useful. Students who major in prelaw are required to have strong critical reading, writing and problem-solving skills. They must also be able to communicate their side of an argument effectively, which is an important trait for a sports agent.
The role of a public relations specialist is to manage communication and relationships between an individual, group or organization and the public. In the case of a sports agent, her role is to help portray a positive image of her client to teams, sponsors and the media. Public relations programs teach students how to handle media attention on behalf of clients and how to communicate information that sheds a positive light on a client. As of 2011 there are 160 schools that offer a major in public relations, according to the Princeton Review.