The Work in Sports Podcast - Insider Advice for Sports Careers

Leadership skills manifest in different ways in all forms of organizations. In sports, some lead by example while exuding confidence, like hockey legend Mark Messier when he scored three goals in a game he guaranteed the New York Rangers would win en route to a Stanley Cup. For others, like Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame safety Troy Polamalu, it’s about the quiet consistency of showing up for yo...

Content creation is a growing profession, as 30% of 18- to 24-year-olds and 40% of 25- to 34-year-olds consider themselves content creators. The social media/digital influencer industry closed 2022 valued at $16.4 billion. On the one hand, creating content on your own is easier than ever. Still, on the other, the explosion of social media’s popularity in the past two decades developed a noisy spac...

There are many directions you can take a career in sports management, but those options can be overwhelming when  deciding where your passion lies in the industry . That is the case for Nasheen in Minnesota, who is looking for career clarity from the  WorkInSports Podcast : “Hey Brian, I am just finishing up my junior year of college, and I feel like I am having a bit of a panic attack....

Emerging sports outside the big four of football, basketball, baseball, and hockey can face an uphill climb in gaining participants and a fan base. Leagues such as Fan Controlled Football and the World Surf League must get creative to find their niche among sports fans in a market saturated with options. However, when a sport catches on, it can grow rapidly. That’s the case with pickleball, which...

Every spring, millions of college students don their cap and gown, sit through keynote speeches, and grab a piece of paper that says they graduated from college. After that triumphant moment, the reality of finding a job hits. Since this process can take a long time ( an average of 22.1 weeks in 2022 ), today’s episode of the WorkInSports Podcast is dedicated entirely to how to find a job out of c...

Championship sporting events are a huge draw, with the Super Bowl regularly drawing 70,000 fans, the 2022 World Series averaging over 43,000 fans, and the 2022 Stanley Cup Finals averaging 18,000 fans in their respective six-game series. Naturally, these fans spend big money to get a seat, with the average Super Bowl LVII ticket costing $8,000 . When paying those prices, fans expect an experience...

Since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020, the way people work has dramatically shifted, with companies increasingly offering some form of work-from-home jobs. While the sports industry is somewhat insulated from this trend, given the need to be present at events, remote sports jobs are available. Jared in Portland, Oregon, has enjoyed the shift to remote work and is looking for advice on finding work-f...

Sales is the engine that drives every business. The amount of money coming in must clear what’s going out, or an organization won’t last long. Sales acumen is, therefore, a valuable skill that potentially provides a fast track to career advancement and high income in the sports industry. Today’s guest on the WorkInSports Podcast is Cherie Cohen, Chief Revenue Officer for the World Surf League (WSL...

Sports internships are among the best ways to gain experience, connections, and skills as you build your career. In addition to providing an excellent training ground for you to apply your abilities, they also offer organic opportunities to build a network that can help you get a job. Getting varied experiences through multiple sports internships is one thing; taking advantage of the opportunities...

Regardless of what field you work in, job interviews can be a nerve-wracking experience. That nervousness can strike any candidate no matter how qualified they may be since they only get one chance to make a first impression with a hiring manager. Morgan from Miami is dealing with some job interview nerves and has these questions for the WorkInSports Podcast : "Hey Brian -- I've listened to so muc...

The college athletics landscape has changed significantly since 2021, when the NCAA approved legislation allowing student-athletes to profit from their name,image, and likeness (NIL). That legislation opened revenue streams for student-athletes and sponsorship/branding opportunities for companies looking to invest in this space, including professional sports teams. With college athletic department...

Making good money in the sports industry early in your career can be challenging, given the typically high volume of applicants for each open position. Another challenge for job seekers is a lack of comfort in negotiating salary, which can lead to you earning less than you otherwise could have. On today’s episode of the WorkInSports Podcast, VP of Content and Engaged Learning Brian Clapp discusses...

Getting the right experience early in your sports industry career is critical to establishing yourself to future employers, and minor league sports is one of the best places to do so. Minor league organizations run on lean staffs and budgets but are expected to put on a major-league quality sporting event regardless. Those expectations lead to staff members wearing many hats and fulfilling various...

Sporting events are magical affairs that can spark a lifelong love of sports. Over 125 million fans attended games in the four US professional sports leagues (NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL) during the 2022-23 season(s). College football stadiums routinely pack 100,000 fans on gameday, while traditional college basketball powers such as Duke and Kentucky frequently fill out their 15,000-20,000 seat arenas...

One of the allures of pursuing careers in sports is the uniqueness and unpredictability of the day-to-day work within the industry. Between popular events, a variety of roles that bleed over into other departments, and recognizable athletes bringing recognition to the organization/sport, no two days are ever the same. WorkInSportshas helped aspiring sports professionals make their passion their ca...

Bad company culture can ruin even the most exciting job in the sports industry. The most common reason workers gave for leaving their positions in the past year was being unhappy with their manager/supervisor, who are main drivers of employee experience in company culture. So how do you determine if a company will fit you well? That’s what Joanna in Seattle wants to know from the WorkInSports Podc...

Your resume is a living document that provides potential employers with a snapshot of what you bring to the table. It needs to be constantly tweaked to reflect your most up-to-date skills and experience,  tailored to the job  you are applying for, and  demonstrate the impact  you have made at each organization you have been with. So how long should it be, and how do you choose&...

Sports internships are the gateway to getting your foot in the door in the sports industry, and the more of them you secure, the better your career prospects will be upon graduation. The WorkInSports Podcast host Brian Clapp spoke at a few college classes and got this insightful question from Matthias at the University of Missouri-St. Louis: "Internships are a big topic on your podcast. From your...

Becoming a preferred candidate for any sports organization requires a mix of hard technical skills and soft skills, but which skills are valued most by employers? That’s what Stephon in Dallas wants to know from the WorkInSports Podcast: “Hey Brian – I read an article recently that included a quote from a recruiter at Google saying that self-awareness and emotional intelligence is the number one t...

Job applications are time-consuming, but you must do additional work after you click submit to improve your chances of landing a job. Phil in Atlanta is tired of playing the waiting game on his applications and is looking for guidance from the WorkInSports Podcast: "Hey Brian – I'm a senior in college, which means I am actively looking to break into the industry. Reading the news is tough – layoff...

There are many career options within the sports industry. You can choose to work in a myriad of departments, like sales, marketing, and broadcasting, to name a few. There are also many levels within the field, such as professional (major and minor league), college, high school, and youth/club sports. Finally, you need to find the sport you’re most passionate about to build your career around. Toda...

Putting together a compelling resume is hard work, especially if you are following best practices like customizing your resume for each application after analyzing a job description. A good resume includes a mix of the hard skills you possess that align with the technical aspects of the job, and soft skills that reflect the kind of worker you will be on a day-to-day basis. Those soft skills are th...

Sports social media content is the lifeblood of teams and organizations in today’s digital landscape. Social media is where the next generation of supporters are, as 43% of Gen Z fans use social media platforms while watching sports. Creating digestible content that captures attention is critical in a competitive online space. This content is about generating hype for events, athletes, teams, fran...

Sports broadcasting is one of the most popular (and competitive) aspirations for people looking to work in the sports industry. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, broadcasting/journalism degrees were the seventh- most common degrees awarded in 2018–19, with the career path expected to grow 6% this decade. How to Become a Sports Broadcaster While the expansion of sports bett...

To find a job in the sports industry, you need to gain experience in the form of internships, and volunteering before you earn your degree. Today’s question for the WorkInSports Podcast addresses this topic: “Is it better while in college to get a lot of different types of experience or specific experiences?” Getting multiple sports internships is one of the most effective actions you can take to...