The university training of the sports manager in Italy between legislative misapplications and overlapping degree courses

In Italy, with the 2021 sports reform and the related implementing legislative decrees [1, 2], specific figures of sports professionals have been established. These professionals have been fighting for a long time for full professional recognition of their bachelor's and master's degrees, which provide them with the necessary knowledge and skills to perform specific statutory tasks in the field of health protection and welfare of the population in general and athletes [3]. The implemented reform has been long-awaited to eliminate existing misalignments with other European countries [4]. A significant initial regulatory intervention occurred with the Legislative Decree (d.lgs.) of May 8, 1998, n. 178, with which the higher institutes of physical education (ISEF) were abolished, and concurrently, degree courses in exercise and sport sciences (ESS) were instituted. [5]. Placing ESS within the university setting also promotes interaction between research and education, as is the case in other fields of knowledge, three additional specific academic disciplines (ADs) were established in addition to existing ones. These new ADs were titled “Physical training sciences and methodology”, “Sport sciences and methodology”, and “Science of the organisation and management of sports facilities”. However, the latter was not activated because the Ministry of Universities and Research deemed that its scientific knowledge was already covered by other ADs from economic, Juridical, and engineering fields of knowledge.

For a long time, graduates in ESS were replaced by the professional profiles of the National System of Sports Work Qualifications (SNaQ) of the Italian National Olympic Committee [6], with specific job profiles officially recognized by the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT) through the definition of economic activities codes [7]. Finally, an appropriate discipline was dedicated to graduates in ESS within the d.lgs. n. 36/2021 [1, 8]. This decree established the new professional profile of the sports manager under Article 41. Paragraph 5 of this article specifies that the purpose of this professional activity is: (a) the planning and management of sports facilities; (b) the conduction and management of public and private facilities where sporting activities take place; (c) the organization, as an expert and consultant, of sporting events and shows, including recreational and leisure events [9‐11]. Although d.lgs. n. 36/2021 establishes that a master's degree in Organization and Management of Services for Exercise and Sport Sciences (LM-47) is necessary for the exercise of this professional activity, some universities offer bachelor's and master's degree courses in sports management in different classes of study, such as Sciences of Legal Services (L-14), Administration and Organization Sciences (L-16), Economics and Business Management Sciences (L-18), and Business Economics (LM-77). These degree courses misapply the new law and qualify professionals as pseudo-sports managers, when in fact they are training profiles in the juridical and economic fields. Any qualification acquired not only does not qualify for the profession of sports manager and will hardly be employable without conflicting with the new provision that applies from 1 July 2023 through enrollment in the LM-47.

The study aims to measure the illegitimate overlapping of university training courses in the field of sports management, also highlighting the discrepancies between the profile of the sports manager of LM-47, and that of other profiles trained in the bachelor’s degree classes of L-14, L-16, L-18 and the master’s degree class of LM-77.

The survey was document based. Initially, the study focused on extracting information from two Ministerial Decrees (MD) dated March 16, 2007 [12, 13], concerning the bachelor’s degree classes of L-14, L-16, L-18 and the master’s degree class of LM-77. Subsequently, using the Universitaly portal, specific universities offering degrees in sports management were identified for each of the study classes (L and LM), as indicated in the two MD. The respective qualifying educational objectives and ECTS for the study plans were also determined.

Finally, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) text analysis tool was used for the literature review, applying inclusive and exclusive criteria to identify and underline relevant elements of the sports manager's profile, as defined by the law [14]. This process allowed for a comparison of the unspecific manager profiles in the juridical and economic fields with that of the sports manager as derived from the LM-47.

Degree courses in Law and Sports Management in study class L-14 have a juridical professional profile, which is minimally relevant to the sports manager's role. Similarly, degree courses in Economics and Business Management Sciences in study class L-18 and Administration and Organization Sciences in study class L-16 focus on economic–financial administration and management control, lacking alignment with the sports manager profile. The qualifying educational objectives and study plans of the degree courses in sport management within the bachelor’s degree classes of L-14, L-16, and L-18 are shown in Table 1.

Even master's degree courses classified under the study class of LM-77 exhibit disparities with the sports manager profile as defined by the law. The educational objectives and study plans of the degree courses in sport management within the study class of LM-77 are shown in Table 2.

The qualifying educational objectives and study plans of the degree courses in sport management within the study class of LM-47 are shown in Table 3.

Given the new specific legislation aimed at increasing the professionalism of sports managers, several universities have implemented degree courses in sports management within the Legal and Economic Sciences, utilizing study classes for the design of these courses that differ from those derived from the study class LM-47, as prescribed by the two designated Ministerial Decrees (DM). Regarding the degree courses in Law and Sports Management falling under the study class L-14, they significantly differ from what characterizes a traditional single-cycle degree course in Law (LMG-01), both in terms of their target audience and the content of individual courses aiming to provide specialized knowledge, primarily professional and applicable in the juridical sector [15]. From the analysis of the learning objectives and study plans of the two degree courses within the L-14, a juridical professional profile emerges, which is, therefore, not highly relevant to sports management. This education, besides aiming to achieve the specific learning objectives of a juridical-oriented degree program, allows for the acquisition of skills and knowledge in sports contract law, membership regulations, sports justice, and also includes teachings related to other areas such as communication and sports psychology. However, it lacks any knowledge of physical activity and sports, which are instead essential for the exercise of the sports manager's profession [16, 17].

As for the analysis of the educational objectives and study plans of the two degree courses in Sport Management and Sports Event Management belonging to the study class of Economics and Business Management (L-18), and the degree course in Sports Administration, Professionals, and Sports Organizations belonging to the study class of Administration and Organization Sciences (L-16), a professional profile emerges that is dedicated to economic and financial administration and management control. This education specifically allows acquiring knowledge and skills in the economic and managerial domain, which are essential for effective and efficient governance of organizations, entities, and companies investing in sports, without necessarily knowing physical and sports activities. It is important to highlight that all mentioned undergraduate programs completely lack ECTS credits dedicated to the ESS area, namely the academic scientific disciplines of Physical Training Sciences and Methodology (M-EDF/01) and Sport Sciences and Methodology (M-EDF/02). The educational objectives outlined by these degree programs do not align well with Article 41 of d.lgs No. 36 of 2021, in which the scope of professional activity for a sports manager is delimited. In addition to these critical aspects, it is necessary to consider that the educational offering of a bachelor's degree course cannot be compared in terms of comprehensiveness and adequacy with a master's degree course in terms of the application of knowledge and the acquisition of skills [18, 19], as required by European standards concerning higher education curricula, primarily by the so-called Dublin descriptors [20].

A similar discussion concerns the master’s degree courses in Sports Management and Policies and those of Economics and Management of Sports Organizations belonging to the study class of Business and Economics (LM-77). By comparing the study plans of LM-47 and LM-77, a difference in the composition of the educational programs can be observed, which leads to the absence of ECTS credits related to the ESS and psycho-sociological area. Despite this diversity in composition, some of the declared educational objectives are similar. Both master’s degree programs within the study class LM-77 aim to provide the essential skills for managing a sports club and organization, understanding managerial dynamics and the business aspects of sports rights, and organizing a sports event. The analysis reveals a non-compliance issue that, in a specular manner to LM-47, ensures the employability of such a degree and professional qualification, which is not permitted by the regulatory provisions.

Clear forms of contradictions and discomfort emerge from this documentary investigation. Since Legislative Decree no. 36 of February 28, 2021 establishes that, for the exercise of the professional activity of sports manager, a master's degree in study class LM-47 is required, any title obtained in the departments of juridical and economic sciences will not only fail to qualify individuals for the sports management profession but will also have limited employability prospects. To promote the development of this professional figure, it is essential to improve the educational offerings of the LM-47, with a more integrated approach to various economic and juridical knowledge to meet the educational needs of future sports managers who face the real dynamics of the sports sector.