Sport has a way of bringing people together, like when thousands gather to watch their favourite team score. In a moment like that, the last thing on your mind would be the sport and event management professionals who made the event possible in the first place. Between booking venues and arranging schedules, their work is demanding, but it’s happening in an industry with an enormous global reach. Around two and a half billion people participate in organised sport each year, while the global sports economy generated an estimated US$2.3 trillion in 2025. By 2030, it could reach US$3.7 trillion — and by 2050, US$8.8 trillion.
As the industry expands, so do the opportunities for a new generation of sport and event management professionals. If you’d like to be one of them, the University of Guelph’s (U of G) online Bachelor of Commerce in Sport and Event Management (SPMT-O), offered by the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics, can get you get started.
LANG’s Sport and Event Management graduates leave with the communication skills, problem-solving capabilities, and confidence to work in sport promotion, event management, sport media, and policy development. Source: University of Guelph, Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics
Why you should study sport and event management at U of G
The SPMT-O may be new, but sport and event management education at U of G isn’t. The university is one of only two in Canada to offer a bachelor’s degree in the field. And behind the programme is LANG School, an AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business)-accredited business school that’s among the top 6% worldwide and has a 96% job placement rate.
“Faculty members knew we had something special with the in-person and co-op options of our sport and event management BComm programme,” says Dean Sara Mann. “With the kind of demand we’re seeing for the career-focused, industry-aligned education we deliver, it made sense to open up global opportunities for students to access this unique programme.”
The benefits of SPMT-O’s online format
Not everyone can drop everything, pack a bag, and move to Canada for a few years. By moving fully online and asynchronous, U of G has empowered more students to access the SPMT-O, no matter where they’re located in the world.
“The online format of this very popular degree allows us to expand and provide the opportunity for more students to study on their own schedule, breaking down the barriers of time zones that are common with distance learning and integrating with students from around the globe,” says Dr. Ann Pegoraro, LANG Chair in Sport Management and professor in the Department of Management.
Pace is within your control too. You can even fast-track your studies and graduate in three years.
U of G is not only aiming to make the SPMT-O convenient for as many students to access as possible. In 2026, this is how online degrees should work anyway. A national study by US education consulting firm EAB found that nearly half of all students want flexible, self-paced learning, yet most universities are still stuck offering rigid, old-school schedules. By choosing asynchronous online learning, you’re joining the 50% of students who are taking control of their education and building a college experience that actually works for them.
One of the best things about the SPMT-O is how flexible and organised it is. Students can complete their units in their spare time, in spite of their busy schedules. Source: University of Guelph, Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics
How does the SPMT-O curriculum prepare students for their future careers?
The SPMT-O offers the same high-quality content as its in-person counterpart, complete with group projects and case-based learning.
You’ll explore the business of sport through courses like Introduction to Sport Management and Sport Sales and Sponsorship, and build the financial know-how to make informed decisions through Management Accounting and Economic Statistics courses. Business Communication, Information Management, and more help you communicate effectively and manage information in professional settings.
Meanwhile, Ethical Leadership & Community Building and Introduction to Canadian Business Management cover how you can lead organisations. Business Mathematics strengthens your confidence with numbers and data, while Business Career Preparation helps turn those skills into career readiness.
Extremely generous financial aid
U of G believes that all qualified individuals should be able to attend university regardless of their financial status. In 2024-25, U of G students were awarded CA$28.1 million in scholarships in recognition of their academic achievements and to encourage further study and accomplishment.
SPMT-O’s international applicants will be eligible for a 10,000 Canadian dollar entrance scholarship (approximately US$7,048.46 at the time of writing). With some of the financial pressure eased, you’ll have more room to focus on classes and assignments, significantly improving your chances of graduating. Graduates have gone on to land their dream roles with professional teams, commercial clubs, government organisations, and sport businesses worldwide.