Career opportunities in sports marketing
Many of us have dreamed of becoming a professional athlete. Unfortunately, reality sets in rather quickly. We discover that we cannot throw a 90-mile-per-hour fastball or even touch the rim – much less slam-dunk. However, here are many other opportunities for careers in sports. In fact, there are a wide variety of sports careers in sports marketing. In this appendix, we will explore some of the career options in sports marketing and present some interview and resumé writing tips for landing that dream job. Finally, we will examine some additional sources of information on careers in sports marketing.
Before we look at some of the career alternatives in sports marketing, it is useful to think about how the concepts discussed in this text can be useful in your job search. As you know, the strategic marketing process begins by conducting a SWOT analysis. You should build a SWOT into your career planning. First, ask questions about your own strengths and weaknesses. You can be sure the organizations you interview with will be asking similar questions. Next, try to identify the opportunities that exist in the marketplace. What sports are hot? Where are the growth areas in sports marketing?
The next step of your strategic career search should be to gather information and conduct research on prospective employers. Research could be conducted by talking to people within the organization to gain a better understanding of the culture. In addition, observation might take place both before and certainly during the interview.
Next, you need to consider your target market. Do not apply for all of the sports marketing jobs in the world. Target the job opportunities based on location, type of position, and how the position or organization fits with your current and potential strengths. You also need to position yourself. Remember, careers in sports marketing are in demand and you need to find a way to market yourself and stand out from the competition.
The marketing mix variables also should be considered in your job search. The product, in this case, is you. You are the bundle of benefits that is being offered to the prospective organization. You should also enter into the strategic career search with some understanding of price. What is the value you attach to the service and expertise that you will provide? Are the salary and benefits package being offered a satisfactory exchange?
Your resumé, cover letter, interviewing skills, and ability to sell you are the elements of the promotion mix. These elements communicate something about you to prospective employers. Finally, the place element of the marketing mix is the location in which you are willing to work.
From this brief discussion, you can begin to understand that finding the right job for yourself in sports marketing can be done in a systematic, organized fashion. By using the basic principles of the strategic marketing process, you will be in a better position to land your dream job. Let us turn our attention to some of the job opportunities that exist in the field of sports marketing.
Job opportunities in sports marketing
There are a wide variety of jobs in sports marketing that may be of interest to you. Here are just a few of the opportunities that exist. As you look through this section, pay attention to the sample advertisements and the qualifications that are stressed for each position. In addition, remember not to suffer from marketing myopia when you look for your first job. Have a broad perspective and think of your first job as an entrée into the sports industry.
Internships
Nearly 70 percent of sports marketing executives began their careers interning for a sports organization, and 90 percent of sports organizations offer some type of internship. Many sports marketing students believe they will secure high-paying, glamorous, executive-level positions upon completion of their degree. The truth is, jobs in sports marketing are so competitive that internships are usually the only route to gaining the experience needed for a permanent position. By working as an intern, you become familiar with the organization and learn about the sports industry. In turn, the organization learns about you and reduces its risk in hiring you for a permanent position.
Sample advertisements
Sales and Marketing Manager – Interns will assist the marketing department in the following areas:
sponsorship fulfillment, lead qualification, sampling/couponing programs, health and fitness expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center, and race day festival. Must be hardworking, detail oriented, friendly, energetic, computer-literate, and have good communication skills. Hours would be flexible to fit interns’ schedule.
Marketing Intern – We have an opening for a sports marketing intern to assist in marketing programs designed to facilitate the growth of our products and services. Ideal person should have a sports marketing or sports management background. Computer, organization, and strong communication skills are essential. Internet experience preferred.
Facilities management
Whatever the sport, there must be a place to play. From brand-new multimillion-dollar sports complexes such as Nationals Stadium in Washington, D.C. to community centers used for recreational sports, facilities management is an important function. Although facilities management positions are more managerial in nature, they do include a strong marketing emphasis. For example, facilities managers are expected to perform public and community relations tasks, as well as have a strong promotion management background. Two of the largest facility management companies in the United States that you may want to explore are Global Spectrum (www.global-spectrum.com) and SMG (www.smgworld.com).
Advertising and Public Relations Manager – Opportunity for a creative, energetic, hands-on individual to develop and implement advertising and PR programs for an established golf course facility. Minimum of five years’ experience in advertising, esign, broadcast production, and media planning. Desktop experience a must. Internet experience a plus. Must be able to maximize preestablished budgets.
Facility Manager – The Special Events Center is seeking candidates for the position of facility manager. Candidates should be sales and marketing driven with experience in event planning, marketing and promotions, and facility management. Bachelor’s degree with three years’ related experience required. Primary liaison between users and facility staff. Provide leadership in event planning, onsite event management, and customer service.
Professional services
As the sports industry grows, the need for more and more business professionals in all areas is increasing. Today, sports careers are automatically associated with being a sports agent because of the Jerry McGuire “show me the money” phenomenon. However, professional services are also needed in sports law, advertising, accounting, information systems, marketing research, finance, and sports medicine. Having the appropriate educational background before attempting to secure sports industry experience is a must. Salaries for professional services positions vary greatly depending on the job type and responsibilities.
Sample advertisements
Director of Special Olympics – Seeking persons with excellent communication, fund raising, and management skills. Special Olympics is a year-round program of sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Responsibilities include planning and organizing competitive events, training programs, public awareness campaigns, and fund-raising activities. Candidates for position must possess excellent communication and fund-raising skills as well as administrative, organizational, and volunteer management experience. Previous Special Olympics experience not required, but helpful.
Global Advertising/Merchandising Manager – Multinational manufacturer of cycling components. Responsible for leading the creation and execution of global advertising; athlete and event sponsorship; media planning and communication; global product merchandising; global cost center management. This position requires an analytical thinker with excellent leadership and execution skills. A successful candidate is an MBA who has in-depth knowledge of ad strategy, planning, and production.
Health and fitness services
As the sports-participant market continues to grow, so will jobs in the health and fitness segment of the sports industry. Numerous jobs are available in management and sales for health clubs. Additionally, health and fitness counseling or instruction (personal trainer or aerobics instruction) represents another viable job market in health and fitness. Careers in sports training and sports medicine are also increasing. In addition to working for sports organizations as a trainer or physical therapist, a number of sports medicine clinics (usually affiliated with hospitals) are targeting the recreational participant and creating a host of new jobs in the prevention or rehabilitation of sports injuries.
Sample advertisements
Director of Campus Recreation – Major responsibilities: provide opportunities to enhance participant fitness, personal skills, and enjoyment for a variety of student recreational activities; supervise, coordinate, and evaluate the activities of the department; prepare operating and capital expenditure budgets; develop goals, objectives, policies, and procedures; and perform personnel administration within the department. Qualifications: Master’s degree and three years’ experience in recreation or a similar field, two years’ experience in administrative position, and current CPR and first aid certification required.
Fitness Club Operations Director – Oversee all pool and tennis associates. Duties include hiring, training, supervising, and reviewing the performance of staff; administering weekly payroll; designing employees work schedules; and overseeing maintenance/cleanliness of facilities and inventory. Bachelor’s degree; minimum two years’ experience in athletic club/resort and one year in club management; basic knowledge of tennis, fitness and aquatics; excellent communication skills. Sales and marketing experience, with a strong member services background and experience developing/implementing member retention programs preferred.
Sports associations
Nearly every sport has a governing body or association that is responsible for maintaining the integrity and furthering the efforts of the sport and its constituents. Examples of sports associations include the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA), United States Tennis Association (USTA), and the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA). Each sports association has executive directors, membership coordinators, and other jobs to help satisfy the members’ needs.
Sample advertisements
U.S. Tennis Association – Assist director of marketing in sponsorship, donations, and ad sales. Professional tournament operations for one tournament and booth promotions at all Northern California tournaments.
Research Associate – A nonprofit golf association. Duties include survey research, statistical analysis, report writing, and database management. Knowledge of SAS and related bachelor’s degree a must. Proficiency required in mapping, spreadsheet, and word processing software. Position requires demonstrated experience in technical writing and good verbal communication skills. Knowledge of the golf industry a plus. Entry-level position.
Professional teams and leagues
Along with being a sports agent, the types of jobs most commonly associated with sports marketing are in the professional sports industry segment. Working as the director of marketing for one of the “big four” sports leagues (NBA, MLB, NHL, or NFL) or one of the major league teams requires extensive experience with a minor league franchise or college athletic program and a master’s degree. Job responsibilities include sales, designing advertising campaigns to generate interest in the team, and supervision of game promotions and public relations.
Sample advertisements
Assistant Marketing Director – Develops season ticket campaign strategies, negotiates advertising and media tradeouts, directs promotion coordinator, sales representative. Master’s degree preferred; bachelor’s degree required, preferably in marketing. Excellent communication skills a must. Should have extensive experience in working with corporate sponsors and developing a client base to support athletic sales.
Advertising Sales – Major sports league seeks account executive to sell print advertising for event publications. The ideal candidate will possess two to four years’ consumer or trade publication sales experience; excellent written and verbal communication skills; a proven track record of increasing sales volume; the ability to work in a fast-paced environment; and the flexibility to travel.
College athletic programs
If your ultimate career objective is to secure a position with a professional team or league, college athletic departments are a great place to start. Nearly all Division I and Division II athletic programs have marketing, sales, and public relations functions. In fact, most of the larger Division I programs have an entire marketing department that is larger than most minor league franchises.
Sample advertisements
Coordinator of the Goal Club – Responsibilities include identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding donors together with managing special events and direct mail programs. Candidates must possess a bachelor’s degree and two or three years of fund-raising experience.
Athletic Recruiting Coordinator – Responsibilities include developing and organizing a vigorous recruiting program for eight sports within the guidelines of NCAA III, represent the athletics department at college fairs, and coordinate all recruiting activities with the admissions department.
Sporting goods industry
Sporting goods is a $60+ billion industry that is growing and presents career choices in all of the more traditional marketing or retailing functions. Opportunities include working for sporting goods manufacturers’ (e.g., Nike, Adidas, Callaway, or Wilson) or retailers such as Dick’s Sports Authority, or Foot Locker.
Sample advertisements
Associate Buyer – Lady Foot Locker is looking for a professional. To qualify you will need chain store buying experience. Sporting goods exposure a plus.
General Manager/Catalog Division – An outdoor recreation equipment retailer in the burgeoning backpacking/mountaineering/climbing industry is looking for a hands-on GM with full responsibility for its fast-growing catalog division. Responsibilities include bottom-line profitability, strategic planning/execution, financial planning, marketing, prospecting, circulation and database management, catalog development and production, purchasing and inventory control, and systems coordination. Qualifications include five-plus years’ management in a mail-order operation.
Event planning and marketing
Rather than work for a specific team or league, some sports marketers pursue a career in events marketing. Major sporting events such as the World Series, All-Star games, or the Olympics do not happen without the careful planning of an events management organization. The largest and most well-known events management company is the International Management Group (IMG) (www.imgworld.com) with offices worldwide. Event marketers are responsible for promoting the event and selling and marketing sponsorships for the event.
Sample advertisements
Event Management Leader – A service management association serving the bowling industry. Candidates will have a bachelor’s degree in business or hotel management along with a proven track record of professional event production.
Event Planner – National sports marketing firm organizing sports leagues and special events for young professionals is seeking an entry-level candidate to assist with operations and promotions of sports leagues, parties, and special events. Should be sports minded, extremely outgoing, and organized for this very hands-on position.
Researching companies
The previous section gives you a good idea of the types of job opportunities in sports marketing. Having considered your options, it is now time to get serious about finding that first job that will launch an exciting career. You will soon send out cover letters and resumés tailored to each position and organization. If they are not, the prospective employer will sense you have not done your homework. Your research efforts should include the following types of information: age of the organization, services or product lines, competitors within the industry, growth patterns of the organization and of the industry, reputation and corporate culture, number of employees, and financial situation.
Today, most of the organizational information can be obtained quickly and easily via the Internet. Other popular sources of industry and company information include the following: Team Marketing Report’s Inside the Ownership of Professional Sports Teams, Million Dollar Directory (Dun & Bradstreet), Standard and Poor’s Register, and Ward’s Business Directory of U.S. Private and Public Companies.
Once you have researched prospective employers, you are ready to communicate with the organizations that you wish to pursue. Let us look at how to construct simple, yet persuasive, cover letters and resumés. Remember, these documents are within your complete control (think of this as an internal contingency); use this to your advantage and present yourself in the best possible light. Let us begin with the fundamentals of cover letter preparation.
The major objective of any cover letter is to pique the interest of the prospective employer. First impressions are everything and the cover letter is the employer’s first glimpse of you. A cover letter is a vital tool in marketing yourself to prospective employers for several reasons: An effective cover letter will draw attention to your qualifications and experiences that are most relevant to the position for which you are applying. Employers often use letters to assess the written communication skills that you will need for any position. A letter provides you the opportunity to convey to a potential employer your interest, enthusiasm, and other personal attributes that are not easily expressed in a resumé alone. There are a few basic guidelines that you can follow to make your cover letters more effective.
In the first paragraph, state the letter’s purpose and how you found out about the position. Follow this with an overview of your most impressive job-related attributes such as skills, knowledge, and expertise. Obviously, the attributes you choose should relate to the position in mind. The third part of the cover letter should stem from all the research previously gathered on the organization. Show off your knowledge of the company and their current needs. Finally, let the organization know how you can help solve their current needs. Stress the fit between your background and values and the organization’s culture.
Resumés
Now that your cover letter has been constructed, you are ready to begin work on an effective resumé. Here are seven tips for writing a resumé that are guaranteed to tell your story.
1. Be thorough – A good resumé should give the employer an indication of your potential based on your previous accomplishments. Include things such as job-related skills, previous work experience, educational background, volunteer experiences, special achievements, and personal data.
Activities that you might deem to be unimportant could provide a great deal of insight into your ability to succeed on the job. For example, how about the student that has coached a Little League team throughout his or her collegiate career? Some candidates might view this as totally unrelated to the job. However, wise candidates will see how this activity could be used to demonstrate unique aspects of their personality such as patience, leadership, and good organizational skills.
2. Be creative – Most students are under the false impression that there is a right way and a wrong way to organize their resumé. In fact, most career development centers use a boilerplate format making every student’s resumé standard and neglecting the job and the industry.
All resumés should include topical areas such as job objectives, skills, knowledge, accomplishments, personal data, education, employment history, observations of superiors, and awards. Organizing and writing these sections is limited only by your imagination. The most important thing to remember is that the format should reflect both you and the job you are seeking.
3. Use quotations – A powerful tool that is not widely used in resumé preparation is the use of quotations. These quotes can be found in old performance evaluations or letters of recommendation. Here is an example of a quote that was used to reinforce the strength of an application.
“Mr. Gamble has contributed in a positive manner to the success of the athletic department at WPU by organizing and implementing an effective game day promotional plan.”
– Melissa Luekke, promotions manager, athletic department, WPU.
Quotes like this can provide further evidence of your abilities while relieving you of having to toot your own horn.
4. Make the resumé visually appealing – Looks are everything. In one study, 60 percent of employers indicated that they formed an opinion about the candidate on the basis of the resumé’s appearance. The resumé that looks good will be given more consideration than one that does not. The resumé that is badly written and produced will be tossed, regardless of the applicant’s qualifications. A few things to think about when designing your resumé include length (keep it to one page), paper (high-quality stock in white or off-white), spelling, grammar, and neatness (any error is unacceptable).
5. Include a career objective – Most employers consider the career objective to be the most important part of the resumé. Why? A specific career objective indicates that you know what you want in a job. This type of goal-directed behavior is what employers want to see in a candidate. Narrate to demonstrate to the reader what you have helped the organizations accomplish.
On the other hand, some resumé preparation experts strongly disagree with this line of reasoning. They argue that by placing an objective on your resumé, you are limiting the potential position. In other words, if you leave your options open, the employer will direct your resumé to the job that best suits your qualifications.
The best advice is to have multiple resumés prepared and ready to go with multiple career objectives. Most people have multiple career interests and do not have to settle for just one job. If you are truly practicing target marketing, you should have several different resumés ready. You should try to make the career objective sound like the description of the job you are targeting. Here is a sample career objective for a student who wishes to pursue a public/community relations position at a major university or professional sports franchise:
Public Relations Assistant – Interested in copywriting, editing, writing speeches and news releases, photography, graphics, etc. Desire experience on organization’s internal and external publications. Good writing and speaking skills with communications background should assist in advancement to a management position within the athletic department of a major university or professional sports organization.
6. Honesty is the best policy – Employers are checking prospective candidates’ qualifications more than ever before, due to a wave of people falsifying their credentials. Obviously, deceiving the employer about what you have done, or what you are able to do, is no way to start a positive relationship.
7. Spread the word – You should seek feedback and constructive criticism about your resumé by showing it to everyone you know. Ask for comments from other students, your professors, and career development specialists at school. In addition, you should circulate it among people in the sports industry. Resumé writing is a dynamic process that requires constant changes and improvement.
Most jobs in sports marketing require a high degree of interpersonal communication; therefore, the interview becomes a place to showcase your talents. Each person should have his or her own interview style, but here are some tips that should assist all job candidates with their interviewing skills.
1. Be mentally prepared – As with athletes, mental preparation is the name of the game for job seekers. Most job candidates do not come to the interview fully prepared. To get ready, you should have thoroughly researched the sports organization. Next, you need to learn as much as possible about the person or people who will be conducting the interview. Being mentally prepared means being able to ask intelligent questions. Naturally, the types of questions you ask will vary by the position of the interviewer. Here are just a few of the potential questions that you might ask of the personnel manager or human resource representative:
What do employees like best about the company? What do employees like least about the company?
How large is the department in which the opening exists? How is it organized?
Why is this position open?
How much travel would normally be expected?
What type of training program does a new employee receive? What type of professional development programs are offered? Who conducts them?
How often are performance reviews given and how are they conducted?
How are raises and promotions determined? What is the salary range of the position?
What are the employee benefits offered by the company?
Possible questions for your potential supervisor include:
What are the major responsibilities of the department?
What are the major responsibilities of the job?
What would the new employee be expected to accomplish in the first six months or year of the job?
What are the special projects now ongoing in the department? What are some that are coming in the future?
How much contact with management is there? How much exposure?
What is the path to management in this department? How long does it typically take to get there, and how long do people typically stay there?
Here are some questions that might be asked of would-be colleagues:
What do you like most or least about working in this company? What do you like most or least about working in this department?
Describe a typical workday.
Do you feel free to express your ideas and concerns? Does everyone in this department?
What are the possibilities here for professional growth and promotion?
How much interaction is there with supervisors, colleagues, external customers? How much independent work is there?
How long have you been with the company? How does it compare with other companies where you have worked?
2. Be physically prepared – Image is important to all organizations, and a large part of the image that you project is largely a function of your physical appearance. In other words, if you look the part, the chances of getting the job increase exponentially. The key to dressing for an interview is not only to be professionally dressed, but to convey an image that is consistent with the company and the position. An interview is not the time to redefine the meaning of professional dress. Make sure you feel comfortable in the clothes that you choose to wear to the interview. If you look good and feel good, you will undoubtedly convey these positive feelings throughout the interview.
3. Practice makes perfect – Many marketing experts have discussed the similarities between finding a job and personal selling. When you are job hunting, you are, in essence, marketing or selling yourself. If you were selling a product, you would strive to become as familiar as possible with that product. You would not only learn the positive features and benefits of the product, but understand the limitations of the product. In this case, you have to know everything the interviewer could conceivably ask about you. This should not be difficult, but you have to be prepared. The best way to prepare is through practice and repetition, so that you feel confident answering questions about yourself.
The following is a list of questions regarding school, work, and personal experiences that are often asked during the interview. The more you have thought about these questions prior to the interview, the better your responses. Questions pertaining to school experiences might include:
Which courses did you like most? Why?
Which courses did you like least? Why?
Why did you choose your particular major?
Why did you choose to go to the school you attended? What did you like most or least about this school?
If you could start college again, what would you do differently?
Questions pertaining to work experiences might include:
What did you like most or least about the job?
What did you like most or least about your immediate supervisor?
Why did you leave the job?
What were your major accomplishments during this job?
Of all the jobs you have had, which did you like the most and why? Of all the supervisors you have had, which did you like the most and why?
Questions pertaining to personal experiences might include:
Of all the things that you have done, what would you consider to be your greatest accomplishment and why?
What do you consider to be your major strengths? What do you consider to be your major weaknesses?
What kind of person do you have the most difficulty dealing with? Assuming that you had to work with such a person, how would you do it?
What do you think are the most valuable skills you would bring to the position for which you are applying?
What are your short-term goals (within the next five years), and what are your long-term goals?
4. Maintaining a proper balance – A good interviewee will know when to talk and when to listen. Your job is to present a complete picture of yourself without dominating the conversation. The best strategy for success is adapting to the interviewer and following his or her lead. When you are answering questions, do not let your mouth get ahead of your mind. Take a moment to think and construct your answers before rushing into a vague and senseless reply.
5. The interview process does not end with the interview – After the interview be sure to write a letter expressing your thanks and desire for future consideration. It is a good idea to mention something in the body of the letter that will trigger the memory of the interviewer. Look for unique things that happened or were said during the interview and write about these. Too often, students neglect writing this simple letter and lose the opportunity to present their professionalism one more time.
Where to look for additional information
Sports career books
Aspatore Books. Career Insights: Presidents/GMs from the NFL, MLB, NHL and MLS on Achieving Personal and Professional Success: Landing a Job with a Sports Team (Boston: Aspatore Books, 2004).
Field, Shelly. Career Opportunities in the Sports Industry (NY, NY: Checkmark Books, 2004).
Fischer, David. The 50 Coolest Jobs in Sports: Who Got Them, What They Do, and How Can You Get One! (New York: Arco, 1997).
Floyd, Patricia A., and Allen, Beverly. Careers in Health, Physical Education, and Sports (Ohio: Brooks/Cole, 2003).
Heitzmann, William Ray. Opportunities in Sports and Fitness Careers (NY, NY: McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books, 2003).
Holzhauer, Tom. Sports Career Tips for Teens (Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse, 2006).
Menard, Valerie. Careers in Sport (Hockessin, DE: Mitchell Lane Publishers, 2001).
Stein, Mel. How to Be a Sports Agent (Harpenden, England: Oldcastle Publishing, 2006).
Sports career Web sites
http://careerplanning.about.com/od/occupations/a/sports_industry.htm
www.onlinesports.com/pages/jobs.html
www.scottishsport.co.uk/business/jobs.htm
www.sgma.com/jobbankdisplaylistings.cfm
www.sportsdiversityrecruiting.com/
www.sportsmanagementworldwide.com/courses
General career preparation books
Bennett, Scott. The Elements of Resume Style: Essential Rules and Eye-Opening Advice for Writing Resumes and Cover Letters That Work (AMACOM/American Management Association, 2005).
Hansen, Katherine, and Hansen, Randall. Dynamic Cover Letters Revised (Berkely, CA: Ten Speed Press, 2001).
Kador, John. 201 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview (NY, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2002).
Rosenberg, Arthur, and Hizer, David. The Resume Handbook: How to Write Outstanding Resumes & Cover Letters for Every Situation (NY, NY: Adams Media Corporation, 2003).
Whitcomb, Susan Britton. Resume Magic: Trade Secrets of a Professional Resume Writer, 3rd ed. (St. Paul, MN: JIST Publishing, 2006).