Let's face it: internships are viewed with mistrust. When it comes to internships, the stereotype of the eager intern rushing around the office filling staff coffee mugs without being compensated or gaining hands-on experience in the industry may have crossed many of our minds.
For some, an internship is a graduation requirement, but regardless of your academic requirements, an internship can help you get a head start in your sports career. There are numerous reasons why sports internships can help you advance your sports career. Let us look at the four main advantages:
1- Learning possibilities:
An internship's main purpose is to expose you to the fundamental inner workings of a company that is relevant to your professional goals. Your tasks may vary substantially depending on your personal abilities and expertise, as well as the size, demands, and projects available at your organization. Internships in league headquarters or huge firms, for example, are heavily regimented. These larger companies frequently have a pre-determined program with a start and end date. By rotating you around multiple divisions, these sports internships are more likely to give you a wide understanding of the company's activities. Other internships are project-based and focus on a certain business area, such as sales and marketing, finance, operations, and so on.
Internships are available at all levels of the industry. A shortlist of organizations having structured programs is as follows:
• Major League Baseball (MLB) and its affiliates
• The National Hockey League and its affiliates
• National Basketball Association (NBA) teams and affiliates
• Major League Soccer teams and their affiliates
• The National Football League (NFL) and associated affiliates
• NASCAR
• Major marketing agencies (IMG, Octagon, Velocity Sports and Entertainment, and GM R*Works)
• Conferences and Universities in the NCAA
• Marketing Firms with a Collegiate Affiliation (i.e., ISP Sports, Learfield Sports, IMG College)
• ESPN is a sports network that broadcasts
• National Governing Bodies (i.e. USA Track and Field, USA Basketball)
• United States Olympic Committee
• Major sporting goods and apparel companies(Nike, Adidas, and Under Armour)
This list is intended to serve as a jumping-off point for you to get a sense of the possibilities. There's no reason to limit your search in any way. There are certain to be a plethora of internships accessible in whichever field you are interested in.
2- Networking:
Some sports industry professionals say that the most valuable benefit of an internship is the networking opportunities it provides. It isn't WHAT you know; it's WHO you know, that is one of the most commonly used phrases in the sports business field. Employers like to hire people with whom they are familiar. An internship is an excellent approach to establish yourself as a reliable source of information for a potential employer. During your time with the company, you'll most likely meet personnel from other sports-related businesses. These contacts will be helpful not only when you begin your profession, but also as important Rolodex entries as you progress.
3- Traveling opportunities:
What could be better than being at work? Consider taking a trip for your internship! If you work in sports, tournaments can attract staff from all over the country. Sure, being away from home is a sacrifice, but the experience of working while on the road, seeing different areas, and meeting a variety of athletes and people in your field not only changes the landscape but also allows you to network outside of your bubble.
Moreover, colleagues become more than just colleagues; they become family. When problems develop, your co-workers are there to help you solve them and provide much-needed assistance. When you take on sports marketing internships, you'll be working with like-minded people who have all come together with one thing in common: a love of sports. These are the people who speak your language, know the stats, can debate the game, and spend time playing or watching the game with you after work.
4- Competitive advantages:
Finally, spring 2020 sports internships will provide you with an edge over your competition. With so many young professionals attempting to break into the sector, having a strong internship on your resume will give you an immediate advantage. It's crucial to remember, though, that countless others will have internship experience as well. To set yourself apart, you'll need to impress your boss and develop a strong list of references for your resume, before you go and apply on websites such as sportsgigs.us.
Overall, sports management summer internships and spring 2020 sports internships provide you with hands-on experience with your chosen sport, whether it's a golf internship working on a tour for operations or a marketing job promoting and connecting fans with athletes. Even better, you might be shaking hands with professional athletes, filmmakers, and other high-profile contacts who can help you advance your career after graduation.