Careers in Sport for Those With Finance, Management, and Business Degrees

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When you think of a career in the sports industry, you'll most likely picture players who do all the grafting out on the pitch, field, or court. After all, these people are the stars of the show. They're who people pay a lot of money to see, and where all of the television cameras are focused for the vast majority of a game.

But there are far more career options in the world of sport than playing. In fact, the vast majority of jobs are undertaken out of the spotlight. That doesn't make them any less important or worthwhile. If anything, the players wouldn't be able to do their jobs were it not for the huge armies of people behind the scenes making things happen.

This includes platoons of cleaners and grounds staff who keep stadiums looking tip top ahead of games, security staff that help to maintain safety and order on game days, and sales assistants who keep fans supplied with drinks and snacks throughout matches.

There are lots of specialist roles too, including sports psychologists who help athletes with the mental aspects of their game, physiotherapists who ensure their bodies maintain a full range of motion and won't cramp up during an event, and the dietitians who ensure players are fueled with all the nutrients they need to perform at their best.

If you're someone with a passion for business and finance but who also loves sport, then you might be wondering what opportunities are available for you in the space where these two areas cross over.

Oddsmakers
Those with finance-related degrees are generally a dab hand at numbers, which makes them the ideal candidates for working as oddsmakers.

These are people who analyze the data of players, teams, and external factors that can influence the outcome of a sports game. They will use this data to set the odds that bookmakers will use when advertising their bets to customers.

Demand for sports betting has exploded in the last few years and sportsbooks have opened up right across the United States. Competition among this ever-growing number of bookies is so high that sites like OddsChecker have had to step in to help punters compare all the free bet offers and read reviews of each platform.

These bookies compete by offering better odds than their rivals. But to be able to do that, they need to be confident that their analysis is accurate, and that could be your responsibility.

Financial Advisor
At some point in our lives, almost everyone will need to engage with a financial advisor to get some guidance on what investments, mortgages, pensions, and insurance products are right for them. If anything, the more money you have, the more likely you are to need to services of one of these highly-skilled professionals, since there's more finance to advise on.

This is even more true for professional athletes because they are likely to come into a great deal of money very early in their careers, but then have that source of income dry up much sooner than most other people. This is why an astonishing 78% of professional athletes will go broke within three years of retiring.

Prudent and trustworthy financial advisors are, therefore, incredibly important in the sports industry.

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Agent
Professional athletes don't just do two hours of work a week when they're actually competing. Their schedules are incredibly busy with training, media appearances, meetings, and practice sessions.

Since athletes are usually relatively young, they're also often inexperienced with undertaking the administration elements of their career . This means they won't have had the time to build connections with teams, trainers, and sponsors and they may not be up to speed with all the contractual considerations they need to make before signing deals.

Someone with experience in business, however, is likely to be the ideal person to undertake such a role.

Agents often earn fees and even commissions on their clients' salaries, making it a lucrative career. Of course, it's not the easiest industry to break into, but it could be worth the effort for the right person.