Advice: Sports Career

[Hockey Guest]

(I don't know if this is the right forum to post this, but if it isn't, can someone tell me where I should go?)

Does anyone have any kind of tips on how to break into the hockey/sports industry? Not as a player, but just as someone who works behind the scenes, regardless if it's with analytics, any kind of office job, or anything else in or around the arena.

This has been an industry I have always wanted to work in and would love to work my way up in it, even if I have to volunteer or do internships to start off. I just don't know where/how to start. Like I said, it doesn't even have to be hockey specifically, but since this is a hockey board, I figured I'd ask here. Are there junior/minor league types of opportunities or anything similar out there? I live in Toronto, slightly closer to Mississauga than downtown Toronto itself, so I'm not sure where I might find any of these types of opportunities.

I have graduated with a business degree, so I at least have some kind of education which hopefully could help me further get my foot in a door. So many other industries there are internships and volunteer positions where it might just lead to a boring or dead end job, but I love sports so much that I know working in or around it in any kind of capacity would make me love to work each and every day, regardless if it's an internship or a full on job.

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[Beezeral]

(I don't know if this is the right forum to post this, but if it isn't, can someone tell me where I should go?)

Does anyone have any kind of tips on how to break into the hockey/sports industry? Not as a player, but just as someone who works behind the scenes, regardless if it's with analytics, any kind of office job, or anything else in or around the arena.

This has been an industry I have always wanted to work in and would love to work my way up in it, even if I have to volunteer or do internships to start off. I just don't know where/how to start. Like I said, it doesn't even have to be hockey specifically, but since this is a hockey board, I figured I'd ask here. Are there junior/minor league types of opportunities or anything similar out there? I live in Toronto, slightly closer to Mississauga than downtown Toronto itself, so I'm not sure where I might find any of these types of opportunities.

I have graduated with a business degree, so I at least have some kind of education which hopefully could help me further get my foot in a door. So many other industries there are internships and volunteer positions where it might just lead to a boring or dead end job, but I love sports so much that I know working in or around it in any kind of capacity would make me love to work each and every day, regardless if it's an internship or a full on job.

You aren’t going to get an internship now that you graduated. Almost every team requires their internships to be paired with college credit. You can scour the nhl want adds (they can be found with a simple google search) but there is almost never an entry level position in hockey opps available league wide let alone in your city.

If this is something you really want to do, you have to start at the very bottom. Search the want ads for CHL and AHL teams. Again found with a simple google search. Be prepared to move to the middle of nowhere for a minimum wage job.

If this is something you can financially handle, go for it.

Here’s the honest truth. There are millions of people just like you who want to work in sports. It’s one of the most competitive job markets out there. There are plenty of people with MBAs or JDs who can’t get a return phone call about an entry level job.

Right now, the best way to get into the NHL is via analytics. It’s the new rage and there aren’t enough people who know hockey and know code. Learn code and start an analytics based blog. Find a new way to measure performance that makes sense. Maybe in a few years a team will agree with you and give you a job.

 

[Jumptheshark]

1) Education
2) Connections
3) Find a niche such as analytics--lots of people say they understand analytics but not many people actually know what they are talking about
4) Know why you want to work for a hockey team
I have friends who work in both European hockey and JR hockey in Canada--it is very competive

every time we get this thread, I give the same suggestion

volunteer with your local team--it starts your cv and you will get hands on experience

I have known a few people who worked for NHL teams and they preferred working for JR teams.

it is not as glamorous as you think

we had this thread about 10 years ago (give or take) and some people assumed they would get paid good money and fly with the team. Unless you are travelling secretary you will not travel with the team and many people assume you will have access to the players on the team--many teams this is not the case. A few years ago a buddy of mine worked for the canucks and he got sacked because he was in the dressing room--doing nothing--but he did not have to be there--he was in sales-there was no need for him to be in the dressing room

I can only relate my own experience in working with Luton FC and The Fulham FC--the hours were maddening and I rarely saw a game or a player. I dealt with season tickets holders (usually upset) and media requests which I passed on to the media secretary

if you think you are going to get a front row seat to watch games you are sadly mistaken. You might see a play or two--if you are in the arena--but most of the time you will be in an office doing stuff

 

[Jumptheshark]

btw

is it a BA is business or MBA? there is a big difference

as someone who has a BA in Business--a BA stands for basically anything and it is used as platform for further education

 

[Beezeral]

can only relate my own experience in working with Luton FC and The Fulham FC--the hours were maddening and I rarely saw a game or a player. I dealt with season tickets holders (usually upset) and media requests which I passed on to the media secretary

this is another reality. Most people go into it thinking they will be working for the team and that they will be hanging out among players. Then they end up with an extremely high pressure job like ticket sales and the only thing sports related about their job is that they are selling tickets to a sporting event.

 

[Jumptheshark]

this is another reality. Most people go into it thinking they will be working for the team and that they will be hanging out among players. Then they end up with an extremely high pressure job like ticket sales and the only thing sports related about their job is that they are selling tickets to a sporting event.

also--people --some--assume they will be sitting at the big table with the GM making decisions--that will never happen

 

[Beezeral]

also--people --some--assume they will be sitting at the big table with the GM making decisions--that will never happen

yup.