With the US gaming sector exponentially growing, Dr Jordan Bass revealed he ‘wouldn’t be surprised if in the next five years 45 of 50 states have some kind of legalised sports gambling’.
In a recent webinar published as part of the Sports Management Masters programme at the University of Kansas, Dr Bass discussed the impact of regulated sports betting on sports management in the US.
Pointing to major developments such as an increasing number of partnerships between sports betting operators and professional teams – with a multiyear agreement between the National Hockey League (NHL) and FanDuel highlighted as a key example – Bass outlined that the gambling sector and mainstream sports will become increasingly intertwined.
This will have a significant impact on the career progressions and general day-to-day activities of sports organisers, Bass believes. Legalisation will present both positive opportunities – such as new revenue streams – but also new challenges.
He stated: “Most importantly for us as managers, we have to figure out how we are going to; one, generate revenue from this?; And two, how are we going to regulate?”
One of the main implications for future sports managers, Bass argued, was the rising challenge of protecting the integrity of the sport.
Knowledge of safeguarding procedures, as well as an understanding of sports betting and gambling terminology in general, will likely become a vital skill for future generations of sports managers and administrators, the academic outlined.
He added that ‘understanding the pinch points and the issues that exist as a sport manager to try and make sure that the product on the field is something that keeps its integrity,’ will be an essential skill for future sports business professionals.
