5 answers
Jean-Sébatien
Student
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
2
Questions
Asked
532 views
How do I make my marks in the sports industry?
I am currently a second year university student in Business Intelligence. My principal fields of interests are communications, analytics and sports management.
Thank you
#sports #analytics #communications
Login to comment
5 answers
Mary Katherine McNamara
Management Consultant
2
Answers
Chicago, Illinois
Updated
Mary Katherine’s Answer
Hi Jean-Sebatien!
Getting your foot in the door of a sports company can be difficult, but with the proper preparation it can be done!
Firstly, it is awesome you are studying sports management as a field of interest! I would definitely advise you to develop strong relationships with your professors and to challenge yourself to think about how the topics you are learning about in the classroom can be applied to a job. This educational background will be very helpful later on in your career.
Always be learning! Research sports business news, industry trends, or follow along with the management of your favorite team or league. The first step of starting a career is to find a passion and to develop some background in the field, which it sounds like you have!
If you are looking for job experience, check out any postings you may come across on LinkedIn, as well as the TeamWorks Online site (they post many job openings from part time to internships, to full time entry level and above positions). Don't be afraid to reach out to any alumni from your University or any connections you may have on LinkedIn; simply introduce yourself and ask if there is anyway you can ask the professional a couple questions about their career. You will be surprised how many people are willing to help, but don't get discouraged if you do not hear back!
Read! There are so many great sports business books out there. I would definitely encourage you to find leaders in the industry, whether a coach, General Manager, or employer who shares some of your values and has a leadership style you relate to. Developing leadership qualities and learning from leaders will help you tremendously in your career and personal life.
I hope this is helpful. Best of luck in your career!
Mary Kate
Create a LinkedIn (if you have not already) and follow sports Leagues, Teams, Brands (like Gatorade, Adidas, Nike, etc.) and keep your eye out for sports industry news
Check out https://www.teamworkonline.com/ for sports job postings
Read Sports Business Books! Some of my favorites are Players by Matthew Futterman, Wooden on Leadership by John Wooden, and Mindset by Carol Dweck (great business/personal development book)
Getting your foot in the door of a sports company can be difficult, but with the proper preparation it can be done!
Firstly, it is awesome you are studying sports management as a field of interest! I would definitely advise you to develop strong relationships with your professors and to challenge yourself to think about how the topics you are learning about in the classroom can be applied to a job. This educational background will be very helpful later on in your career.
Always be learning! Research sports business news, industry trends, or follow along with the management of your favorite team or league. The first step of starting a career is to find a passion and to develop some background in the field, which it sounds like you have!
If you are looking for job experience, check out any postings you may come across on LinkedIn, as well as the TeamWorks Online site (they post many job openings from part time to internships, to full time entry level and above positions). Don't be afraid to reach out to any alumni from your University or any connections you may have on LinkedIn; simply introduce yourself and ask if there is anyway you can ask the professional a couple questions about their career. You will be surprised how many people are willing to help, but don't get discouraged if you do not hear back!
Read! There are so many great sports business books out there. I would definitely encourage you to find leaders in the industry, whether a coach, General Manager, or employer who shares some of your values and has a leadership style you relate to. Developing leadership qualities and learning from leaders will help you tremendously in your career and personal life.
I hope this is helpful. Best of luck in your career!
Mary Kate
Mary Katherine recommends the following next steps:
Lita Hosey
Marketing Manager
3
Answers
Brandon, Mississippi
Updated
Lita’s Answer
Universities are now offering specialized decree programs in sports management. You may want to look for schools with this eduational track. Also, looking at what employment support a school offers. Do their students find jobs, recruit from their universities? Look for both the fundamental course work - and the long term support.
Alex Crispino
Purpose Activation Manager
17
Answers
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Updated
Alex’s Answer
Hi there!
I think step one is defining what 'make it' means to you. Another way of saying that is 'how do you define success? That way, you know what you're working towards. Doe making your mark mean working with famous athletes? Does it mean being published in a sports article or journal? The cool part is you get to decide that!
I would say getting clear on that is step one. Once you do that, find mentors/role models who have done that. I would also recommend taking some specialty classes within sports management and joining student organizations with that focus.
I think step one is defining what 'make it' means to you. Another way of saying that is 'how do you define success? That way, you know what you're working towards. Doe making your mark mean working with famous athletes? Does it mean being published in a sports article or journal? The cool part is you get to decide that!
I would say getting clear on that is step one. Once you do that, find mentors/role models who have done that. I would also recommend taking some specialty classes within sports management and joining student organizations with that focus.
Adrian Eng
Data Scientist
3
Answers
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Updated
Adrian’s Answer
Hey there!
I'd say internships is the way to go. There are a few companies out there that make use of business intelligence / data analytics in the sports industry (StubHub, TicketMaster, etc.) that you can reach out to to see if they have any openings. I also found that working on a side project on a particular sport you're interested in will sometimes give you an edge when being selected for one of these internship programs (for instance, working with open source data and creating visualizations on fan demographics, winning percentages, etc.).
I'd say internships is the way to go. There are a few companies out there that make use of business intelligence / data analytics in the sports industry (StubHub, TicketMaster, etc.) that you can reach out to to see if they have any openings. I also found that working on a side project on a particular sport you're interested in will sometimes give you an edge when being selected for one of these internship programs (for instance, working with open source data and creating visualizations on fan demographics, winning percentages, etc.).
Nicole Nelson
Head of Sales and Operations
29
Answers
American Fork, Utah
Updated
Nicole’s Answer
Internships are key if you are looking to work in sports! The sports world is highly competitive. Teams are going to want to see that you have worked in sports at a collegiate or professional level. I would suggest seeing if your college has any sports internships during the school year. Then in the summer go work for an MLS or MLB team! Those are often the easiest to break into. Once you are in network with everyone and work your hardest! You want them to remember you and your work ethic so you are one of the first to get a call when a job becomes available. It is a hard industry to break into, but so worth it!