Behind Sport

100

PIECES OF ADVICE FOR GETTING STARTED IN THE SPORT INDUSTRY

Introduction You’ll probably have downloaded this book for one reason and one reason only, you’ve got ambitions to work in the world of sport. We don’t blame you, the sports industry is incredible and it’s full of incredible people doing incredible things.

However, we also understand that the sports industry can be difficult to access when you’re looking to begin your career.

Those people who work in the industry are one of the main reasons we started Behind Sport. We wanted to give a spotlight to those people and the work they’re doing because we felt like it wasn’t talked about enough.

Since launching our website in May of 2020, one of our feature series, Industry Insider has seen us talk to over 150 people who work in a variety of different roles and sports. Who better to ask for advice for getting into the sports industry than those who have actually done it?

At the end of every Q&A, we asked the same question…

“What is one piece of advice you would give to someone who wants to work in the sports industry?”

We’ve compiled the best pieces of advice we’ve been given over the last 18 months and brought them together in one place, to help you, the reader, make their way into the sports industry.

When reading through the advice, if there is a particular person and role you would like to learn more about, you can click the Behind Sport logo which will take you to their full Q&A. If you have ambitions to work in the sports industry then this book will help.

2

behindsport.com

Adam Summerton Commentator at BT Sport

Do as much work experience as possible. Be organised, do your research, prep meticulously, be observant, think on your feet and outside the box, always be thinking of a new angle, better ways of doing things. Most of all, enjoy it.

Hannah Newhouse US Motorsport Reporter

Get any and all the experience that you can. Be willing to do the grunt work and be multifaceted whether that is in covering different sports or different roles.

One of the biggest things that has helped me is my willingness and ability to do several different roles in a job.

Jordan Brown

Social Media Officer at Derby County (now Manchester United.)

I’m probably not qualified to give this advice, but I can speak from my position that I’d advise getting as much experience as possible. There are plenty of local clubs across a variety of sports that would be grateful for the coverage.

Owen Jackson

First Team Sports Scientist at Wrexham AFC Control the controllables.

What I mean by that is, there are specific things in your life you can control, your discipline, your attitude, your effort etc. Make sure these are bob on and the rest will come with it.

behindsport.com

3

Well, I’m bound to say this, but learn how data plays a role in your current job, organisation, or industry – even if it doesn’t have a direct impact on their chosen path.

Fiona Green

Director and co-founder of Winners CRM

4

behindsport.com

eLearning course

WINNING WITH DATA Using CRM and Analytics in the Business of Sports

Only €395/£345 inc VAT Visit winnersfdd.com/elearning to enroll today » This digital eLearning course will provide you with the foundational knowledge and tools to apply data-driven thinking to fan engagement alongside decision-making that will help any sports rights owner increase revenue, engagement, and participation.

• 7 modules covering the key principles of CRM and digital marketing

• Unique Exercises with Feedback from industry experts

• Taught by tutors with over 30 years industry experience

• 1-2-1 video calls with the course tutors

You will learn...

The information I learnt in each of the modules on the Winning with Data course helped me receive a job offer to work with data in sport and for that I cannot thank and recommend them enough!”

Thomas McNeil

• The Principles of CRM • The Importance of Data • The CRM Eco-System • Data-driven marketing • CRM and data in Sponsorship • Data and the Law • Business Change

GET IN TOUCH

+44 (0)330 111 3880 elearning@winnersfdd.com winnersfdd.com/elearning

Andy Watkins

Social Media Manager for QPR FC All I would say is to get as much experience as you can and to try to make an impression. It’s a notoriously difficult industry to break into so the more experience you get the better.

Tecwyn Davies

Senior Digital Project Manager at Formula E Get your hands dirty, learn as much as possible and try to educate yourself about the different areas of working in sport, it’s much bigger than you think when you take into account what’s behind the scenes.

Jake Gallagher

Robyn Kennerdale

It’s an overused cliché but be nice and be yourself.

Just because you’re in business and you’re in a professional environment doesn’t mean you’ve got to turn into a knobhead who thinks they’re on The Apprentice.

Treat every single thing you do as a learning experience, try and learn something from every person you meet.

I have worked with some incredible people over the years and each has taught me something different which I try to keep with me.

Head of Social & Content at oddschecker and WhoScored

Supporter Services Manager at Huddersfield Town FC

Tom Williams

Head of Sport Science and Research at LA Galaxy One piece of advice I would give someone going into sports would be to do as much research in the market you are going into as possible, know the teams, athletes, stadiums, people in management etc.

6

behindsport.com

There are many different avenues into the industry.

Just because one door is closed don’t think that is the only door available. Intelligent, hard work will always get you where you want to go!

Ian McCallum

First Team Operations Manager at Lincoln City FC

behindsport.com

7

Kieran Clarke

Photographer working with Premier League talent & more Always try to improve, push on and if you have a setback, take the lessons and go again. It’s never going to be plain sailing, there’s always ups and downs.

If you fall off the bike, just getup and go again.

Dean Davies

Freelance Designer (Ryder Cup, Euro 2020, Southampton FC & more) Putting out consistent work and gaining a style that people can attribute to you will catapult you into a category of designers that get recognised for the work they put out, that in itself will bring in opportunities.

Tom Bray

Marketing & Comms Executive at Wellington Phoenix FC Be adaptable and embrace the challenges and the opportunities that are put in front of you. Also, be kind and caring – it’s amazing what a simple gesture of kindness will do, especially in an often-stressful environment.

Jayvik Patel

Digital Content Operations Manager at the FA (now Oracle Red Bull Racing) Pick a discipline and become the go-to person for it. Being disciplined in this approach allows you to be more confident and whenever someone has a question or looks to you for advice, you can answer them with 100% certainty which goes a long way with people.

Morven Bruce

Event Management Manager at Triathlon Scotland Firstly, volunteer and take advantage of opportunities that are available to you. Secondly, persevere – I know from personal experience that it can be a difficult sector to break into.

Also, be willing to take some risks.

8

behindsport.com

Work anywhere you can regardless of what role it is, try to get into an organisation you think you’d like to work for and even if you are just making tea, the connections you make will be invaluable going forward for sure.

Hayley McQueen

Presenter & Broadcaster at Sky Sports

10 behindsport.com

behindsport.com9

Ehsen Shah

Founder & CEO of B-Engaged Play the long game. You might not always get to do the fun work or the projects you want, but your commitment through all tasks is when you’ll see the most rewards.

Gabriella Hay

Head of Membership Development at Swim England Make connections, network, and don’t be afraid to reach out and ask questions. Be bold, be brave and believe in yourself – you never know where you might end up. You can be the change you want to see in the world.

Ellie Farrer

Client Partner at COPA90 Make connections who you know will help you more early on. Try and get any work experience you can that could be relevant to the sports industry.

If you have a passion, follow it no matter how big or small.

Robert Hunke

Football Commentator for ARD (German TV), (now Anchor at RTL) Practice, practice, practice!

I worked for low pay for two years, just to get a chance to commentate on games in the 4th division.

You have to see clearly that nobody is waiting for you.

Neil Smythe

Media & Operations Director at Hashtag United Be agile. The way things are going, you can almost guarantee you won’t end up where you thought you might.

But be in it for the journey, enjoy the ride, and never stop learning or you’ll get left behind.

10

behindsport.com

It might sound old fashioned, but it’s true: work your backside off and dedicate yourself to it.

Regardless of what element of the sports industry you want to major in, demonstrate just how much passion you have for it by going over and above every time.

Alan Burrows

Chief Executive of Motherwell FC

behindsport.com

11

John Phillips

Social Media Executive at West Indies Cricket Be passionate about what you do and never give up on your ideas.

Not everyone will say yes, but never disregard the research and time you’ve put into your content, respect it and give it a chance.

Ryan Baldi

Freelance Writer and Author The most obvious advice to give is that anyone who wants to write, should write. Writing is craft, not art – the more you do it, the better you will get. So write a lot. But also study the writers you like and think about what it is about their work you most enjoy.

Jamie Van Leeuwen

Social Media Lead at ESPN in Australia & New Zealand Keep learning. Plenty of leaders in the social media space don’t have formal qualifications – you don’t need formal qualifications in 2021 when you have access to YouTube tutorials.

Alex Chaffer

Content Manager for Bundesliga EN The saying ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know’ is so true. I know more about the Bundesliga than most but I didn’t have that knowledge from day one.

You have to network with people and make friendships to earn the chance to show what you’re capable of.

Mike Tannenbaum

Manager of Corporate Partnerships at San Diego Gulls Obtain as many internships as early as possible in your career. Make sure you network while doing them.

Try to get as much diverse practical hands-on experience as possible – workingall departments.

12

behindsport.com

Work harder than anyone around you and be yourself – that’s two!

But there’s only one you.

Michelle Owen

Broadcaster for Sky Sports

behindsport.com

13

Liam Kiziltan

Founder and Community Director at EQUIP Group You have to make contacts.

It’s not good enough to just get good grades, you have to put the work in and introduce yourself to people and give them a reason why they should listen to you and show them how you can help them.

Jamie McMillan

Content Manager at Scottish Rugby I know it has been said before, but it is simply patience. Everyone is so keen to be at the top of the mountain but not everyone is willing to climb it.

Use the time at the start to ask questions, learn and lean on others.

Adam Whyte

Media Content Officer for Southampton FC (now Social Media Producer) Keep trying to get your name out there and recognised by those within the industry. Use platforms such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram to your advantage in order to showcase your work in a professional manner.

Esteban Gonzalez

3x3 Digital Content Manager at FIBA Create stuff even if nobody watches it, because when applying for an internship, this is your best presentation.

Even if you do it only for yourself, it’s important to work on your skills as much as you can.

Emma Stone

Sports Therapist at Millwall Lionesses Volunteer at grassroots.

Make sure you gain not only the experience but an understanding of the lows that come along with the highs. It’s hard graft, yes, it is rewarding but it takes a lot of your life up.

14

behindsport.com

Hard work beats talent.

Everyone wants hard-working and talented people in their organisation but if you can only have one of those things, you’d take the person who shows up every day with a smile on their face, ready to work hard.

Lewis Wiltshire

CEO of Seven League

behindsport.com

15

Charlie Hoare

Head of Creative at HIFEN Studios One piece of advice I would give anyone wanting to work in the creative industry is make it your life, even if you aren’t in a ‘role’ there’s so much you can do at home, off your own back.

Hunter Horenstein

Director of Fan Engagement for Myrtle Beach Pelicans There’s plenty of advice out there, but for me it’s two things: know your why, and take care of your mental health. Your why is the reason you do this. That goes hand in hand with your mental health.

This job is hard enough as it is, the hours are long and you make sacrifices to do this. Take care of yourself.

Erin Hodges

Digital Communications Manager at the Colorado Rockies Patience. Nothing in this industry comes fast or easy. Stay the course, work hard, and in time the things you want will come. I realize that is easier said than done but give yourself the grace you need and allow yourself the space to be patient.

Marvin Sordell

Former Professional Footballer and co-founder of Oneighty Productions Be friendly, open minded and persistent. The sporting world is one where things can change extremely quickly, and working relationships can play a very important role in your trajectory.

Russ Williams

Freelance Sports Photographer Talk more to people in the industry that you want to be in, and learn from them. If you want to photograph footballers, knock on the door of your local football club, and ask! You don’t have to jump into a Premier League club straight away.

16

behindsport.com

My advice would be to start in the lower leagues on a voluntary basis, help out the current medic there and learn how it is in the real world. Working hard in this environment will open up opportunities and also allow networking with other people.

Danny Fishwick

Sports Rehabilitator at Wolves

18

behindsport.com

Art de Roche

Arsenal writer for The Athletic Every experience, interview, piece of work is a learning curve and it is important not to be disheartened with rejection. It took 5 months of rejection, before I landed my job at Football.London

Luke Lambourne

Media Manager at Leyton Orient FC Hard work and enthusiasm will get you to places that you want to go. In an industry which is so fiercely competitive, it really pays to do all you can to stand out.

Adam Hulme

Head of Social Media at Liverpool FC (now Director of Digital at Creative Players) Make the most of every opportunity and push yourself in every environment you step foot in – especially if it’s not comfortable. It’s cheesy but I’ve always accepted ‘get comfortable being uncomfortable’ and I truly believe in this.

Andrius Vaskevicius

Graphic Designer for AIK Fotboll If you care – it will be visible in your work and people will notice that.

By showcasing your work you show your passion and approach to it, and that may open a lot of new opportunities for you.

Marcus Casey

Former Digital Comms at Six Nations Rugby and The British & Irish Lions We live in a generation where you can search LinkedIn, log on to a web talk, connect with people on the other side of the world. That’s not just in sport but everything we do. My dad always told me to reach out to as many people as possible when I was leaving University.

behindsport.com

19

Try to be flexible and openminded. The sport industry is made up of professionals from various backgrounds with different areas of expertise, and having a range of skills will help you find your place in it. After all, every organisation needs great people from the front office to those behind the scenes!

Elizabeth Stranges

Senior Manager for Sport at Twitter (now Athlete Partnerships at Meta)

20

behindsport.com

Paul Holliday

Head of Marketing & Communications at Bolton Wanderers FC Make the most of any opportunity you get and be prepared to put in the hard yards. Clubs, particularly further down the football pyramid, will appreciate any offer of help they can get, particularly from a media and communications perspective. If you are studying on a sports journalism or PR course, make sure you endeavour to try and get a placement or contribute to a club’s content output.

Craig Bratt

Media Officer for Exeter City FC Never be afraid to work for free to start off with. It is by volunteering that you gain experience and sometimes these can lead to permanent paid roles within the same organisation.

Ben Wild

Chief Doodler at Ben Wild Studios Work hard & try to be unique with the work you do. Oh and be nice. Being nice is easily the best & easiest way to be successful. Most of my big clients have been word of mouth from previous jobs.

There isn’t ever a need to be a dick-head’.

Dan McGeachie

(now Head of Partnerships and Business Development at Huddersfield Town) When I was starting out, I thought the answer to making progress in the industry was to move fast, network tirelessly and say yes to everything.

My biggest piece of advice now would be to slow down, think about the bigger picture and focus on real, meaningful connections.

Steve Feekins

Digital Content Manager at FIFA Chances are incredibly rare, so if you get a foot in the door, be persistent and don’t waste your opportunity.

behindsport.com

21

Don’t limit yourself to one sport. Most people want to work in Football or Formula 1 but there are a wealth of other sports out there that appreciate the extra help and require the same skillset (certainly in digital, at least). Go outside your comfort zone, don’t expect it to happen overnight and apply yourself to every opportunity you get.

Mark Pryde

Social Media Executive at Mclaren F1 (now Senior Digital & Social Media Manager at Fifty Digital)

22

behindsport.com

Dr Dan Parnell

Associate Professor at the University of Liverpool Build positive relationships. Your relationship and communication skills are critical for the development of an effective network in the football (or any) industry. An effective network of people around you, will support critical reflection, learning, innovation and in-turn successful performance.

Reem Sarraf

Creative Manager for AS Roma (now Head of Commercial Creative I believe one of the most important things is to find an opportunity to work with leaders that will challenge you every day, look at any opportunities to improve, and most importantly invest in your individual growth and development.

Adam Peri

Sound Supervisor at Sky UK Be kind. I honestly think one of the best things you can do is be nice to people. It might sound odd or unimportant, but to me it’s been one of my greatest assets. People prefer to work with nice people and that’s really the key to getting work or being considered for future roles. So don’t underestimate the value of kindness.

Emily Clark

Head of Sales and Marketing at Surrey CCC My experience in starting my career at an agency is one I’d recommend.

You learn a lot quickly and are thrown in at the deep end. It’s hard work, but it’s an incredible way to learn and figure out what you enjoy, or don’t enjoy – which can be more important!

Niels Verzijlberg

Content Creator for RKC Waalwijk Don’t let anyone get in the way of your dreams and what you are trying to achieve. A lot of people want to work in this industry, so you have to distinguish yourself. In the early days of your career or even when you are at university, it is important to learn as many skills as possible. Become a jack-of-all-trades in your work field. behindsport.com

23

Here are THREE top tips!

Persevere. It takes time which can be frustrating. But perseverance separates those who really want it with those who don’t.

Work hard. It is a highly competitive industry and you have to be prepared for long unsociable hours and 24/7 dedication. It’s a very fast paced industry so you have to be on top of it. But if you love sport that should be easy.

Be kind. It’s a small industry so maintain a good reputation because you will meet people again at some point in your career and word travels fast. This is just a general life tip too!

Be kind, be helpful and it will be noticed.

Bela Shah

Presenter at Sky Sports

24

behindsport.com

Chase McCarthy

Account Manager, Global Partnerships at MLSE (Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment) Learn! Continue to learn every day.

Consistently read about what is happening in the industry, ask colleagues about things you do not know or are not fully comfortable with, connect with people in the industry to learn about what they do and how they got there, and regularly catch up with your mentors – a good mentor will teach you so much.

Anne-Marie Batson Sports Broadcaster

Understand this is a marathon, not a sprint. Some students have messaged me in the past asking why they don’t have a sports job after leaving university a year ago. Trust me. I understand. There were days when I felt despair thinking nothing was happening. Just keep chipping away, however long it takes.

Gavin Beard

Head of Marketing at Norwich City FC Be patient; if you’re just starting out in your career, there’s nothing wrong with taking a related role in another Sports industry as that’ll give you some good experience in your discipline, and set you up nicely for when a role in Football becomes available.

Nick Meacham

Managing Director of SportsPro Media It’s a very competitive marketplace.

Do what you can to get a start. Try to connect with people in the industry and learn. Sports is unlike any other industry and it takes time to truly understand the dynamics until you’re in it so getting your foot in the door is key.

Kieran Murphy Creative Manager at F1

The sporting industry changes as quickly as pole position, and with as many turns too, that’s one of its biggest challenges. I believe that a big part of where I am today has been down to the relationships I’ve built and the skills I’ve developed and learnt from everyone around me.

behindsport.com

25

It is a hugely competitive industry and volunteering can give you a considerable edge over others. It is all about getting your foot in the door and there is no better way to do that than initially working voluntarily to establish yourself.

It won’t always be easy and it can be difficult volunteering at times but be patient and the hard work will pay off eventually. Volunteer with grassroots clubs or ask to shadow media professionals in professional clubs and remember to document everything you do so you have a portfolio to present to potential employers.

Sophie Davis

Social Media Manager for Swansea City

26

behindsport.com

Joe Dent

Photographer at Peterborough United I would say try and gain as much experience as you possibly can and try and make lots of contacts with professionals who have been in the industry a long time!

For any budding photographers, I’d say get out there and take pictures, whether it be a Sunday League football match, or a kick about in the park with some mates, keep taking pictures.

Gary Taphouse

Football Commentator at Sky Sports Be patient! It’s notoriously over-crowded and competitive. I had to commentate for free at weekends, supplemented by my full-time job in the week to get my foot in the door.

But if you genuinely believe you have the talent and determination to do it then get yourself out there.

Craig Cope

Technical Director at Solihull Moors F.C. It is a unique and fiercely competitive industry, so you need to give it everything you have got. Getting experience, regardless of the level, is critical to achieving employment.

University degrees can open a door but to stand out from the thousands of graduates you will need to have some level of experience.

Aaron Flanagan

Digital Sports Editor of the Daily Star Put yourself in the right places, then ‘right place, right time’ doesn’t become a coincidence. Take work experience, make contacts, and be enthusiastic. There will be setbacks and rejections along the way, but if you don’t buy a ticket, you can’t win the raffle.

Jason Pettigrove

Content Editor at FC Barcelona (now Staff Writer at Fanatix) Find your niche, hone your skills and sell yourself. You’ll be far more effective at your work than if your time is spent concerning yourself on how you wish you could turn a phrase like Jonathan Liew, or write so passionately like Musa Okwonga.

Be you. Be authentic. behindsport.com

27

Be persistent: sport is obviously an industry that’s attractive to work in which naturally brings a lot of applicants to every role. Keep trying if you’re not successful at first. It’s worth the effort.

Andy Etches

Founder & Sports Director at Rezzil

28

behindsport.com

Working hard behind Elite sport since 2017 Rezzil is a suite of virtual drills

Our drills have been academically

designed to analyse, benchmark,

validated and are used around

educate and improve any player.

the world by top clubs, players and managers.

www.rezzil.com

I

T: +44 (0)800 955 8860

I

E: info@rezzil.com

Mark Booth

Director of Digital Content at NYCFC Obvious one: be persistent and don’t be discouraged by rejections.

It’s all timing and your skillset lining up with a need, so inevitably you’ll hear no more than yes.

Nat Coombs

Sports Anchor & Writer Persevere, be humble, have faith in yourself. For that reason, you should give yourself the best chance by being as versatile as possible.

Jonathan McCourt

Marketing Manager at Umbro It doesn’t always have to be the conventional route into sport, find opportunities that allow for skills and knowledge to be transferred to sport if you’re finding too many barriers. Be bold and put yourself in uncomfortable situations to learn quicker.

Will Brazier

Freelance Presenter Be nice to everyone you meet, no matter what role they do. Keep contact with as many people as you can & just be useful, if that’s getting work experience, or applying for roles.

Rob Glover

Social Media Producer - Curzon Ashton F.C. (now at Reading F.C.) Get as much work experience as humanly possible, it’s important to be as adaptable and multi-skilled as possible and if you have a niche sport, run with that, because as I am finding out, everyone wants to work in football!

30

behindsport.com

You’re no longer reliant on someone giving you a chance to get experience in writing, publishing, editing, social media or any of the things geared towards what you want to do for a job. You’ve got the tools at hand through free internet publishing sites and social media to do it for yourself and get noticed.

Whatever you’re passionate about, however polished or not it is, just start.

Grant Russell

Head of Digital at Motherwell F.C.

behindsport.com

31

James Price

Head of Communications at Lancs CCC Be prepared to work for free, and to work long, hard and generally speaking, unsociable hours. Build your contact base, keep in touch with them, don’t be scared to pick up the phone but mostly, be persistent and don’t let anyone get in the way of what you’re trying to achieve.

Alex Fenton

Digital Business Lecturer at Salford University (now Head of Centre of Professional & Economic Development at Chester University There are loads of different careers in sport – use social media (especially LinkedIn), get yourself to as many relevant events as you can and really build up your network. Set up a blog, read, write and make a name for yourself.

Jodie Warrington

Formula E Team Coordinator at Andretti Autosport (now at Mercedes Benz EQ Formula E Team) Never ever give up, stay focused, stay strong and be the best of you.

Scott Palfrey

Marketing Manager at Exeter City F.C. The one most important thing if you want to work at a lower level is to become an all-rounder. At lower levels in sport clubs don’t have the budget to have a person for each thing – social media, PR, video etc so you need to have the skillset to be able to do them all – now you don’t have to be the best at them all, just be able to do them and that will make you more employable.

Scott Goodacre

Founder & Editor of The Online Rule If you’re looking to break into the industry, you need to start working on your own profiles by way of building a portfolio. Start a fan account, begin covering and reporting on something you’re interested in, and start showing prospective employers that you understand how towork online.

32

behindsport.com

My advice would be to find a mentor. It accelerates the learning process and ensures growth.

Watch or listen to recordings of yourself in your role and reflect on areas for improvement.

Jeff Brazier

Presenter & Broadcaster at BT Sport

behindsport.com

33

James Poole

Head of Scouting and Recruitment at Melbourne City Be prepared to work late nights, work weekends and do plenty of travelling. I’ll give you another bit of advice for free – love what you’re doing. You have to love the game to be successful in football and if you don’t, I’d suggest football isn’t the industry for you.

Layla Anna-Lee

Presenter & Content Creator

Be audacious!

Andrew Vazzano

Senior Manager of Digital & Social Media at New York Red Bulls Get well versed in data.

Everything you do now is going to be rated, ranked and analyzed – you best be able to understand why something worked, how successful something was, or… why or what you can change to make it better.

Tom Ravenhill

Marketing Strategist at Vancouver Whitecaps It’s a fast paced, ever-evolving space. Learn from those who have made a career from it. Talk to people, network with them and learn from their mistakes… so that you don’t have to make the same errors! Of course, it is key to make your own mistakes and learn from them the hard way, but for me, this is truly the fast-track to success.

Azhar Muhammad Saul Partner & Senior Vice President of Paradigm Sports

Respect the data and trust yourself. It’s important to fully understand the environment that your business operates in – analyze internal and external forces that are within that environment and build for efficiency always.

Automate what you can. If one is agile in strategy and execution, the results will follow.

34

behindsport.com

Be ready for when the opportunity arises. I didn’t have a conventional route into sport but did everything I could to build knowledge and experience and put myself in the position to get noticed, so that when the opportunity opened up I was ready to take it.

Colin Millar

Operations Manager at Hibernian F.C.(now Head of Marketing & Communications for Team Scotland)

behindsport.com

35

Matt Burgess

Social Media Content Creator at Manchester United (formerly of Shrewsbury Town) My biggest advice is to get in touch with football clubs. Make yourself known to the relevant departments and individuals, but show them how you can be beneficial to the football club.

Anyone can ask for a job, but to show passion, enthusiasm and a skillset which is desirable will take you far.

Megan Reyes

Director of Communications at Blue Wire (now Freelance Athlete Marketer & more) It’s important to have a dream and chase it, despite any disappointments or rejections you might have along the way.

You might send 50 speculative emails, for example… the worst you’ll get back is a ‘no’, but the one that says ‘yes’ will ultimately be the one you’ll remember!

Sam Bailey

Director of Social & Digital for Roc Nation Sports There is no such thing as a bad job in sport and if you are too selective about your first role, then you might miss your golden opportunity.

Chris Payne

Football Brand Designer Work hard and do good work consistently. If you do good work, people will notice you, and you will get more work.

Julia Fry

Head of Communications for Extreme E Be focused, create a shortlist of companies and roles you want to achieve, and then be creative, but also patient about how you go about getting them.

Do your research on people to connect with on LinkedIn, but rather than go straight in and ask for jobs, follow people, engage with them and build relationships, ask to meet for a coffee and ask them some questions about how they got where they are for example.

36

behindsport.com

The sports industry is unlike many others. It is fast paced, ever changing and if you stand still, you will go backwards. However, sport allows you to make a difference to the community in which your Club is embedded into. Don’t underestimate the effect you may be having and the social value.

In summary, give 100%, say yes to opportunities and don’t stand still.

Alex Tunbridge

Chief Executive Officer at Stevenage FC (now CEO at Cambridge United)

behindsport.com

37

Alex Harvey

Solicitor at Sheridans Sport Don’t ask what someone can do for you; instead ask what you can do for them. To give a practical example, if you want to be a sports lawyer, rather than asking a sports lawyer if they can give you work experience, you could instead offer to do something for them, like co-author a blog piece or offer to help run an event.

Daniyal Khan

Freelance Presenter for Arsenal FC & JOE Media Patience is key, you’ll go through self doubt, you’ll watch videos of other presenters and go “why not me?”. You’ll wonder if the time you spend doing these things is worth it, but consistency will get you there and when it does, you’ll be ready to take the opportunity.

Michael Ciolek

Sr. Manager of Memberships for the Seattle Kraken Your net worth is your network.

You must be intentional, genuine, and bold.

Simon Peach

Chief Football Writer at PA Media Be patient, determined and plug away. Only as I got older did I realise quite how competitive this industry is to get into. The more people you speak to and the harder you work, the more I feel you have a chance of breaking in..

Ed Draper

Presenter at Sky Sports News Treat whatever avenue you wish to pursue like learning a sport.

Get as much practice as you can.

Lots of repetitions. Get quality feedback.

And always try to enjoy it.

38

behindsport.com

Thanks for downloading 100 pieces of advice for getting started in the sport industry!

Our purpose at Behind Sport has been to shine a light of the fantastic people working in sport and give them a platform to share their story.

It’s been a privilege to do so.

If you enjoyed reading their advice, please share it with a friend. Use the hashtag #BehindSport and let’s start a conversation!

Ryan & Jack

Using digital to speak directly to your customers Tel: +44 (0) 7539 782979 Email: hdmdigitalsales@gmail.com www.hashtagdigitalmedia.co.uk