Future of sports managers
It is likely that sports managers will have to work with a series of suppliers for sporting facilities. Mainstream sport has a well-organised supplier base. However, with the emergence of new types of sports, managers will need to open themselves to divergent providers. This also implies that opportunities for entrepreneurship will increase in sports. Therefore, managers should be prepared to work with upcoming businesses.
For those individuals handling new forms of sports, it will be essential to be prepared for divergent standards as different facilities can offer different experiences. Conversely, managers in older sports are likely to experience even more stringent rules as sporting facilities will be standardised. It will be critical for managers to sensitise their players about rules of their game and focus on them during training.
Mainstream sports have rigid structures that require various sports representatives to liaise with local councils or other government bodies. This can be an impediment to ambitious sporting managers because councils are highly bureaucratic. Many of them may worry about citizen unease, and this could hamper their progress.
Sports managers will also find it difficult to participate in sports development as construction projects are likely to increase in costs. Individuals who feel unsatisfied with existing facilities may find it difficult to organise funds for new areas; most of them may not penetrate the rigid mainstream structure. It may become difficult for managers to promote community goals.
Mainstream sports have national sports organisations that control many activities. It will be difficult for these sports leaders to create change unless they go through the rigorous process of volunteer membership in those organisations.
Overall, sports development is likely to be a painstaking process because of the pyramid structure of mainstream sports. An athlete will have to start from scratch and work his or her way upwards. This can be quite disappointing to managers.
BBL articles
One of the key advantages of BBL was that it revamped the sport by reaching out to new audiences. The sporting body had ignored women and younger players for a long time. Most of them were not interested in the sport because of its time limits and its format.
The approach also provided incentives for all members of the cricket body to play their part. Since owners share their status with players, they encourage the latter to improve on their performance as much as possible.
Additionally, since BBL is mostly local, then the stakeholders can exert considerable control over the number and nature of matches that competitors play. This has shifted attention away from the traditional, international competitors.
BBL has also added variety to the sport. Individuals did not like a number of things in the old sport. BBL changed these factors by providing new and shorter formats for the new demographics. It thus increased interest in the sport.
One key disadvantage is the diversity of the games played. Marketers may enjoy marketing the sport to different demographics depending on what they prefer. However, this has the effect of splitting support for the traditional formats. Furthermore, it may isolate Australians from the international community as they will be playing their own versions. Secondly, BBL may dilute the purity of the sport.
Some of the most loyal fans are the ones who followed traditional cricket. The new market segments are not as reliable; therefore, the group may be lost. Finally, the approach brings financial challenges as managing the sport is difficult. In the future, it is likely that BBL will become less divergent. Some of the formats offered in the sport will come together to form coherent structures for those involved.
Coaches as key performance managers
Coaches play the biggest role in training athletes or sportsmen for competition. Therefore, they are essential, in determining how effectively these individuals perform. It is particularly interesting that most of them do their work voluntarily as only 30% of the coaches get earnings for their work. Coaches instruct players about various aspect of their sport and this prepares them to become successful in competitions.
Sometimes coaches engage in administrative work. This means organising the business aspects of their teams. Their job can entail raising funds for the athletes working with other sports personnel.
Many coaches do not feel qualified for this role, but they often do it because they have no choice. It is a given fact that if a sporting team lacks funding, then it will not be able to carry out its duties well. Business development is a fundamental aspect of the coaching role in sports.
Coaches also enhance performance by mentoring sportsmen and women. They often serve as role models in whom the players can confide. Activities that take place outside the field have a profound impact on participation within the field.
Therefore, athletes need to have a senior advisor who can guide them on how to handle these issues such that they do not interfere with their professional lives. Some coaches’ success is predominantly associated with their mentoring roles. Therefore, one cannot ignore this aspect.
In close association with mentoring is conflict resolution. Team sports often require group cohesion for them to work. Members who lack this component may register poor performance irrespective of strong technical abilities. Coaches enhance performance by dealing with group dynamics. They create a strong team spirit between the members and also resolve conflicts among players should they emerge.