Last Updated on January 4, 2024
Finding an Internship in Sports Guide

There is a Catch-22 in every industry. Someone applying to a full-time job needs experience to land their first job, and they can only get the first job if they have experience. Internships can be a great loophole to help you get the desired outcome and break this difficult cycle.
In this guide you will find…
Tips for landing an internship
What does an intern do?
This is going to be different at every organization in the Sports Industry. Speaking from experience it can mean working in the ticket office, as an administrative assistant, or even being the mascot from time to time. In smaller organizations (think D-League Basketball or Minor League Baseball), these teams are operating on a shoestring budget so an intern (if they have the position available) can expect to do a wide range of tasks.
However at a larger organization with a bigger budget they likely have an intern position in several departments (i.e. finance, sales, front office, etc.). A good internship will have a wide variety of tasks which provide ample learning opportunities and tangible experience you can add to your resume.
Are interns paid?
It may or may not be included in an organizations’ annual budget to pay an intern. If the organization does pay their interns, it likely is not very much. An organization may tell you that they pay you with experience. This is not entirely false, but also, it is in your best interest to ensure that organizations you are looking at interning at will help further your career in the direction you desire. It should be a fair exchange of your labor for the opportunity for you to learn from their expertise, organizational structure, and systems.
How can I find an internship?
Many companies post positions on the typical job board websites (GlassDoor, Indeed, Monster, ZipRecruiter, etc.). There’s also some websites like summerinternships.com that are specifically geared for summer internships and even include sports related internships. Also, many teams and organizations will post positions on their website under the “Careers” or “Team” section.
Aside from the internship, old-fashioned networking is valuable and can open doors that were not advertised on the internet. Using LinkedIn (not so old-fashioned) is also a very effective way to network. Many people are more likely to answer a LinkedIn direct message than an email from someone they do not know.
It is important that you do not message them and explicitly state in the first sentence that you are only messaging them to get an internship. It is best to build a connection with them, see what got them into the industry, what they enjoy about their job and if it is not too much of an inconvenience maybe you could meet in person or set up a time to chat over the phone. Here you will hopefully have a conversation that is steered towards your own career and goals. Even if the person you are speaking to is not able to offer you an internship, they likely know someone else whom you could have a similar conversation with. Rinse and repeat and soon enough you will be speaking to the right person who can help you to gain the internship.
If you are are currently pursing a degree in sports management or a related field, you can expect to have a wide variety of options since you are coming into the role with a solid foundation. Whether or not this opportunity will result in a full-time job offer, it will certainly give you the chance to earn a quality reference that might be key to landing a dream job a bit further down the road. Keep this in mind as you come to work each and every day eager to prove yourself and build your skills, and you will know you are making the most of this opportunity.
Is it good to do an unpaid internship?
There may be differences of opinion on this topic, but If you are looking to change careers or take an initial step into a career in the sports industry, then the jobseeker should be prepared to spend some time without income. This may be a difficult but necessary step, but it comes with a lot of upside. You will expand your professional network, gain skills, experience, and insight into the field and be able to better identify what exact sort of role or position you could see yourself doing.
Another benefit is that it is generally understood that when you accept a role as an intern, you commit to a certain amount of time (usually less than six months) and you will be actively job searching during that time. If you are valuable enough to the organization, they may make you an offer for full-time employment. At the very least, you will come away with an inside look at whether this type of role and this type of organization are a good fit for you professionally. According to Professor Dan Matheson of the University of Iowa, who recently spoke with Sports Degrees Online, the importance of internships as a springboard to professional opportunities can’t be overstated:
““It’s not uncommon to have to go do an internship, even potentially a couple internships and use those internships as auditions that hopefully open the door to a job offer. [Even if] the employer you’re working with doesn’t have a job to offer you at the time, if you’ve done great work for them, they are going to want to pick up the phone and call their colleagues elsewhere and tell them, “we can’t hire this young person right now, but you should if you’ve got a slot for them.” [source]
Considering how the global pandemic has changed everything about our world, it should not be surprising that it may take a while yet for internship opportunities to return to ‘normal’. Even if you are only offered a remote or partially internship, there is still a great deal to learn by working on real world tasks and projects even remotely. Small tasks add up to large initiatives, and there are lessons to learn from work that may feel tedious or unglamorous. Further, the ability to complete tasks and projects from a distance without direct supervision offers you the chance to demonstrate your work ethic and responsibility. Potential employers will certainly take notice of these traits, as these characteristics are exactly what they are looking for when filling entry-level positions.
I got an internship interview… how do I ace it?
7 Tips to Land an Internship
- Customize your CV to that specific internship
- It is important that your resume and cover letter are specific to the role. The strategy of creating a generic resume and sending it to as many people and organizations as possible will likely not be fruitful. It is likely that the organization you are applying to is receiving hundreds of applications. If you truly want that position, it is your responsibility to make your resume stand out. There are a few websites that allow the user to style their resume in an aesthetically pleasing way like novoresume, canva, and zety. While having a resume that is nice to look at may be helpful, still make sure it is being adjusted for every application you submit. Your resume and CV should mirror language that is in the job description and highlight the skills and requirements that are posted about the job.
- Do research on the organization
- A little research can go a long way. If you are able to find out the hiring manager, or the head of internships at the particular organization, it is a leg up if you can reference them in your application. Also, be familiar with the history of the organization. Show that you have done some research by referencing publicly available data in your CV.
- Take any free online course that can get you a leg up on your competition.
- There are free courses on platforms like Coursera and edX, and Class Central and low cost programs on Udemy. If you have the time, having any kind of relevant certification or “classroom hours” related to the internship will show your interest in the field and dedication to going the extra mile.
- Network at any charity event, promotion, conference, or if possible within organizations that have partnerships with your organization. (Tip- Look and see major advertisers of your desired organization).
- Many sports organizations have a main charitable partner (or multiple partners). One example is the Boston Red Sox and the Jimmy Fund. The Jimmy Fund organizes events and programs that benefit the Dana Farber Cancer Institute’s research related to cancer treatment and cures. The two organizations work together throughout the course of the year. Volunteering at a Jimmy Fund event is not only a great way to support the organization, but also it may open doors with partners of the Jimmy Fund (i.e. the Boston Red Sox).
- Use Linked In to your advantage
- Job seekers 20 years ago would kill for something like Linkedin. At this point in time it has never been easier to access people in a professional manner online. While it is difficult to get a specific email address, many professionals have a Linkedin profile and it is in the public domain. People can send them a direct message. While it is up to them if they respond or not, it is generally more effective than sending a “cold email.”
- Apply On Time!
- If it is an established internship program, the deadlines and requirements will be posted on their website. Applying late may mean automatic exclusion, while applying early demonstrates proactiveness on the part of the applicant. Also, follow up on your application. If you have not heard anything in 1-2 weeks, it is completely acceptable to call, email, or contact the receiver of applications or the Human Resources Department.
- Prepare for your interview
- Spend some time practicing your own “elevator pitch.” This should be a 2 min or less encapsulation of your background, experience, what brought you to apply for this position, and what you can offer to the organization. Practice and set a timer to make sure you can speak concisely and confidently. An interviewer can ask all sorts of questions, so be prepared. Be prepared to unpack any experience listed on your resume, and any questions listed here.
- Why do you want to work here?
- Tell me about a challenging experience you overcame.
- How does this position align with your future goals?
- What position do you generally take while working in a team (more of a leader, or a supportive member ready to executive actions swiftly and effectively).
- What hobbies do you have outside of work?
- What is your greatest accomplishment either personally or professionally?
- How do you handle stressful situations? (Have an example prepared)
- Do you have any questions for me? (This is very important to have prepared questions to ask the interviewer! This article in Forbes gives some great insight for interviewees to consider).
- Spend some time practicing your own “elevator pitch.” This should be a 2 min or less encapsulation of your background, experience, what brought you to apply for this position, and what you can offer to the organization. Practice and set a timer to make sure you can speak concisely and confidently. An interviewer can ask all sorts of questions, so be prepared. Be prepared to unpack any experience listed on your resume, and any questions listed here.
Most sports internships are in the range of $12-$25 per hour. Some opportunities may be unpaid. While it can be tough to work for little or no money in the short term, the networking and experience may end up being worth it in the long run.
Check the employment sites of major and minor sports teams and leagues, work your personal, academic, and family network for possible connections, scan job listing sites such as talent.com, linkedin, and ziprecruiter, and ask your coaches and college professors for any possible internship opportunities. If you’re just starting out, be ready to say yes to just about anything that is legitimately connected to professional or collegiate sports, and remember that every person you meet there may be someone who can help you down the road.