Sports Careers in Media: Dream Jobs for Fans
- Sports Editor
- Video Content Coordinator
- Graphic Designer
- Social Media Coordinator
- Sports Broadcaster
Sports media is an athletic career that is gaining importance because of the increasing spectator audience for sports like soccer, Nascar and football. People who watch sporting events such the Olympic Games on television obviously depend upon the people who are filming to allow them to see the action, but they also rely on broadcasters to interpret for them what happens on the field, in the pool, or on the slope. Sports are big business, and people who manage media, write articles, design recruitment footage, and even design the team uniforms play a big part in getting that event before the public. Here are five sports media careers.
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1. Sports Editor
Fans who read up on their favorite players as well as those who watch sports stories on television depend upon a sports editor to put the information together logically and with enough “color” that fans will be attracted to it. That is true whether the story is print or video. The editor decides what story to tell and what athlete to spotlight. He assigns and supervises reporters and attends editorial board meetings to keep the board abreast of the newest developments and issues.
A sports editor also edits the copy or film turned in by his reporters before they “go to press,” and assigns rewrites, if necessary. The average salary for a sports editor is $59,480, but the actual amount is dependent upon the market for which the editor works. Smaller markets do not pay as much.
2. Video Content Coordinator
While the editor concentrates on both print and film, this specialist only works with video. He often travels with the team. Video content coordinators edit and cut film for stories about the teams, but they also cut video to spotlight an athlete for recruitment. They secure film from opposing teams so that the players can study them, and from their own teams to make practice videos.
Video content coordinators must understand the sport in which they work because they often have to edit and correct footage. The median salary for this specialist, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is $37,725.
3. Graphic Designer
Sports enthusiasts with a talent in art and design might consider becoming a graphic designer. This person is responsible for producing layouts to help with team branding and marketing. He or she develops concepts for digital, print and product design. A feel for the personality of the team and an understanding of fan dynamics is vital. For instance, one would not target an ice dance spectator with the same campaign he used for Nascar fans.
4. Social Media Coordinator
Today’s teams and athletes have a social media presence. They post on Facebook, tweet, and even maintain blogs. All these platforms affect the fans and the financial health of the sport. A social media coordinator must be a combination of a marketing specialist, a public relations person, and a salesperson. Most often, these are entry-level jobs, so the coordinator doesn’t actually create a promotion, but he or she is responsible for implementing it. They do media research and analyze data after a campaign or promotion ends. These coordinators also write and edit stories for blogs and posts. The average salary for this specialist is $60,000.
5. Sports Broadcaster
This is perhaps the best-known sports professional outside of the players themselves. The game announcer or commentator is what makes watching sports enjoyable and understandable. This is true of someone who announces a minor league game as well as the commentators who enliven the NFL games in the fall. Generally, these broadcasters work in pairs. One is the play-by-play announcer, and the other is the color commentator. The last person is the one who fills in when there is no action on the field or in the arena by giving personal information about the players or the team in general. Eighty percent of these people are male, but that is slowly changing. Sports broadcasters need a distinctive voice and personality. The BLS figure for TV announcers salaries is $32,450 a year, but Work.chron.com says some spectator announcers make more than $100,000.
Television markets pay very well and employ many people in their sports media departments, but there are many other jobs associated with sports such as webcasting, podcasts, events coordinators, and recreation center managers. Although most require at least an undergraduate degree, sports media careers are varied and, for someone who enjoys sports, could be a dream career.