An Off-The-Field View of the Sports Industry
Ghostwrote a series of posts for the CEO of SporJo, a company working in sports recruitment. Published here.
Photo: Tourism Victoria/Flickr/Creative Commons (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/)
What’s the first role you think of when someone mentions a job in the sports industry? An athlete? A coach? A manager? A physiotherapist?
You’re right on all these counts—they are all crucial sporting jobs. But what you may not be aware of is that there are dozens of other roles in the industry away from the main action that are equally important.
Let me break it down for you. Take a T20 cricket match. It’s not ideal to consider only the teams, umpires and broadcasters as part of the game. It takes a team of approximately 300 people to put a three-hour game together. If we include essential services like police, vendors and volunteers the number goes up to 2000 for some venues and even more for bigger ones.
As an example, let’s run down working on a T20 match:
It starts months before the game, with sales teams selling on-ground and on-air sponsorship to brands, ticketing outlets opening online portals for fans to buy tickets, and security outfits surveying the venue, drawing up evacuation plans and liaising with local police authorities.
The days leading up to the match are a flurry of activity. Broadcast teams lay down transmission cables and do dry runs for smooth coverage, venue operations teams ensure there are spare balls and stumps, that all public facilities in the stadium are in order, that brand logos and sponsorship signage are properly displayed, and that the third umpire systems work.
On the day of the game, team tasks include making sure that the dressing rooms and dug outs meet players’ requirements, that all electrical units and cables are functioning properly, that the boundary rope is at a safe distance from sponsorship signs along the perimeter of the field, that match officials have all the relevant documents and information needed for the game, that medical kiosks are set up properly and ambulances are on standby. Some coordinate with team managers for on-field interviews and focus on putting together the post-match presentation ceremony.
There’s a list with 150-odd points to check before and during a game, including preparedness for potential events like overcrowding at certain gates, what to do in case of a Super Over and the procedure to be followed if the Duckworth-Lewis method comes into play.
Now imagine some form of this ecosystem at various tiers. Even away from the actual sporting event, there are opportunities in areas like grassroots training programs, equipment manufacturing, business and talent management, advertising, journalism and content, legal services and financial planning. And don’t forget that each job has multiple levels—manager, executive, assistant.
What I’m trying to say is that we need to broaden our thinking and realize that there are ways to channel our passion for sports into fruitful careers beyond the pitch. We may not all be able to strike a ball like Sachin but it’s possible to find jobs that match your education and training (proficiency) even if you don’t have a background in the sports sector.
Right now, there’s a gap between those looking to enter the industry and those looking to fill roles. Potential employees don’t know the best way to reach out to employers and struggle to make their applications stand out. On the other hand, employers are often inundated with so many resumes that they don’t know how to find those diamonds in the rough. There’s a way to resolve this. All that’s needed is a little guidance and that’s where Sporjo come in.
My team and I want to use the knowledge and resources I’ve gained over the last two decades to help assess, counsel and train people to find sports jobs, and to help employers make the best hire, even if it isn’t someone with a traditional background. Whatever your experience, whatever your requirements, we’re sure that we can help find the right fit for the right role. We’ve got the tools to hone and highlight your passion, personality and proficiency and help you become the most eligible candidate for the job. Please remember the Sporjo formula: Passion + Personality + Proficiency = A career in sports
It’s a tall order to create such an ecosystem but one that Sporjo is keen to tackle. While current circumstances present incredible challenges, they also promise opportunities once things are under control. That’s where Sporjo will come into play. I hope the unique and unparalleled system we have created will take you through the process and journey of finding a job and building a career in the Indian sports industry.
Get set, Sporjo!