WHERE THE MARKETING SPORTS JOBS ARE

Here's everything you need to know about who's hiring at the teams, leagues, brands, agencies, and media companies powering one of the hottest fields in business.

- ANDREW THOMPSON

YOU DON'T NEED A PERFECT JUMP shot or the exhaustive knowledge (or opinions) of Stephen A. Smith to land a career in sports. You can get far on passion and a desire to spread that love of the game throughout an increasingly fan-driven world. Sports marketing-which encompasses everything from managing multimillion-dollar sponsorship deals to crafting social media campaigns for local teams to coordinating fan activation at the Super Bowl-is one of the most robust components of the sports industry, which is worth at least $500 billion globally.

To understand the state of play in this arena, Fast Company analyzed nearly 2,800 job listings on Google for Jobs between April and June 2025. We classified hiring organizations into four types: property rights holders (e.g., leagues and teams), media organizations, brands, and agencies. And we divided the jobs themselves into three categories: strategy, creative, and experiential. We then looked at the salaries, job requirements, and locations involved.

The results reveal an industry that's more accessible and geographically diverse than you might expect, with plenty of opportunities for people lacking in both educational pedigree and, presumably, athletic ability.

ORGANIZATION TYPES

AGENCIES

The relationship brokers between properties, brands, and media. Companies like Wasserman, Octagon, and CAA represent all sides, from athletes to companies, making deals and forging the contracts that glue them all together.

MEDIA

The companies and creators that bring sports to their audiences, from traditional broadcasters to streaming giants and even gambling hubs, packaging promoting, and delivering the action to fans.

BRANDS