ABSTRACT
Internships have played an integral part in the professional preparation of both graduate and undergraduate students in sport management ever since such programs came into existence. Four major concerns plague the world of sport management in regard to internships. All four concern the proper use and treatment of the student in the internship or field experience magnified by the student intern's fear of exportation. The first of these concerns revolves around the tasks that the would-be intern is expected to perform on a consistent basis. The second area of concern deals with the increased competition for limited opportunities for meaningful internships or field experiences. The third controversy centers on the possibility that some sites use interns as a ready supply of free labor, thus enabling those organizations to avoid hiring either part-time or full-time paid employees. The fourth area of concern is whether the intern has the opportunity to gain full-time employment at the conclusion of the experience.
