MORE FROM THE AUTHOR:

The Sports Industries Federation mentioned in this chapter has its own website.
The focus of this chapter is on the 'service industry' in sport; however, there is also a significant manufacturing sector of the sport industry. One of the activities of The Sports Industries Federation is to organise and promote trade shows. About this service they say:
"Exhibitions are a great way of increasing brand awareness, generating loyalty, capturing data or researching a marketplace. These are some of the exercises that can be dovetailed into one activity. Use our Trade Show Finder to find out about trade fairs and exhibitions both in the UK and overseas."

Currently, trade exhibitions are being organised for the golf sector, cricket, and fly-fishing, for example. However, you can also access a search engine from this site which helps you find a trade fair appropriate to your business or interests. Currently in the spotlight is the ISPO trade fair and The Sports Industries Federation describes this as:
"… the biggest global trade fair in the world, attracts all the major buyers, providing tremendous opportunities for sporting goods manufacturers".

"Innovation, Innovation, Innovation" in the sport industry is starting to replace the old adage "location, location, location". The concept of innovation is worth thinking about some more. Sport businesses are not only providing increasingly innovative 'products' through use of materials technology and design (such as Gaelic Gear) but organisations from the private sector, the public sector and even the voluntary sector are embracing technology to help provide their services in an innovative fashion. A neglected sector of the sport industry is the voluntary sector. Research is gradually beginning to turn attention to this important part of the industry and the public sector, Sport England specifically, has recognised the need for volunteers for the sport industry to survive and develop. See their report highlighting the invaluable contribution that volunteers make to the development and delivery of sport.

Related to the concept of innovation comes the need for 'professionalisation'. The past few decades have seen increasing pressures for professionalisation in the sport industry, especially to the 'traditional' approach found in voluntary sport clubs. Clubs are encouraged to adopt more formal management practices and, indeed, those clubs who have responded to these pressures are flourishing. For example, clubs who engage in the sometimes arduous task of lottery funding applications can receive huge benefits to club facilities and programmes. Those clubs who do not engage with the 'system' are at a distinct disadvantage. However, clubs are adopting innovation through technology as well. Even small local riding clubs such as Thames Valley Riding Club are using their website to provide an efficient and innovative service to their members. Have a look at the impressive 'professional' operations and marketing of this very small, local sport organisation.

JOBS IN THE INDUSTRY
Learning about the industry is great but where can you apply that new knowledge? As I have mentioned in this chapter, operations managers are not always called 'operations managers'. The organisational and people skills that operations managers need can be as important in other roles within sport businesses. Check out these sites and look at the jobs available in the industry…
Leisure Opportunities - Leisure Centre managers, catering managers or sales / marketing managers…

Whatever the job, when it comes to managing operations, you will find the job descriptions asking for a person who can manage PERFORMANCE and deliver QUALITY, just as we have talked about in this chapter. For instance, at the time of writing this, Reebok were looking to appoint a 'General' Manager for their Reebok Sports Club in London. What was the first indication of the job duties? Reebok said:
"Reporting directly to the Managing Director the position will require a strong hands-on operational focus with a remit to execute optimal performance in terms of revenue generation, cost control and service standards including all aspects of Health & Safety." (See Leisure Opportunites for job details )

Have a look at the descriptors in the quote above! Important concepts, all covered in this book, including financial management skills, awareness of health, safety and legal issues, measuring and managing operational performance and marketing/sales skills are required by employers.

Search for jobs or post your CV; this is a great site to help you look for a job in the sport (or leisure) industry.

Also check out:

Or for more than job searching, to keep up to date on the news in sport employment, try Sportsemployment.

WEBSITES RECOMMENDED BY THE AUTHOR:

The Australian Sports Commission's Australian Sports Web
The European Foundation for Quality Management

FROM THE EDITORS:

See a useful article in The Sport Journal which discusses the use of the SERVQUAL model in sport and fitness programmes.