Tomorrow, millions of Super Bowl viewers will return to day jobsthat have nothing to do with athletic pursuits. But for Bethesdaresident Ricky Mattei, 24, every workday is sports-related.
In January, Mattei began working as an account executive forWashington's professional men's soccer team, D.C. United, for whichhis job focuses on persuading more Hispanic fans to attend games. 'Isaid I'd never go into sales, but I love it,' he said.
Sports management is a $221 billion industry, up from $182.8billion in 1999, according to the Charlotte-based Sports BusinessJournal. The field includes advertising, endorsements, facilityconstruction, apparel, broadcast rights, concessions, ticket sales,community recreation programs and much more.
But insiders caution that being an athlete or avid sports fandoesn't automatically mean you are cut out for employment in thesports world. 'There's a naive sex appeal sometimes among people whoread the sports section or watch ESPN SportsCenter three times a dayand think that because they know players' batting averages theyshould be working in sports,' said Jeff Yocom, vice president forexecutive search and placement of the Tualatin, Ore., sports-marketing firm Game Face Inc. 'At the end of the day, sports is abusiness,' Yocom said.
The doors to a sports career are more open than they used to be topeople of all backgrounds, experts said. 'For years, people got intosports because they had an uncle on the team or knew someone . . . orbecause they had a letter jacket,' said G. Lynn Lashbrook, presidentand founder of Sports Management Worldwide, an online sports-management training and placement organization in Portland, Ore. 'Butnow it's more business-oriented,' with more opportunities for womenand minorities.
Still, it's not easy to get into or succeed in this industry.'There is still a much larger supply of candidates than places in thefield,' said Yocom.
In applying for jobs, it's an advantage to have taken relevantcourses and have an undergraduate or graduate degree in sportsmanagement. Alternatively, you can complete a training program thatspecializes in the sports business. Mattei attended such a program atGame Face's Executive Academy, which he describes as 'mostly a salestraining camp.' Although he had no prior sports-related workexperience other than as a professional volleyball player in PuertoRico, he landed a job with D.C. United shortly after completing thetwo-week program.
An internship is another path to a sports job, said Ronald Dick,assistant professor of sports management at James Madison Universityin Harrisonburg, Va. 'It helps you get your feet wet,' he said,noting that internships are usually unpaid, last two to three monthsand vary in the duties assigned.
When seeking an internship or entry level sports job, thinkbroadly, including minor league and college teams, high schoolathletic departments and community recreation programs, Dick said.'There are only 30 general managers in Major League Baseball in theworld and only a handful of real-life Jerry Maguires,' he said,referring to the fictional sports agent in the 1996 film.
Matt Goldberg, a senior at James Madison University who ismajoring in sports management and business, spent last summer as anunpaid intern at Octagon, a McLean sports- and entertainment-marketing firm. His tasks were mostly menial, including makingcopies, sending letters and shipping merchandise, he recalled. 'Youdefinitely have to put in your time,' he said, noting that he lovesthe 'behind-the scenes aspects of sports' and hopes to become aprofessional team's general manager.
To build your career, seek out teams that need your help ratherthan ones that are already winning championships, advised RobertCornilles, president of Game Face. 'Ask yourself, 'where can I makethe most difference?' ' he said. Also, keep in mind that sports is amobile industry. 'Your first job is not likely to be where you willretire,' he said. 'Very few people start and end with the Redskins.'
And even though some professional athletes draw millions ofdollars, don't expect anyone to show you that kind of money. Sportsmanagement 'is primarily a young person's industry, with long hoursand relatively low pay,' Cornilles said.
But there are perks, he noted, such as the opportunity to bearound exceptional athletes or attend games frequently. Besides, hesaid, 'you've got the coolest business card in town when you work insports.'
