Best Ways to Channel Your Passion for Sports Into a Career

Let’s be honest, every sports fan has at least once dreamed of being a professional athlete and imagined themselves in the shoes of their favorite players on screen. The reality is that only 0.00075% of college athletes each year go on to become pros, as reported by League Side. But there are various other ways you can convert your passion for sports into a fruitful and fulfilling career. Some opportunities may even allow you to experience what it feels like to be on the other side of the camera and get first-hand experience of being around professional athletes.

Home-Based Opportunities

Let’s start with a few prominent sports-based jobs you can start from the comfort of your home.

1. Sports Writer

There are two ways to approach this endeavor; you can look for freelancing gigs and get published on established websites or start your blog. The content you write can include recapping recent games, analyzing player performances, creating predictions, or writing long-form articles related. An effective way to grow your blog will be to share content on social media and among your network. Once you start generating good traffic, begin running advertisements to monetize your efforts.

2. Social Media Producer 

If you’re social media savvy and have experience in marketing, apply for digital marketing roles in local sports teams or sports-related organizations. As a social media producer, your job will include closely following the latest developments in various sporting leagues and creating engaging content such as blogs, feed posts, and videos. Additionally, daily you’ll interact with fellow sports fans who react to your content and work towards developing a strong follower base.

3. Sports Podcaster

According to research by YouGov Sport, around 30% of sports fans in the US listen to podcasts at least once a week. The key to starting a successful new podcast will be to select a niche and consistently post content to develop a loyal following. You can earn from podcasts in two prominent ways: stream your content on websites such as YouTube or Twitch where you can earn ad revenue per number of views, or create a subscription-based community where listeners can access content based on a tier system.

Start a Sport-Based Business

For those with an entrepreneurial mindset, here are two types of businesses to consider
pursuing:

1. Online Retail Store:

Compared to a physical location, an online store will require significantly less investment and provide greater upside. Your priority will be to develop strategic partnerships with reputable manufacturers and create a good marketing strategy to promote products online and drive sales.

2. Sports Lighting Business:

This is a great business niche to consider especially if there is an existing underserved need for reliable sports venue lighting in your community. LED lights are the go-to option for most outdoor lighting needs, as while these are great for stadiums, they can also be used for indoor arenas. One of the best ways to learn more about the ins and outs of this niche will be to read case studies of prominent successful businesses.

In addition to running a business, here are a few additional ways you can contribute to the
betterment of the sporting community in your locality:

       ● Become a sponsor for your local school/college sports teams. The money you provide
          will make a notable difference to help the team afford jerseys, training equipment, and
          pay for transportation and accommodation costs during the season.

       ● If you choose to run a store, consider donating equipment to local schools, or during
          drives conducted by non-profits. 

While being an athlete becomes a distant dream for most individuals, that shouldn’t stop you from pursuing your love for sports. As, from being a writer to running an outdoor sports lighting business, there are a plethora of professional opportunities which you can explore to follow your passion.

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