What are the future careers in sport?

Contents

Sector

Sport: a booming sector

In recent years, the sports sector has seen the emergence of a whole range of new professions. It’s a particularly buoyant sector which, over and above the competitive aspect, is synonymous with event organisation and conviviality. The sector is constantly expanding, with growth estimated at 6% a year.

The professional sports environment is booming, and technological change is no stranger to this development. The boom is so strong that the sports market currently accounts for 1.8% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product, representing sales of 38 billion euros. In equivalent terms, that’s the same as the aeronautics industry. No fewer than 350,000 professionals work in the sector.

As a result, sports-related professions are proving extremely attractive to many young graduates looking to launch their careers. Whether it’s in marketing, communications, event organisation or sales, the sector offers a highly varied range of jobs that can appeal to all types of profiles.

It’s in the events sector that the sector is really booming. Often coming from companies that organise events, the most fashionable jobs range from partnership manager to project manager, from communicator to VIP area manager. It’s a veritable microcosm that is being nurtured and developed more and more each year, to the benefit of employability in the field.

The INSEEC business school is committed to developing the employability of its students by:

adapting its courses to market requirements every year. The courses taught are therefore as close as possible to the professional needs of companies
opting for a sandwich course, which allows students to work in a company while taking classes and develop their skills in the process
benefit from professional workshops, personalised coaching and offers from partner companies to help them find the job that suits them best.

Business

Which sports professions are recruiting?

On the fringes of sporting competitions, a number of sports-related professions are developing and attracting more and more profiles. Here is a non-exhaustive list of sports-related jobs that are recruiting:

Sports marketing manager

The sports marketing manager’s job is to promote leagues, players or teams involved in professional sport. To do this, they analyse the state of the market and set up marketing operations to increase their popularity during matches. He also organises strategies to promote by-products or even the image of certain venues or stadiums during sporting events. Among the tools he uses, social networks are an integral part of his methods for highlighting those for whom he is responsible. This is a multi-faceted role that requires a wide range of functions. The marketing manager may also be responsible for negotiating advertising contracts and all related matters.

Sports doctor

Athletes undergo many physical and mental tests during their careers. A true ally in the development of their skills, the sports doctor is responsible for carrying out numerous tests to determine the health problems to which the player may be exposed. Working on behalf of an entire team or an individual player, the doctor acts both on a specific issue and as a preventive measure. They analyse, diagnose, treat and provide medical and nutritional advice. Finally, they are responsible for determining whether a player is fit to continue playing his sport or to take a break to recover.

Sports event organiser

This job involves managing a sporting event from start to finish, controlling every aspect, from planning to general organisation and promotion. In order to harmonise the matches, the organiser is responsible for communicating with the representatives of each team to determine their material and human requirements, from planning to security and transport. Negotiation and moderation are at the heart of this role, to convince and reassure the teams that the event will be a success.

Sports coach

In direct contact with the players, the coach has many functions depending on the degree of competition to which he is exposed and the type of sport he practises. They plan targeted training sessions according to the player’s needs, maintain their psychological and physical condition, and establish close contact with them in order to support them as closely as possible. They know how to identify their opponents’ strengths and weaknesses, so they can implement targeted strategies to maximise their chances of success.

Photojournalist

The role of the sports photographer or photojournalist is to capture events, actions or people with their camera. In this way, they contribute to the documentation of an event or match and provide future articles with the material they need to capture it as faithfully as possible. They must be present at all times during matches. On the other hand, his activity is particularly irregular and can vary from very intense to relatively quiet depending on the period.

Sports psychologist

As an integral part of a team, their role is to maximise the players’ abilities by looking after their mental well-being, as well as that of the surrounding staff. He or she is responsible for maintaining physical and psychological balance and preventing the various disorders they may face during periods of stress. Sport is a particularly high-pressure environment, and sports psychologists provide real support for all the links in the chain.

Sectors of the future

What are the sectors of the future for jobs in sport?

The sports sector is expanding considerably, bringing with it a vast array of diversified professions. Schools offering sports-related courses are working hard to develop the professions of tomorrow, and to make them sustainable. France has a lot to offer in this field, as a major hub for sports business and renowned sporting events. Here’s a quick look at the sectors of the future for jobs in sport:

Control and organisation

As well as competitions and performances, this sector calls on a large number of professionals to organise major sporting events, structured and supervised by a wide range of professionals. This sector has accompanied the development of sport business and is one of the biggest leaps forward in terms of employment. Managerial and communication skills are at the heart of this sector, which is tending to popularise and extend the influence of sport among the general public and in the media.

e-sport organiser
sports organisation manager
APS operator
sports player agent
sports director for a local authority
territorial sports and physical activities advisor
sports organisation manager
youth and sports inspector

Sports coaching

15 million French people regularly take part in sporting activities, through 10,000 sports halls and 250,000 sports associations. All these jobs are at the heart of the sector, which is well set to continue expanding. Sports coaching is still a safe bet, and involves offering lessons to as many people as possible, running sports courses, and training or coaching the many amateur or professional sportsmen and women out there. Physical education and sports teachers account for 30,000 employees. So this sector remains a strong link in the sporting environment, offering a host of promising careers:

sports educator
PE teacher
trainer
mountain guide
sports presenter
equestrian guide
referee
sports physiotherapist
sports nutritionist
sports doctor
fitness trainer

Salaries

Which sports jobs pay the highest salaries?

As the sports sector has evolved, certain professions have emerged as particularly lucrative jobs. The influence of sport, health and well-being is such that the sector remains one of the most dynamic and buoyant today. Here’s a quick look at the best-paid jobs in the sector:

Sports trader

Directly linked to the financial sector, the sports trader’s job is to determine the potential risks associated with the odds on major events. Generally specialising in a limited number of disciplines, they are also responsible for organising bets. Sports traders need to have a broad knowledge of sport and be able to analyse the statistics of professionals in order to be as effective as possible. It’s a job that, like traditional trading, is particularly exposed to pressure. A sports trader’s starting salary is estimated at €80,000. Add bonuses and experience, and the salary can double.

Stadium manager

The job of stadium manager involves managing and running a stadium, organising sporting events. The job is multi-faceted and covers many functions. They have to manage all aspects of a match, ensure the safety of the public and professionals, and make the stadium that hosts these events profitable. The ancillary tasks are varied, and may involve ticketing, promotion or catering. His communication skills must be combined with a perfect command of economics and flawless management skills. Depending on the club, the salary varies between €4,000 and €6,000 per month.

Video analyst

Another well-paid job is that of video analyst. This is still a relatively new job, which involves analysing a team’s behaviour through video replay. It’s a way of developing strategies by assessing the characteristics of opposing players. It then reviews the strengths and weaknesses of each player and breaks down the attacking and defensive systems in order to propose an alternative game. Depending on the type of sport and event, the average salary is estimated at around €4,000.

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