I've spent the majority of my career in sports. Granted, I'm only 31 so that's not necessarily saying I'm some 30 year veteran of the business - but I do have a strong idea of what this world is like. Of course, every organization, every University, and every agency are very different. I dare only speak to my personal experiences as I know they're vastly different from those of my peers.
Whenever I tell people I work in sports, there's this immediate "how cool" "what a dream" reaction. It's often assumed that I make a lot of money, I'm at all the coolest events sitting courtside at every game. People immediately ask which players I've dated and which ones I party with. The world of sports is seen as a 24/7 party. It's all glitz and glamour and the good life.
The truth? It can be. But it's not big salaries, I'm not sitting on the sidelines at every game, I certainly would never date an athlete I work with and I will leave a bar I see them walk into. It's long hours, hands on labor, little appreciation, cutthroat often sexist environments, and it's one of the hardest industries to break into and excel in. And yet, it's also exciting, and its challenging and it's a playground for creativity and passion. I've cursed it, sworn I'd get out, and yet I still can't completely leave it.
To make it in this world you have to be willing to start at the bottom and I'm talking the very bottom. You have to be willing to do manual labor, work 16-20 hours straight and do all of this for minimum wage or even school credit. You have to work really hard, without complaint, and you have to be open to feedback. Have patience. Realize you aren't making six figures for a really long time, if ever. And you're not in a world where someone is going to tell you how much you're appreciated. It's a world where the staff is replaceable. So you've got to think strategically. You've got to constantly build relationships, learn from everyone you can, and trust very few.
But as cut throat as this world is, I've met some of my best friends in this world. I've grown personally and professionally in this world and I'm not sure I'd have done so had I not been in sports. I've sat courtside and on the sidelines at some momentous games. I've worked side by side with some of the greatest athletes and coaches in the game. I've drank $1,500 wine and eaten a $10,000 dinner. I've flown on the team plane. I've gotten to pursue my dreams and been given incredible responsibility. And that's why I can't give this world up.
In my new role, I'm not 100% centered on sports. I'm sports and product marketing and music and everything in between. And that's scary. But it's also exciting. It's a whole new ball game if you will - and I'm the rookie in this world. But I think at the end of the day, that only makes me a stronger competitor when (or if) I choose to go back to sports full time. It's an opportunity to have something I've only heard about: a work life balance (I'm unclear on the details of this). And it's a position I'm a little uncomfortable going into, which makes it a position I should absolutely take.
The world of sports is glamourous. But it's also really ugly. And really cut throat. Half the time, I didn't know who we were playing or even the name of every player. You're not a fan when you're in that world. You're in a business. And you're an employee in a world expected to increase profit for that business. Certainly, be passionate, don't ever lose your love for the game, but be warned - it's like taking the mask of Mickey - you see the world in a whole new light. And sometimes it's princess castles and light shows, and sometimes it's tantrums and back stabbing. Quite frankly, you're either made for the sports world, or your not.
Personally, I live for this life. If I didn't, I wouldn't still be so scared to walk away. We joke that ball is life in this world. But I'm not sure its really a joke.