Sports & Hospitality

The most common entry-level positions in professional sports are as sales agents for individual tickets, group sales, or season ticket sales. They are supervised by sales managers. The managers set sales goals, analyze data, and develop training programs for an organization's sales representatives. Sales managers may be required to travel, and they often must work additional hours on evenings and weekends. Most sales managers have a bachelor's degree and previous work experience as a sales representative.

Marketing is a vital part of the sports industry. Sport marketing may be done for a sports team, league, athletic/entertainment venue, or university. Additionally, many graduates find employment working for corporations that sponsor sporting events or teams. Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services. They work with art directors, sales agents, and financial staff members. A bachelor's degree is required for most positions.

Media and public relations specialists create the message for sports organizations and maintain a favorable public image for the organization they represent. They craft media releases and develop social media programs to shape public perception of their organization and to increase awareness of its work and goals. Public relations specialists usually work in offices. Some attend community activities or events. Public relations specialists typically need a bachelor’s degree in public relations, journalism, communication, business, or a related field.

Coaches teach amateur or professional athletes the skills they need to succeed at their sport. Scouts look for new players and evaluate their skills and likelihood for success at the college, amateur, or professional level. Many coaches also are involved in scouting. Agents help amateur or professional athletes navigate the business side of sport and help negotiate contracts and trades. Agents, coaches, and scouts often work irregular hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays. They travel frequently. Coaches and scouts typically need a bachelor’s degree, while the vast majority of agents have a law degree. They also must have extensive knowledge of the game.

Facilities operations managers take care of physical spaces and are often part of the team that executes events taking place within the space. This can include large-scale sporting venues such as stadiums or arenas. Their specific responsibilities vary by venue, but they typically maintain facilities and supervise business activities. Although educational requirements for facilities managers vary by the type of organization and the work they do, they usually have a bachelor’s degree and must have significant, related work experience.

Consider becoming a meeting, convention, and event planner. They arrange locations, schedules, vendors, and other details. They may work out of an office or at a venue. They often travel to events and meeting sites. Most positions require a bachelor’s degree and strongly prefer related work experience.

Consider becoming a lodging manager. They also ensure that the business is run efficiently and with high standards. Most lodging managers hold a bachelor’s degree and seek experience in the field through work experience or an internship.

Consider becoming a recreation worker. They are employed in a variety of settings including community centers, summer camps, parks, sports venues, and senior care facilities. Time may be spent indoors or outdoors depending on the work setting and responsibilities. Managerial and supervisory roles also exist within recreation settings. The level of education required varies by role within the organization.