Many sports managers have also participated in the game before at one point or another. Sports like football and basketball have most of the stakeholders either as previous players or die-hard fans. If you fully understand how the game is played, then it will be easier for you to manage it. It will be difficult to represent a player or a sports team when you have little idea of the game. Marketing it to sponsors or building a fan base will also be easier if you have been part of the game before. But not all people that manage sports are sportspeople. Many of them are simply career and business people.

To manage a business that is competitive and engaging as it is in the sports industry requires top managerial skills. Depending on the particular aspect you focus on, you must know how to manage people, time, and events. You must be flexible, have good communication skills, and good marketing skills. As a manager, you must also be skilled in interpersonal relationships. Yet, that is still not enough. You need academic qualifications.

Many people feel there is no need to seek any academic qualification before going into sports management. After all, sports require natural skills, and those who manage sports must also be talented. However, today's sports are businesses, and their managers need top management skills. Hence a management qualification will be more than advantageous but a necessity.
Experience and skills are equally important to be a good sports manager, but to hone your skills, you must be trained. Sports management demands a good knowledge of business and legal contracts, marketing and advertisement, public relation, business coordination, among many others. All these require proper training in an academic environment.