The Work in Sports Podcast - Insider Advice for Sports Careers

When thinking about the history of the struggle for racial equality in America, prominent individuals such as Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, and Frederick Douglass often come to mind. However, sports have also been a vehicle to driving American society forward, with key moments including Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball, Muhammad A...

Applying for a job is a competitive process, and candidates always look for that extra 1-2% to help them stand out to a prospective employer. Networking is frequently that added boost for candidates, but it can be intimidating to get started. That's where Maggie's question to the WorkInSports Podcast comes in: "I know you've talked about best practices to stand out in the application pool by custo...

The late 2000s were a tumultuous time to work for newspapers. Around 2007, social media companies like Facebook and Twitter began establishing a foothold on the internet and upended how legacy media companies operated. Reliant on subscriptions and advertising while facing strict deadlines to submit a final copy to print, newspapers worked under tighter constraints than the new kids on the (digital...

Layoffs happen in every industry. While the sports industry is generally more stable for employment once you have your foot in the door, it is not completely immune from downsizing staff. That's the topic of today's anonymous listener question for the WorkInSports Podcast: "Hey Brian, I'd appreciate it if you don't say my name since this is kind of a sensitive question. I work for a pro sports tea...

Your resume is the first impression a hiring manager gets of you and what they can expect if they bring you into their organization. So how do you craft a sports resume that make you a winning candidate? That’s what Neil in Boston wants to know from the WorkInSports Podcast: “Hey Brian, I’m a 25-year-old who really loves your show. I graduated with a finance degree a couple of years back and reall...

When you look at the rising values of sports franchises, the lucrative TV contracts that teams and leagues are signing, and the explosive growth in supporting sectors such as sports gambling, it’s easy to see the increased consumer demand for sports. That demand also means more opportunities in the sports industry, and makes a sports management degree attractive for college students aspiring to en...

Pushing through discomfort and finding success is a trait of the best workers in every field, including the sports industry. At the beginning of his career, WorkInSports VP of Content and Engaged Learning Brian Clapp worked as a producer with CNN/Sports Illustrated. As an avid sports fan, Clapp possessed a deep knowledge of nearly every sport — but NASCAR was a blind spot. When covering NASCAR at...

The sports industry is a high-demand field that utilizes diverse skill sets, but the earning potential varies greatly depending on which area you pursue. Kyle in Texas wants to know how to make money in sports and is seeking sports career advice from the WorkInSports Podcast: "Hey Brian, I'm a sophomore in college, and I just declared as a sports management major! I am so incredibly excited, but m...

College is an ideal time to gain real-world work experience in your chosen profession, and the sports industry is no different. Micki just started her college journey and is looking for advice from the WorkInSports Podcast to get her foot in the door: “Hi Brian! My name is Micki, and I am a freshman in college who intends to work in sports. Currently, I am working with my school’s football team in...

The path to getting hired in the sports industry is always changing, particularly in the past two years. Sports betting is one of the largest catalysts for this growth as the market is projected to grow from 2021’s $89.5 billion figure to over $144 billion by 2031 as more states set up shop in this space. Beyond gambling, emerging NFT markets are changing how fans interact with their favorite athl...

The COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on everyone in 2020, with its effects lingering today. As with many facets of society , such as financially (both before and since the pandemic), it did even more damage to the lives and lifespans of Black and Hispanic communities. Addressing our society’s disparate impacts on minority groups is the core of the mission of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs....

With the end of the 2022 calendar year fast approaching, the WorkInSports Podcast is bringing back some of its most impactful sports career advice from the past 12 months to help you start your job search with confidence in 2023. The sports betting industry has exploded since the federal ban on sports gambling was lifted in 2018. Americans wagered $52.7 billion on sports in 2021, and with that amo...

With the sun setting on 2022, the WorkInSports Podcast continues to look back at some of the best sports career advice our expert guests provided throughout the past 12 months. On today’s episode, we revisit our conversation with the Los Angeles Chargers’ Chad Jessop, who serves as the team’s Equipment Assistant. There are myriad ways to enter the sports business, and Jessop’s journey into the NFL...

For all the effort it takes to find a job in the sports industry, the workplace you land with needs to be the right fit. Carol in Washington is having that issue and seeking advice from the WorkInSports Podcast: "Hi Brian, I’m 25 and have had two jobs in the sports industry so far. Both have been a nightmare. I’m not losing hope, but I’m wondering how I could have sniffed out these bad opportuniti...

As the sun sets on 2022, the WorkInSports Podcast is gearing up to deliver tips that will give your career prospects a boost in 2023. Before we jump into the new year fresh, we’re taking time to reflect on some of the best sports career advice our expert guests have provided over the past 12 months. Broadcasting is a popular aspect of the sports industry, and as such, it is competitive and difficu...

As the world recovered from the worst of the COVID-19 outbreak, a new labor market hit the economy. Companies that laid off employees started hiring again, but finding talent required more money than before. Workers utilized this newfound leverage by voluntarily leaving their posts for greener pastures during the following Great Resignation. With inflation eating into some (or all) of the gains em...

No two career paths are the same, but there are similarities in how workers advance in the sports industry. One of the most observable trends is that to move up in the field, you frequently have to move away from your location. That’s been the case with several guests of the WorkInSports Podcast, including James Price (now Oklahoma City Thunder Director of Social Media), New England Patriots’ Prod...

There are many benefits to working in minor league sports. The WorkInSports Podcast chats with Zack Raab about possible career paths in the minors. One of the most effective ways to set yourself up for a long career in the sports industry is by gaining the right experience as soon as possible. While internships are a great way to get your feet wet in the business, how do you find your fit in sport...

At its core, the WorkInSports Podcast teaches you how to sell yourself to an employer in the sports industry. Jennifer in Massachusetts is seeking some sports career advice on that front with this question for VP of Content and Engaged Learning Brian Clapp: “Hey Brian, it feels like 2022 was a tumultuous year for job seekers and employers. First it was the post-pandemic hiring boom, then it was th...

Until 2005, elite basketball players could jump immediately from high school graduation to the pros. That system produced standouts like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. The 2006 draft was the first that the NBA instituted an age limit requiring basketball players to be one year removed from their high school graduation before entering the draft. This age limit led to an influx of highly regarded ‘on...

Sports media has undergone an astronomical shift since the turn of the century. When the internet started, catching a game on television (when it was available in your area), reading about last night’s results in the newspaper (with the occasional Sunday morning features mixed in), and subscribing to Sports Illustrated were basically the extent of the content available for sports fans. Fast-forwar...

There is no one answer to how to get a job in sports, but there are definitely ways that you can sabotage your search if you aren’t careful. Lorena in Texas is having a hard time getting her career started and has this question for the WorkInSports Podcast: “Hi Brian, I’m pretty new to the podcast, a friend told me about it and I’ve been really enjoying the guidance you provide. You may have cover...

Since launching the WorkInSports Podcast in 2017, VP of Content and Engaged Learning Brian Clapp’s goal has been to provide aspiring sports professionals insight into the sports business and a roadmap to breaking into the industry. With today marking the 500th episode of the podcast, we decided to look back at some of the top advice our experts in the field (no pun intended) shared that still reso...

On this episode of the WorkInSports Podcast, we look back to our chat with Auburn University Assistant AD for Marketing and Fan Engagement Dan Heck. He details his journey from a marketing graduate assistant at Central Michigan University to his current post running the Tigers’ marketing efforts in the football hotbed of the SEC. Moving up in the sports industry frequently means moving around. As...

First impressions can make or break your chances of landing a job or internship. They also play a role in how you are perceived once you have started with an organization. On today’s episode of the WorkInSports Podcast, Brandal from Texas wants to know how to have a successful internship experience from day one: “Hey Brian, I’m someone who likes to visualize before taking on challenges, it’s alway...