Tasmania's growing professional sports industry is creating new opportunities for people who want careers beyond playing on the field or court, with a new academy providing specialised education and training in sports leadership and management.

The Tasmanian Academy of Leadership and Sport has been established through a partnership involving the Tasmania Football Club, Tasmania Jack Jumpers, Hobart Hurricanes and Netball Tasmania, with the program delivered through Tas TAFE. The initiative is designed to provide students with a pathway into the expanding sports industry.

The academy offers a 12-month dual diploma covering leadership, management and sport. The course is available in Hobart and Launceston and also provides students with 18 months of credit towards a business degree at the University of Tasmania.

The development comes as Tasmania's professional sporting presence grows. The Tasmania Jack Jumpers entered the National Basketball League in 2021, while the Tasmania Devils are preparing to enter the Australian Football League in 2028. Tasmania also has a growing presence in women's basketball and cricket, adding to the number of sporting organisations operating across the state.

The expansion is creating employment opportunities not only for athletes but also for people working in administration, community engagement, education, communications, event management and other areas of the sports industry.

Tom Reeves, a North Hobart Football Club co-captain, is one example of a Tasmanian who previously left the state to pursue sporting opportunities and education. After spending four years on the Gold Coast, he returned to Tasmania and enrolled in the academy.

His experience subsequently led to employment with the program. After graduating, Reeves became its education and engagement lead, having initially worked as a community engagement officer before moving into teaching.

The academy's organisers say the opportunities created by professional sporting organisations extend well beyond the athletes who compete for them. Sports clubs require large teams of non-playing staff to operate their businesses, manage facilities, organise events, communicate with supporters and deliver community programs.

The arrival of the Tasmania Devils is expected to further expand that workforce. The club's education representatives say the AFL organisation employs more than 100 non-playing staff, illustrating the range of careers available within a professional sporting organisation.

The program also reflects a broader change in Tasmania, where students previously often had to leave the state to study or build careers in professional sport.

For students interested in sport management, the academy provides an opportunity to study locally while gaining exposure to professional sporting organisations.

Academic interest in sports management has also increased as Australia's professional sports industry expands. Training can cover areas such as event operations, stadium and facility management, team communication and administration.

The growth of professional sport in Tasmania therefore represents more than the introduction of new teams. It is also creating new educational and employment pathways for people who want to build careers behind the scenes.

With the Tasmania Devils preparing for their AFL debut in 2028, the state's sports industry is entering another significant period of development.

The academy aims to ensure local students and returning Tasmanians have access to the skills needed to participate in that expanding industry without necessarily having to leave the state.