Communications majors with an interest and experience in sports will find various opportunities for a solid career in public relations, marketing, media professions, and talent management specific to sports. It is not only the skilled and gifted athletes who can make a name for themselves in the field of athletics because this is an industry that relies heavily on public interest and constant engagement with the audience to thrive. The field of professional and amateur sports holds great career potential for those who are skilled in branding and image-building for individuals, teams, and corporations.
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Marketing
Individuals and organizations involved in competitive athletics at all levels will benefit from self-promotion to raise funds while building a name for themselves. As individuals and organizations become bigger, they will be requiring even more marketing efforts to optimize the opportunities in terms of product endorsements, corporate sponsorships and social media reputation. Marketing professionals in this field have to be adept at written and verbal communication strategies, playing various roles on behalf of their client/employer. Marketing and team promotions may involve managing press releases, social media posts, and profile-raising community events.
Special Events Coordinator
The games season generally follows a fixed schedule determined by the league. Outside of this schedule, the team and the individual athletes stay involved in other sporting events, community work, and charitable endeavors. The special events coordinator takes charge of coordinating involvement in these activities, including recommending which events to prioritize. The special events coordinator works with various entities to facilitate permitting, venue and vendor selection, and event promotions.
Print, Broadcast and Social Media
Many of today’s popular and highly compensated broadcast personalities started their careers covering sporting events as a print, radio, or TV reporter. A bachelor’s degree in communications is the typical entry-level requirement for breaking into this field possibly with an undergraduate internship paving the way for a paid position. This is a field that puts a premium on an outgoing and pleasing personality along with the ability to speak intelligently about a wide range of topics especially for those who are aiming for a front line job as a field reporter or show anchor.
Public Relations Specialist
Handling public relations for an individual or a team means accepting a role as the spokesperson for the client/employer. One must be able to handle press liaison duties in good times and in bad. The PR specialist may also be expected to handle crisis management tasks when the need arises.
Talent Management
Athletes who want to capitalize on their record and reputation to ensure a distinguished career need representation. The team or individual will usually have a group of professionals tasked with ensuring that they are getting the best exposure and optimizing the opportunities open to them to enhance their reputation and build their fortune. Athletes at the beginning of their career may rely on one individual to take on most of the tasks of a talent management team.
There are many ways to get involved in the field of sports even for those who are not gifted with athletic abilities. Experience and expertise in various communication strategies allows anyone with a keen interest in the field to establish a solid career track. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates 6 percent growth between 2016 and 2026 for the field of media and communications.