Do you love sports and want a high paying career in the sports industry? If YES, here are 50 best career ideas that involves sport and pays well. Career opportunities in the sports industry is not only for people who can play football, run a marathon, or people who have sporting talents; the sports industry is a very large one with career opportunities for people with diverse talents.
There is room for Marketers, Doctors, Lawyers, and even Journalists to work and earn in the sports industry. In this article, you’ll find at least 50 different career ideas that you can explore in the sporting industry.
50 Best Career ideas That Involve Sports and Pay Well
1. School Coach
Most athletes begin their careers from high school or college under the tutelage and guidance of a school coach hence, almost every high school or college hires a coach. As a high school coach, you can earn an average annual income of about $33,000.
2. Professional Coach
These are the big dogs, they train professional athletes, and work with major sports clubs and sporting leagues. There’s no limit to how much you can earn as a professional coach; NFL coaches earn up to $8 million per year so your income would largely depend on your certification, experience, and employer.
3. General Manager
If you have a qualification and experience in management, you can go for a short course in sports management so that you can get a job as a general manager in the sports industry. Your job will be to manage a sports club, team, or professional league; coordinating all the business and financial matters concerning the club. You can earn anywhere between $112,000 and $3,000,000 as a general manager in the sports industry.
4. Athletic Trainer
Due to the physical nature of an athlete’s job, many athletes are exposed to injuries which must be treated quickly to prevent deterioration or further complications.
An athletic trainer’s job is to work closely with athletes to prevent, assess and treat injuries.
5. Fitness Director
For athletes to perform better, they need to be physically fit. This is why they work closely with fitness directors, whose job is to plan and oversee the workouts and nutritional needs of athletes so that they can remain in the best physical position, and perform at optimal levels.
6. Photojournalist
All those beautiful photos that make it into sports blogs, magazines and television are taken by photojournalists. Photojournalists are always present at major sporting events to take photos of the event. You can either work as a freelance photojournalist, or work with a sports club full-time.
7. Physical Therapist
When athletes sustain severe injuries, it is the job of a physical therapist to care for them, help them recover from their injuries, and then rehabilitate them so that they can play again. Physical therapists earn around $85,400.
8. Recreation Worker
Recreation workers work in recreational centers such as camps, parks, and other major outdoor facilities. They help to plan and coordinate sporting activities in such facilities and teach visitors how to participate in them.
9. Sports Event Planner
If you are very good with planning and coordinating events, you can sell your services in the sports industry. Major sporting events require a lot of planning which is left to sports event planners to do. To increase your chance of getting jobs in the industry, you should consider getting a Certified Meeting Planner (CMP) certification.
10. Sports Psychologist
It is the job of a sports psychologist to ensure that athletes are in a perfect mental state. They assist them with treating psychological issues like depression, stress, eating disorders, poor self-esteem, and performance anxiety to mention few.
11. Statistician
The ‘stats’ are very important in the sporting industry. They help to collect and analyze statistical information that sports teams and clubs mostly use in recruitment and drafting. You can earn up to $80,000 annually as a statistician working in the sports industry.
12. Referee/Umpire
Referees help to coordinate sporting events and call the attention of the athletes to the rules and policies of the game. They can also impose penalties on athletes who fail to comply with the rules of the game. To become a referee, you may have to start volunteering to work in local leagues then write and pass a professional exam that will qualify you to work as a referee in major leagues.
13. Professional Basketball Player
If you have the features and talents to play professional basketball, then you have a very rewarding career on your hands. Although professional basketball players have to go through rigorous training and exercise schedules, they earn a very impressive average salary of about $4.8 million per year.
14. Professional Baseball Player
Another rewarding career as an athlete in the sports industry is playing baseball professionally. Major league baseball players earn an impressive income of around $4.17 million per year, while the minor league players earn around $36,000 per year.
15. Professional Hockey Player
If you can play hockey, you can consider playing professionally and competing in the National Hockey League where you can earn up to $2.62 million per year.
16. Professional Football Player
The National Football league is one of the most active and richest sporting leagues in the world because Americans love their football. Although getting to play in the national league is not as easy because of the heavy competition, you stand a better chance if you are possess exceptional talent. NFL players earn an average annual salary of $2.11 million.
17. Sports Broadcaster
You can also consider working in the media section of the sports industry. Sports broadcasters help to announce, and analyze live sports events and they earn an average annual salary of $82,730 although leading sports broadcasters in the industry earn millions of dollars annually.
18. Sports Physician
Athletes get sick too and they need to be treated by professionals who understand the nature of their jobs and medical needs. If you have the necessary qualifications, skills and experience, you can earn up to $220,000 annually working as a sports physician.
19. Sports Marketer
There’s room for marketers in the sports industry too. You can work as a sports marketer whose job is to promote products and services related to sports. You can promote sports leagues and teams, or promote athletes so that they can get hired by clubs, and teams.
20. Sports Agent
Another lucrative career in the sports industry that would earn you a cut of an athlete’s huge paycheck is sports agency. As a sports agent, your job will be to represent the interest of athletes and other major performers in the sports industry like coaches and managers so that they can get jobs easily. You will also be in charge of helping athletes get endorsements from major brands and organizations.
21. Sports Writer
You can consider becoming a sports writer and write for sports magazines, sports columns in newspapers, sports blogs, and other sports media. This is a good and lucrative way to put your sports career into good use.
22. Sports Analyst
You can become a sports analyst whose job is to discuss happenings in the sporting industry, and offer helpful predictions.
23. Bullpen Catcher
Bullpen catchers work in baseball teams to start pitchers during the game. To work as a bullpen catcher, you will have to be a former professional player, and you can earn up to $60,000 per year doing this job.
24. Pro Golfer
If golfing is your thing, you can consider becoming a professional golf player and compete in golf competitions in exchange for winning prizes.
25. Sports Information Director
A sports information director is the PR equivalent in the sports industry. A sports director helps to provide valuable information about athletes and teams to the general public or news media.
26. Sports Vendor
If you prefer an independent career in the sports industry, you can consider becoming a sports vendor who sells sports merchandise and memorabilia. You can also be hired by sports teams to make purchases on behalf of the team or supply some of its major needs.
27. Sports Scout
You can also become a sports scout. Sports scouts help to fish out talented individuals and then they help to get them drafted so that they can start playing professionally.
28. MLB Bench Coach
You can work as a bench coach in the baseball league. Your job will be to offer advice and motivation to baseball players during games.
29. NASCAR Driver
Yes, drivers too can earn in the sports industry. If you are a good driver or you can develop your talent as a driver, you can become a professional race car driver for the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR).
You can also compete in other private car racing games. NASCAR drivers earn a lot, a lot more than ball players. Sometimes NASCAR drivers earn an average salary of between $500,000 and $10,000,000.
30. Wide Receiver
Wide receivers function as pass-catching specialists in football games however; you have to be very tall to work as a professional wide receiver.
31. Scoreboard Operator
Another easy but lucrative career in the sports industry is to become a scoreboard operator. Your job will be to update live scores during games. Score board operators earn an average salary of about $66,611 annually.
32. PGA Tour Caddy
A PGA Tour Caddy works with professional golf players to provide yardages and provide psychological support to baseball players.
33. MLB Closer
Another career idea that you can explore within the baseball playing sector of the sports industry, is to become the closing pitcher who gets the final outs in a game when the team is leading.
34. Sports Club Executive
People like Roman Abramovic and the Glazer family started from somewhere, today they are owners of some of the top clubs in the sports industry. You can consider becoming a sports club executive by setting up a small club that can go grow to become a major one.
35. Sports Massage Therapist
The job of a sports massage therapist is a very essential one in the sports industry because they help to relive athletes of any pain and pressure before and after the game by ensuring smooth blood circulation.
36. Sports Nutritionist
You can also become a sports nutritionist. Sports nutritionists help to plan and organize athlete’s meals so that they can always stay healthy and happy.
37. Sportscaster
Sportscasters help to broadcast news on radio or television. They focus on discussing happenings in the sports industry in a way that will keep viewers engaged and entertained.
38. Sports Television Producer
There’s even room for television producers in the sports industry too. You can become a sports television producer whose job is to direct, supervise and coordinate the production of sports television shows, and sports reality shows.
39. Sports Talk Show Host
You can become a sports talk show host too. If you are eloquent, charming, and know how to discuss sports, you can make a name for yourself in the sports industry as a sports talk show host.
40. Rock Climbing Instructors
If you are very good at rock climbing, you can consider picking up a career as a rock climbing instructor. You will be in charge of teaching people how to climb rocks, and would also be called upon to act as a coach, judge or referee for rock climbing sports competitions.
41. Sports Equipment Manager
You can start a business of renting out sports equipment to athletes and teams who are unable to afford their own equipment, or work for a sports team or club as the in-house equipment manager.
42. Sports Facility Manager
You can become a sports facility manager who manages stadiums and other sports facilities to ensure that they always stay in the best shape.
43. Travelling Secretary
Professional athletes travel a lot and to facilitate smooth travel, the services of a travel secretary is often engaged to help make travel plans, book tickets, and ensure that the athletes are comfortable on the trip.
44. Ticket Operations Manager
Your job will be to plan for the printing, sales and distribution of tickets for sports competition. Many sports leagues and clubs often hire a ticket operations manager.
45. Finance Administrator
Someone needs to keep the books, and ensure that sports clubs and teams are making profits and not losses. If you have any finance related qualification, you can consider using it to work in the sports industry.
46. Sports Magazine Publisher
Another lucrative business idea is to publish sports magazines, and other publications for sale in the sports industry. If you can’t afford to start your own sports magazine publication, you can consider starting as a sports columnist, then you can gradually build your way to the top.
47. Professional Cheerleading
If you are a good dancer you can work as a professional cheerleader. Professional cheerleaders help to create entertainment and good cheer during sports games.
48. Sports Bar Manager
Many sports clubs have bars on the side where athletes and other members of the club can relax and unwind. If you are an outgoing person, this is a very perfect job for you.
49. Swimming Coach
You can help to train athletes how to swim, and also help to coordinate swimming competitions and events.
50. Board Games Coach
Lastly, you can pursue a career as a board games coach. You can make money from training people to play board games like Monopoly, Draughts, or Chess etc and also help to organize, and act as referee during board games competition.