UMKC Bloch School Opens Doors to Sports Careers with New Degree Emphasis
Sports management emphasis area prepares students to play at the next level
Kansas City, MO, April 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The University of Missouri-Kansas City Henry W. Bloch School of Management announced a new sports management emphasis within the Bachelor of Business Administration program, beginning in Fall 2026. The program prepares students for careers in the global sports industry.
UMKC is Kansas City’s only Division I university with higher‑education partnerships that benefit students with all four major professional sports teams: the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, Sporting Kansas City and Kansas City Current.
Today, the broader industry is expanding nationally and globally, creating new opportunities for college graduates. According to a 2025 report, the global sports market has grown 5% annually since 2020, demonstrating market resilience amid economic uncertainty, and is projected to increase 8% annually through 2030 to exceed $600 billion in revenue.
Nationally, sports remain a dominant draw and accounted for 46 of the 50 highest‑rated primetime telecasts in 2025.
“The sports industry is growing and, of course, Kansas City is a great sports town,” said Brian Klaas, dean of the Bloch School. “That is why we are excited about offering UMKC students the opportunity to study the business of sports and build a career in areas like sports management and sports marketing.”
Industry revenue streams are evolving as sports gaming becomes a major growth engine alongside traditional revenue sources such as intellectual property commercialization and matchday experiences. This expanding sector now spans sports‑themed video games, fantasy sports, sports betting and esports.
These industry shifts are already shaping career trajectories for Bloch graduates. Three time founder Sam Kulikov (BBA ’18) serves as chief marketing officer for the Kansas City Pioneers, the largest gaming and professional esports organization in the Midwest. Under Kulikov's leadership, they have achieved remarkable scale: 2 billion impressions and approaching $3 million in revenue.
Kulikov leads sponsorship marketing initiatives for DoorDash, QuikTrip, Army National Guard, Price Chopper and Logitech, helping major brands enter the gaming space thru in-game experiences, content campaigns and live-events driving over $50 million in earned media value. He has led collaborations with a variety of brands including the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, NASCAR and Sporting KC to spearhead first-of-their-kind traditional sports and esports crossover activations across the region.
Another Bloch graduate, Tyler Kirby (MBA ’11), demonstrates how these same industry forces continue to influence traditional sectors of the sports industry. Now the executive vice president and chief revenue officer of the Kansas City Chiefs, Kirby has built a career that began in ticket sales and progressed into senior leadership overseeing major initiatives for one of the NFL’s most prominent franchises.
“The Bloch School of Management at UMKC gave me valuable tools to succeed in the professional sports world,” Kirby said. “This new sports management emphasis will allow students to gain practical experience while learning the business skills necessary to thrive.”
As these trends accelerate, career pathways for sports management students are widening. Graduates can pursue roles with professional or collegiate teams, media and broadcasting organizations, marketing and sponsorship agencies, event and facility operations, sporting goods and licensing companies, sports technology firms and emerging sectors like sports gaming.
The Bloch experience follows a 4 + 3 structure, which allows students to combine a four-course emphasis area, such as sports management, with a three-course interest area tailored to their career goals. This flexibility helps graduates stand out to employers in a competitive sports industry.
Students also stand to benefit from the economic impact and rising popularity of large sporting events driven by the FIFA World Cup 2026™ coming to Kansas City.
This summer, the city will host six FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches, drawing more than 650,000 visitors and generating substantial economic activity. Adding to the excitement, Argentina, England and the Netherlands have selected Kansas City as their official base camps.
UMKC is also elevating its own athletic profile.
In 2024, the Kansas City Roos men’s soccer team returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2008 and followed it up in 2025 with the program’s first back-to-back qualification.
UMKC also strengthened its basketball programs with two major hires. In February, UMKC named Mike Turgeon, one of the winningest coaches in NCAA history, head coach of the men’s basketball team. In March, Candi Whitaker, who led the Roos to 78 victories from 2006 to 2012, returned as head coach of the women’s basketball program.
“It has been a pleasure working with Dean Klaas and his leadership team to help establish this sports management emphasis,” said Brandon Martin, UMKC vice chancellor and director of Athletics. “As Kansas City Athletics builds momentum, it is imperative to deepen our connection with the campus and greater Kansas City communities, and this addition will allow us to do just that. This will create new opportunities for aspiring sports professionals to engage with hometown Division I athletics and will create a recruiting edge for prospective student-athletes with an interest in sports administration."
Applications are open now for the Fall 2026 semester. Apply today.
Attachments
Hunter Miesner UMKC 8162351578 hmiesner@umkc.edu
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
