Peyton
What is the best major if wanting to pursue a career in sports law?
I would like to be in the field of sports law but am unsure of what to major in. #business #law #sports #sports-law
3 answers
Jeff Monahan
Jeff’s Answer
Hi Peyton, I majored in Sports Management as an undergraduate. It has served me well, but there are a million paths you can take. My advice is to pursue a major that plays to your strengths. Maybe business, finance, exercise physiology, or English is better for you. Don't try to fit a square peg in a round hole.
For example, if you know you want to attend law school no matter what then you MUST have strong writing skills, so English would be a wise choice. Public policy or philosophy are also popular pre-law majors. Journalism is a good middle ground.
If your writing and grammar skills are strong, maybe you should focus on building up your sports-related skills. My undergrad's Kinesiology school had sports management and exercise physiology programs. Other schools have entertainment management and event management programs. I think these work equally well because down the road employers will see your dedication to the sports and entertainment field on your resume. This does not always help but it might.
My point is that there are two parts to the equation: sports, and law. It's ok to piece them together separately. Do what you think will work best for you. Many sports lawyers do not have sports-related bachelor's degrees - they make their way into sports later. But I guess if everything else is equal, then start carving out your path early like I did and go with something like sports management.
Dana Bressler
Dana’s Answer
I was a sports management major. Although we had one sports law class required for my degree, it only touched upon the subject of law and may not be the best major if you are focused becoming a sports lawyer. My best advice is to major in pre-law, and take sports industry electives to decide if that is the area that is right for you. You can also volunteer in your athletic department to help bridge the two areas together, and combine your passion for both law and sports for your future career.
mohamed hany
mohamed’s Answer
Compliance
General Manager
General Counsel for a Sports Franchise
General Counsel for a Players Association
Sports Commissioner
Hey Mohamed, these are different careers in sports law but the student is asking which majors they should pursue in order to get into these types of careers. Any insight you can provide on that topic would be helpful
Gurpreet Lally, Admin