Sports-marketing communication professionals develop commercials that promote and advertise sports games.
Sports-marketing communication careers entail working in media, advertising and online marketing. Job titles such as communication assistant, marketing manager, PR specialist and sports writer all fall under the sports-marketing communications umbrella. Similar to other industries, sports-marketing communications jobs typically require a bachelor's degree and related work experience in the sports field. Average salaries range from as low as $20,000 to well above the six-figure range, depending on job role and experience.
Types
The types of jobs that fall under sports-marketing communications vary considerably. Some college graduates choose to become public relations assistants who help sports leagues and manufacturing firms manage publicity for different teams and athletic companies. Other entry-level roles include marketing-representative or event-coordinator positions, which use communications to educate the public on different sporting events and activities.
Senior-level positions, such as marketing directors or vice president of sales, oversee entire departments. Although sales focuses on duties such as ticket sales for sports leagues and associations, these professionals also utilize marketing and communications tools to generate sales revenue. Other responsibilities that fall under sports-marketing communication departments include media relations, advertising, market research, website management and social media.
Entry- and Mid-Level Salaries
Despite low starting salaries, competition is intense for sports-marketing communication jobs. As of April 2010, Boston College stated that sports-marketing salaries for entry-level positions generally ranged between $25,000 and $30,000. Boston College also revealed that marketing coordinators with up to three years of experience averaged between $25,000 and $33,000 per year. Experienced professionals such as events and hospitality managers averaged between $40,000 and $60,000 annually. Marketing Operations directors with four to seven years of experience earned from $65,000 to $90,000 yearly.
Senior-Level Salaries
At the senior level, salaries rise substantially for sports-marketing communications professionals. For example, a 2007 Baylor University salary survey stated that account representatives working in corporate sales for the National Football League averaged between $19,320 and $56,468 annually. However, employees at the sales-manager and director level reported an average salary between $102,130 and $150,000 annually. Vice presidents averaged salaries as high as $300,000 per year. While marketing directors with five to 10 years of experience averaged between $150,000 and $350,000 per year, vice presidents of marketing averaged salaries as high as $750,000, according to Boston College.
Job Outlook
While job growth for the marketing profession overall is expected to grow 13 percent through 2018, jobs for sports-marketing communication professionals are likely to remain limited. Wake Forest University cites industry perks, including free tickets to sporting events, challenging work projects and interaction with professional athletes, as some of the elements contributing to an extremely competitive job market. Additional factors such as a low-turnover rate also limit the number of job openings. Nevertheless, majoring in sports management or sports marketing can help college graduates transition into an entry-level floater or marketing rep position. College internships with sports-marketing firms and sports leagues also boost candidates' chances for entering the profession.
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