Part 1 of this article featured sales, graduate school and networking as suggestions for starting a career in sports. But the title promises five approaches, so here are two more.
Create a Brand: Increasingly, there are opportunities for people outside of the sports industry to "make a name for themselves" and then transition into the industry. This can be accomplished in several ways. But one prominent way is to write about sports from an "outsiders" perspective.
As an example, economist David Berri penned his book The Wages of Wins (with his co-authors) ten years ago. It summarized the academic research on a range of topics related to sports. But he was certainly coming at the topic from a different point of view and serving a different audience than previous sports books.
Subsequently, he started a blog and contributes regularly to publications like the New York Times and Huffington Post. None of which would have happened had Berri not actively built his brand, starting with that first book.
What to Do Today: The barriers to entry to creating a website or blog approach zero. There is nothing to stop you from starting today. The key is not just starting, but consistently and continuously creating content that get you noticed by others in the industry. It may not happen right away, but what do you have to lose?
The American Idol Approach:Â Another trend to keep an eye on is the increasing use of contests to attract talent into the sports world.
 Just as American Idol revolutionized the search for vocal talent, sports properties are warming to the idea of "discovering" talents outside of the accepted paradigm.
Here are two examples of recent "contests" that can lead to jobs in sports:
What to Do Today: Keep your eyes peeled for future such contests. While it is premature to suggest that these types of contests will become a major component of sports recruiting in the near future, it is a trend worth watching. Even if you don't "win" the contest, the work that you put in developing your application can be added to your portfolio as you build your personal brand.
Create a Brand: Increasingly, there are opportunities for people outside of the sports industry to "make a name for themselves" and then transition into the industry. This can be accomplished in several ways. But one prominent way is to write about sports from an "outsiders" perspective.
As an example, economist David Berri penned his book The Wages of Wins (with his co-authors) ten years ago. It summarized the academic research on a range of topics related to sports. But he was certainly coming at the topic from a different point of view and serving a different audience than previous sports books.
Subsequently, he started a blog and contributes regularly to publications like the New York Times and Huffington Post. None of which would have happened had Berri not actively built his brand, starting with that first book.
What to Do Today: The barriers to entry to creating a website or blog approach zero. There is nothing to stop you from starting today. The key is not just starting, but consistently and continuously creating content that get you noticed by others in the industry. It may not happen right away, but what do you have to lose?
The American Idol Approach:Â Another trend to keep an eye on is the increasing use of contests to attract talent into the sports world.
 Just as American Idol revolutionized the search for vocal talent, sports properties are warming to the idea of "discovering" talents outside of the accepted paradigm.
Here are two examples of recent "contests" that can lead to jobs in sports:
- MLB Fan Cave. This contest is in its fourth annual "season" after its initial success in 2011. The general arc is that thousands of hopefuls submit a video and writing samples to be chosen for the opportunity to attend Spring Training with other "finalists". Once there, they conduct interviews with players and interact on social media hoping to be selected to join the "cast" of the Fan Cave for the upcoming season. If selected, you work in New York creating content on the MLB Network and online. And many cast members have subsequently found positions with major league teams.
- Sacramento Kings Draft 3.0. This contest is designed to identify analytics talent to assist the Kings in their search for the best possible draft pick. The process was to submit ordering of players and the methodology that drove the recommendations via the Kings' website (entry date has already passed). Then two winners will be selected and they will meet with the General Manager leading up to the draft and be guests of the Kings in their Draft Room for the NBA Draft in June.
What to Do Today: Keep your eyes peeled for future such contests. While it is premature to suggest that these types of contests will become a major component of sports recruiting in the near future, it is a trend worth watching. Even if you don't "win" the contest, the work that you put in developing your application can be added to your portfolio as you build your personal brand.