European approach to the importance of sports management competencies in women’s semi-professional teams

Abstract

The competencies and skills of a good sports manager have always been a controversial and diverse topic depending on the country and the context in which it is analysed. That is why this research aims to show which are the most valued competencies by sports managers in several European countries taking into account gender differences. A total of 209 sports managers from semi-professional women’s teams participated in the research. They completed a questionnaire in which different dimensions were evaluated assessing the importance of the different competencies of a sports manager. The results showed that greater importance was given to skills related to the management of sports facilities and less to human resources management. Differences related to gender were scarce with significant differences found only in the competence of Strategic Planning Management. In conclusion it is difficult to agree on the importance of the competencies of a good sports manager while agreeing on the need for analysis in the areas of finance event management planning and management of sports facilities. © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.