Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Sport Administration Online
Earn your sport administration MBA online and turn your passion for athletics into a leadership career.
Program Overview
Step into the spotlight of sports leadership with this AACSB-accredited MBA program
The online Master of Business Administration with a Concentration in Sport Administration program from East Tennessee State University is designed for peak performance, helping you quickly build leadership skills for sports management careers. Gain a solid foundation in accounting, analytics, finance, and other aspects of business as you build expertise in sporting events and venue operations—local to global.
Whether you’re moving up in your career or transitioning to this dynamic industry, you'll learn why strong business performance in sports depends on smart planning behind the scenes, and how the right expertise helps you gain a competitive edge, from budgeting and people management to security and fan engagement. Sports-industry case studies and a strategic management capstone course also provide you with opportunities to address real-world challenges and prepare for leadership roles in this dynamic field.
Complete this AACSB-accredited sports administration degree program in as few as 12 months, with accelerated online courses available 24/7.
As a graduate of this sports administration degree program, you will be prepared to:
- Apply effective critical-thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving skills to address business challenges
- Lead sports and business organizations using MBA-level management and strategy
- Plan and manage sporting events with confidence, from budgeting and resource allocation to execution
- Lead team sales operations and fan engagement campaigns
- Practice safe sports facility management, with strong governing policies for operations and security
- Set organizational direction and build a positive sports culture through strategic leadership
- Manage sports leagues in online and recreational settings
- Apply effective critical-thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving skills to address business challenges
- Lead sports and business organizations using MBA-level management and strategy
- Plan and manage sporting events with confidence, from budgeting and resource allocation to execution
- Lead team sales operations and fan engagement campaigns
- Practice safe sports facility management, with strong governing policies for operations and security
- Set organizational direction and build a positive sports culture through strategic leadership
- Manage sports leagues in online and recreational settings
Sport administration career opportunities:
- Athletic Director
- Sports Administrator
- Sports Promotions Manager
- Director of Sports Media
- Team Sales and Event Coordinator
- Athletic Facilities Manager
- Athletic Director
- Sports Administrator
- Sports Promotions Manager
- Director of Sports Media
- Team Sales and Event Coordinator
- Athletic Facilities Manager
Also available:
Choose from a variety of ETSU online MBA programs aligned with high-growth career fields.
Accreditation
The College of Business and Technology at East Tennessee State University is accredited by AACSB International (AACSB). Fewer than 6% of the world’s schools offering business degree programs hold AACSB business accreditation.
Tuition
Discover our budget-friendly MBA tuition for this master’s degree in sports administration
At ETSU, we proudly offer some of the most flexible and affordable online MBA programs in Tennessee. Our budget-friendly sports administration online MBA tuition is pay by the course, with no large upfront expenses.
| Program | Per Credit Hour | Per Program* |
|---|---|---|
| In-State | $672 | $22,176 |
| eRate** | $835 | $27,555 |
*Total tuition, per-credit-hour rates and any additional fees that may apply to individual courses reflect program costs for the 2025-2026 academic year. Tuition and fees are subject to change by the ETSU Board of Trustees without notice. For more information, click here.
**eRate subject to verification. Visit: https://www.etsu.edu/online/pay-for-college/ for more information.
Tuition breakdown:
Calendar
See upcoming enrollment dates and deadlines
Start your journey toward career advancement as early as you like. We offer multiple start dates for the MBA online sport administration degree, so choose the one that best fits your schedule.
| Term | Start Date | App Deadline | Document Deadline | Registration Deadline | Tuition Deadline | Class End Date | Term Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall A | 8/24/26 | 8/1/26 | 8/8/26 | 8/21/26 | 8/22/26 | 10/9/26 | 7 weeks |
| Fall B | 10/19/26 | 10/1/26 | 10/8/26 | 10/16/26 | 10/17/26 | 12/3/26 | 7 weeks |
Now enrolling:
Take the next
steps toward earning your degree
Admissions
Review admission requirements for the ETSU online Master of Business Administration in Sport Administration
We’ve streamlined the MBA sport administration degree program admission process. Follow these steps to apply.
*2.5 minimum GPA for domestic students and 3.0 minimum GPA for international students
Following are the admission requirements for the ETSU Sport Administration MBA online:
- Complete the online application
- Domestic – U.S. Citizens and U.S. Permanent Residents
- Global – Non-U.S. Citizens/Permanent Residents completing the program outside the U.S.
- Pay a $55 (domestic)/$65 (global) nonrefundable application processing fee
- Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution (or equivalent) with a 2.5 (domestic)/3.0 U.S. equivalent (global) minimum cumulative GPA or higher
- Submit transcripts from any institution(s) where a bachelors degree was/will be awarded and any institutions where graduate level work was attempted (even if no degree awarded or in a different field)
- Unofficial transcripts are preferred for the initial application and should be uploaded during the submission process. If you are admitted using unofficial transcript(s), you will need to provide an official transcript (including proof of degree) for any unofficial transcript(s) provided during the application process by the end of your first semester.
- Submit transcripts from any institution(s) where a bachelors degree was/will be awarded and any institutions where graduate level work was attempted (even if no degree awarded or in a different field)
Official transcripts should be sent from the granting institutions to our Graduate School.
Email address: [email protected]
Mailing address:
East Tennessee State University
Graduate School
P.O. Box 70720
Johnson City, TN 37614-1710
For global, non-U.S. citizens/permanent residents completing the program outside the U.S.:
- Pay a $65 (global) non-refundable application processing fee
- Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution (or equivalent) with a 3.0 U.S. equivalent (global) minimum cumulative GPA or higher
- Submit transcripts from any institution(s) where a bachelors degree was/will be awarded and any institutions where graduate level work attempted (even if no degree awarded or in a different field)
- International school – Must have official evaluation which includes a copy of the evaluated transcript sent from a NACES member evaluation company, such as WES Course-by-Course iCAP, ECE Course by Course, or The Evaluation Company Course Analysis sent directly from the company to ETSU Graduate School
- Submit transcripts from any institution(s) where a bachelors degree was/will be awarded and any institutions where graduate level work attempted (even if no degree awarded or in a different field)
- English Proficiency (if education outside the U.S.)
- Exempt if earned degree from U.S. institution by program start
- Exams
- TOEFL score of 550 (PBT), 79 (iBT) – Only official score reports accepted
- IELTS score of 6.5. Please arrange to have your official IELTS scores sent directly to ETSU Undergraduate Admissions or email your TRF number to [email protected] after submitting your application.
- PTE score of 53 – Only official score reports accepted
- Educated in English for minimum of four years at upper high school level or higher from a designated country listed here
- Will not be waived on application until acceptable official transcript evaluation received
- Employed in the United States for three years in an establishment(s) where all activities are conducted in English.
- Must provide a letter from the Human Resources department, or an authorized official, from each establishment certifying all activities are conducted in English and specifying dates of employment.
Official transcripts should be sent from the granting institutions to our Graduate School.
Email address: [email protected]
Mailing address:
East Tennessee State University
Graduate School
P.O. Box 70720
Johnson City, TN 37614-1710
Admission Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
- No GMAT required
- 2.5 GPA or higher*
Courses
Explore the online MBA sports management curriculum
For the Master of Business Administration in Sport Administration degree, you must complete 11 courses totaling 33 credit hours, including 21 credit hours of core courses, nine credit hours of concentration courses and a three-credit-hour Strategic Management capstone course.
This course fulfills the Culminating Experience requirement in the MBA program.
“The ETSU College of Business and Technology is a place of opportunity for students. We are one of the few colleges in the country that combine business and technology programs, allowing students to pursue degrees that blend together diverse fields in exciting ways.”
