Managing Sport Facilities

by Gil Fried, Matthew Kastel

Overview

For many sports fans, attending a sporting event is about more than just watching the action unfold. It's a chance to immerse themselves in the sights, sounds, and smells of the venue. Whether it's a multibillion-dollar stadium or a high school gymnasium, each facility's success is a result of meticulous planning, innovative design, strategic marketing, diligent maintenance, and effective management of operations and human resources. When all these factors align, fans leave with cherished memories, regardless of the game's outcome.

Managing Sport Facilities, Fifth Edition With HKPropel Access, exposes students to the many duties of sport facility managers and primes them for the responsibilities of the job. Merging historical and theoretical foundations with real-world challenges, the text features insights from a diverse group of professionals who offer perspectives on a variety of topics, spanning systems and operations, maintenance, and environmentally friendly practices.

Endorsed by the Stadium Managers' Association, this updated edition is now in full color and places a greater emphasis on what facility managers and staff do on a daily basis and how venues are managed. To this end, a new chapter on systems management has been added, covering critical infrastructure such as plumbing, electrical systems, fire protection, life safety, communications, sound, and security. Additionally, a new chapter focusing on technology used in sports venues addresses lighting systems, scoreboard operation, concessions, and electronic ticketing.

The fifth edition offers students expanded opportunities for hands-on application of the material. Related online resources, delivered via HKPropel, include new and updated projects and case studies, encouraging students to apply fundamental concepts in real-world scenarios:

• An updated case study, Gil's Sportsplex, incorporates strategic planning, construction, financial analysis, and more.
• End-of-chapter assignments combine to form a semester-long project related to the construction or renovation of a sports facility.
• A crowd management certification can be obtained by watching a series of videos on this crucial skill and passing a short quiz.
• Day in the Life bonus content asks students to create a day planner for an event.
• A catalog of YouTube videos provides virtual tours and instructive information for students.

Other learning aids include flash card activities to review key terms. Within the text, Facility Focus sections and Behind the Scenes sidebars provide facility management insights and professional advice for facility managers.

With Managing Sport Facilities, students will receive a wealth of practical knowledge, best practices, and professional advice to equip them to make decisions in all areas of facility management.

Note: A code for accessing HKPropel is included with all new print books.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781718223806
Publisher:	Human Kinetics Publishers
Publication date:	04/02/2025
Edition description:	Fifth Edition
Pages:	440
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Gil Fried, JD, is a professor at the University of West Florida (UWF) and Associate Dean of the Lewis Bear Jr. College of Business at UWF. He started at UWF in 2021. Prior to his appointment at UWF, Fried was a professor in the Pompea College of Business at the University of New Haven for 21 years and retired in 2021 with the designation of professor emeritus.

Fried specializes in sport law, sport finance, and sport facility management. He received his master's degree in sport management and his law degree from The Ohio State University. He has taught courses and written numerous books and articles on sport risk management, sport facility management, sport analytics, esports, and sport finance.

Fried speaks throughout the United States on issues such as building and financing facilities and dealing with risk management concerns.

Matthew Kastel is the stadium manager of Oriole Park at Camden Yards (home of the Baltimore Orioles) for the Maryland Stadium Authority. He is a veteran of managing stadiums and events and has also worked at the Houston Astrodome; Citizens Bank Park; and the Washington, D.C., Convention Center.

Kastel is a past president and former board member of the Stadium Managers Association. He is on the Board of Visitors for the Bolte School of Business at Mount St. Mary's University in Emmitsburg, Maryland. Additionally, he is part of the adjunct faculty at Mount St. Mary's and teaches stadium and event management to graduate students.

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments

Part I. Introduction to Sport Facility Management
Chapter 1. History of Sport and Public Assembly Facilities
Facilities in Ancient Times
Facilities From the Middle Ages to the 1800s
Facility Management From Ancient to Modern Times
Evolution of Professional and Collegiate Facilities
Facility Focus
The Future of Sport Facilities
Trends That Will Affect Future Facilities
Summary
Discussion Questions and Activities

Chapter 2. Facility Management
What Is Facility Management?
The Facility Manager
Constituents
Managerial Functions
Summary
Discussion Questions and Activities

Chapter 3. Management Theory and Practice
Management Theory
Computer-Aided Facility Management
Strategies
Leadership
Outsourcing
Summary
Discussion Questions and Activities

Part II. Facility Development
Chapter 4. Facility Planning
Fundamentals of Planning
Planning for Existing Facilities
Planning for Future Facilities
Summary
Discussion Questions and Activities

Chapter 5. Facility Site and Design
Site Location
Site Cost
Site Selection
Facility Design
Summary
Discussion Questions and Activities

Chapter 6. Facility Construction
Construction Planning
Preconstruction Phase
Construction Elements
Project Costs
Completion and Analysis
Summary
Discussion Questions and Activities

Part III. Facility Systems and Operations
Chapter 7. Facility Systems
Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning
Air Quality
Energy Systems
Plumbing
Interior Systems
Exterior Systems
Combined Interior/Exterior Systems
Summary
Discussion Questions and Activities

Chapter 8. Facility Operations
Space Management
Specialized Components in Sport Facilities
Establishing Grass Fields
Maintaining Grass Fields
Additional Outdoor Concerns
Summary
Discussion Questions and Activities

Chapter 9. Facility Maintenance
Maintenance and Repair Program
Maintenance Audits
Maintenance Department
Facility Repair Management
Basic Maintenance
Summary
Discussion Questions and Activities

Part IV. Facility Administration
Chapter 10. Marketing and Sales
Marketing Concepts
The Marketing Process
Facility Marketing
Sales
Summary
Discussion Questions and Activities

Chapter 11. Finance and Budgeting
Financial Concepts
Revenue and Expenses
Financial Analysis
Budgeting
New Facility Finance
Selling a Facility
Summary
Discussion Questions and Activities

Chapter 12. Human Resources
Sport Facility Jobs
Employment Options
Hiring Process
Employee Management
Training
Legal Concerns
Summary
Discussion Questions and Activities

Chapter 13. Legal Responsibilities
Basic Law
Tort Law
Risk Management and Insurance
Contracts
Property Law
Constitutional Law
Government Regulations
Summary
Discussion Questions and Activities

Part V. Event and Activity Management
Chapter 14. Facility Preparation
Revisiting Planning
Attracting Events
Event Preparation
Summary
Discussion Questions and Activities

Chapter 15. Implementing a Security Plan
What Is Security?
Crowd Management
Other Safety Concerns
Crisis Management
Summary
Discussion Questions and Activities

Chapter 16. Event Management in the Facility
Event Analysis
Post-Event Surveys
Marketing for the Future
Marketing Efforts and Costs
Facility Analysis
Summary
Discussion Questions and Activities

Appendix. Risk Management Audit
Glossary
References
Index
About the Author

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Although every facility has its own unique situation and characteristics, Fried has created a useful text that is valuable for a variety of audiences."

- Journal of Venue and Entertainment Management