Consider the Kirtland's Warbler

This paper challenges rhe co nvent io nal wisdom of departments of parks and rec reation raking spo rt management under their "wing." Based on a review of the sport management literature and a polling of s port management and park and recreation ed ucato rs, we argue that departments of parks and recreation are bur temporary refuges for migrarory sport management programs that eventually will want to build their ow n "nests." Efforts to accommodate sport management only se rve co undermine the mission of academ ic programs in parks and recreation by sapping resou rces, comp romis ing the educat ion of park and recreation majors, and erod ing pa rk and recreation facu lty members' sense of p rofessiona l purpose.