How to Get into Sports Marketing

Marketing is one career field that continuously keeps on growing. The manner of reaching audiences to help them gain interest in your company or team, in this case, may change from traditional advertising in print media to choosing and using influencers, but the idea is the same: a marketer's goal is to grab the target audience’s attention, plan events, and keep people interested in their client – in this case, a professional sports team.

Working in sports marketing is exciting, due to the creative, fast-paced nature of the work and the people that you'll interact with every day while putting together events and crafting promotional materials. Getting a job in this field is just as exciting, as you'll have to navigate a number of steps in order to qualify. Read on to learn how to get into the sports marketing industry.

What Exactly Is Sports Marketing?

Sports marketing is a varied career field that consist of many different activities, all with one goal: to bring the public's attention to a sports team or specific event put on by that team. This is done in a number of ways, from putting together ad campaigns (print, audio, and video), to developing special events and getting the public interested in them. Sports marketers need to be creative, know their target market and understand how to reach those people. In addition, they have to get things done under strict deadlines, stay within budget and be able to calculate the ROI (return on investment) for a specific campaign, so they know whether or not it was successful.

Start with a Degree in Marketing

Getting into the field starts with a degree in Marketing. The one offered here at Dean College provides students with plenty of classes in every aspect of marketing, not just in sports, allowing them to take their career to the next level. Students will take courses in accounting, advertising, marketing, management, leadership, analytics and more, positioning them for a career in marketing in any industry. In order to enhance those degree-taught skills, many students double major or minor in Communications to hone their writing skills, or Sport Management, to learn more about this specific field. The sports knowledge is just as important as the marketing skills, for students who want to work for a team, league or other athletic organization at the professional, amateur and collegiate levels. For those wondering how to get into sports marketing – this is a critical step.

Gain Sports-Related Experience On Campus

It never hurts to get more sports experience if you want to get into the sports marketing industry. This is why volunteering for a sports team at your college as a student manager or statistician can help. You might also find yourself volunteering or getting a student job with the main athletics department, where you can assist with advertising and marketing campaigns. The more experience that you obtain in the specific field, the better.

Complete a Marketing Internship (or Two)

To go into sports marketing, experience is key. You may find yourself spending the summer working as an intern at a standard marketing firm, or you can pursue an internship with a sports marketing company, in the marketing department of a specific professional sports team or with another athletic organization. The first internship will give you valuable general marketing experience, while the second will show you exactly what's involved in marketing a team. Combined, the two give you a solid background in marketing skills that you can then use to get into the sports marketing industry.

Start Networking with Professionals

Network, network, network! Networking is crucial when it comes to hunting for a job, because who you know (and who recognizes your name) can be just as important as what you know and what you've done, such as completing an internship in the field. Make sure that every chance you get, you're getting to know sports marketing professionals. If they come to give a lecture at your college, speak to them afterwards. Be polite, dedicated and hardworking at your internships. Attend marketing conferences and spend time chatting with professionals. The more people who know your name, the more likely you are to find your dream job in sports marketing.

Apply For Jobs

Finally, you need to apply for jobs. If you've taken the time to get a degree in marketing, spent time interning and working for your college’s sports teams or athletics department, and have done your networking, then the odds are in your favor. Remember that this is a specialized, competitive field, however, and you may need cast a wide net and apply for jobs across the country. Keep an open mind, be prepared to relocate, and you’ll be ready to begin your rewarding career in sports marketing in no time at all! Ready to take the first step? Learn more about our Marketing degree program.