Some of the world's best golfers are gathering at Medinah Country Club for the 2026 Presidents Cup.

Fans will see the players.

They'll see the course.

They'll see the competition between the United States and International teams.

What they won't always see are the hundreds of people required to make a major international sporting event happen.

That's where another side of sports begins.

The business behind the competition.

A Major Golf Tournament Is a Major Business Operation

Running an event like the Presidents Cup involves much more than preparing a golf course.

Think about everything fans experience before they ever see a player hit a shot.

Tickets have to be sold.

Corporate partners have to be managed.

Hospitality areas have to be operated.

Media needs access.

Transportation has to work.

Content has to be created.

Fans need food, merchandise, information and entertainment.

Sponsors need their partnerships activated.

Each responsibility creates work for sports professionals.

Career opportunities surrounding major golf events can include:

• Event operations

• Tournament management

• Corporate partnerships

• Sponsorship sales

• Hospitality

• Marketing

• Communications

• Broadcasting

• Ticketing

• Merchandising

• Fan experience

• Media relations

The athletes create the competition. An entire sports business organization creates the event.

Sponsorship Is Everywhere in Professional Sports

Major events also demonstrate how important partnerships are to the sports industry.

Companies don't simply purchase advertising.

They want meaningful ways to connect their brands with fans.

That can involve hospitality, digital campaigns, branded experiences, merchandise, social content and on-site activation.

For sports professionals, that creates careers focused specifically on building and managing those relationships.

Someone has to identify potential partners.

Someone has to negotiate the partnership.

Someone has to activate it.

And someone has to determine whether it worked.

Those are all parts of the modern sports business.

Major Events Can Be Career Opportunities

There is another reason aspiring sports professionals should pay attention to events like the Presidents Cup.

Major events bring the industry together.

Executives.

Sponsors.

Media.

Athletes.

Agents.

Vendors.

Tournament staff.

Volunteers.

Business leaders.

That concentration of sports professionals creates opportunities to meet people, learn how events operate and understand different career paths.

You might attend because you love golf.

But if you want to work in sports, you should also be asking:

Who is making all of this happen?

Learn the Business Behind the Game

The skills required to operate a major golf tournament aren't limited to golf.

Event management, marketing, sponsorship, leadership, communications and business operations transfer across virtually every sport.

That's why learning the business side of sports can open far more career possibilities than focusing exclusively on one team or league.

SMWW offers specialized sports-business education designed to help aspiring professionals understand how the industry works and develop skills they can use to pursue opportunities within it.

Explore SMWW Sports Administration

Watch Sports Differently

If you want to work in sports, start looking beyond the scoreboard.

At the Presidents Cup, watch the golf.

But also notice the sponsors.

The hospitality.

The broadcast.

The signage.

The social content.

The fan experience.

The operations.

Every one of those areas requires professionals.

And every one represents another possible way to build a career around the sports you love.

Don't just watch the event. Learn who makes the event possible.

Before the first regular-season game is played, one of the NBA's biggest media events takes place.

NBA Media Day.

Players pose for photos, answer questions, record promotional material and speak publicly about the season ahead.

For fans, it's one of the first signs that another NBA season is approaching.

For someone trying to work in sports, it's also a great example of just how many careers exist around the game.

Look Behind the Player Being Interviewed

When you watch an NBA Media Day interview, your attention naturally goes to the player.

Now look at everyone surrounding that player.

Reporters.

Broadcasters.

Camera operators.

Producers.

Photographers.

Social media teams.

Communications professionals.

Content creators.

Public relations staff.

All of those people are working in basketball.

NBA Media Day demonstrates an important lesson for anyone trying to break into the industry:

The people telling the story of the game can build careers in basketball too.

From a Peach Basket to a Global Sports Industry

Basketball's growth is remarkable when you consider where the game started.

James Naismith invented basketball at Springfield College in 1891 using a soccer ball and peach baskets.

Today, the sport supports professional leagues, college programs, international competitions, women's basketball, media companies, agencies and countless businesses around the world.

SMWW Founder and President Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, who attended Springfield College, sees that history as an example of just how far opportunities in basketball have come.

“Did James Naismith ever envision what the peach basket would change in the world? The global opportunities for working in basketball, both men's and women's, as well as college basketball, have never been greater.”

— Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, President & Founder, Sports Management Worldwide

Those opportunities extend well beyond playing or coaching.

Basketball needs professionals who can scout players, analyze data, manage athletes, create content, broadcast games, market organizations and operate teams.

Sports Organizations Have Become Media Companies

Professional teams no longer rely entirely on television networks and newspapers to communicate with fans.

They produce their own content every day.

Teams create interviews, podcasts, social videos, documentaries, graphics, behind-the-scenes features and live programming.

That creates career opportunities in:

• Sports broadcasting

• Digital content

• Social media

• Journalism

• Communications

• Public relations

• Video production

• Photography

• Podcasting

• Content strategy

The ability to understand basketball is important.

The ability to communicate basketball to an audience can become a career skill.

You Have to Do More Than Know Basketball

Knowing every player on an NBA roster doesn't automatically prepare someone to work in sports media.

Professionals have to know how to interview.

How to tell a story.

How to speak on camera.

How to research.

How to create compelling content.

And perhaps most importantly, how to communicate clearly.

Those skills take practice.

SMWW's Sports Broadcasting Course gives aspiring broadcasters an opportunity to develop practical skills while learning from professionals with experience in sports media.

Explore SMWW Sports Broadcasting

The Digital Side of Sports Media Keeps Growing

Broadcasting is only part of today's sports-media landscape.

One interview at NBA Media Day can quickly become a television segment, YouTube video, Instagram Reel, TikTok, podcast discussion and dozens of social posts.

That creates another growing career path: sports content strategy.

Teams need people who understand how to identify a story and turn it into content designed for different audiences and platforms.

SMWW's Sports Media & Content Strategy Course focuses on that rapidly changing side of the industry.

Explore SMWW Sports Media & Content Strategy

Don't Just Watch the Interview

The next time you're watching NBA Media Day, don't only listen to what the player says.

Look at the operation surrounding the interview.

Someone booked it.

Someone researched it.

Someone asked the questions.

Someone filmed it.

Someone edited it.

Someone posted it.

Someone decided how the story should be told.

Those are basketball careers.

From the NBA and WNBA to college basketball and the international game, the opportunities surrounding basketball reach far beyond the court.

As Dr. Lashbrook's connection to Springfield College reminds us, basketball has come an extraordinary distance from Naismith's original peach baskets.

The next chapter will require another generation of professionals to help tell its stories and grow the game.

Don't just follow basketball. Find your place in it.

College athletics isn't just changing on the field.

It's changing as a business.

Athlete compensation, transfers, sponsorships, media rights and new regulations have made the business behind college sports increasingly complex.

That also means athletic departments need professionals who understand more than the game.

They need people who understand administration, athlete management, marketing, compliance, operations and sports business.

Athletic Departments Are Sports Organizations

A major college athletic department can operate many of the same functions found inside a professional sports organization.

There are professionals working in:

• Athletic administration

• Marketing

• Communications

• Compliance

• Ticketing

• Development

• Sponsorship

• Event operations

• Athlete services

• Media

• Business operations

The athletes may receive most of the attention, but an entire organization works behind them.

The Athlete's Role Is Changing Too

Today's college athletes have more business decisions to navigate.

Personal branding, partnerships and compensation opportunities mean athletes increasingly need to understand their value away from competition.

That creates opportunities for professionals who can help athletes navigate:

• Branding

• Marketing

• Sponsorships

• Career planning

• Representation

• Business opportunities

Understanding athlete management can therefore be valuable far beyond professional sports.

Explore SMWW Athlete Management

Sports Administration Keeps Everything Moving

Athletic departments also need professionals capable of managing organizations.

That includes budgeting, leadership, operations, event management, staffing and long-term planning.

SMWW's Sports Administration training gives aspiring sports professionals an opportunity to develop a better understanding of the management side of sports organizations.

Explore SMWW Sports Administration

College Sports Needs Business Professionals

The future of college athletics will require people who can understand both sports and business.

Some will work directly with athletes.

Others will work in administration, marketing, operations, partnerships or media.

But they all contribute to the same ecosystem.

That's an important lesson for anyone trying to break into sports:

Your career doesn't have to happen on the field to influence what happens on it.

Find Your Place in College Athletics

If you follow college sports and find yourself interested in the decisions happening behind the games, there may be a career path worth exploring.

Sports Management Worldwide offers specialized online education covering areas across the sports industry, from administration and athlete management to marketing, media and analytics.

The business of college sports is evolving.

The professionals who understand where it's going can prepare themselves to be part of what comes next.

Explore SMWW Courses

Cricket has a massive global audience.

Now one of the biggest questions surrounding the sport is:

How big can cricket become in the United States?

Professional competition, new facilities, growing communities and increased interest in the game are creating an opportunity for cricket to establish a much larger presence in the American sports landscape.

Few people can speak to that opportunity quite like 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup Champion Liam Plunkett.

Sports Management Worldwide is bringing Plunkett to a free Doc Talk to discuss The Future of Cricket in America and what it will take for the sport to build lasting momentum in the United States.

From World Cup Champion to Growing Cricket in America

Plunkett experienced cricket at its highest level.

During a professional career spanning nearly two decades, he made more than 100 international appearances for England across Test, ODI and T20 cricket.

He also played a key role in England's historic 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup victory.

Today, his connection to the game looks different.

Plunkett has brought that experience to the United States as both a player and entrepreneur, becoming directly involved in the development of American cricket.

Major League Cricket Is Creating a New Sports Market

The emergence of Major League Cricket has helped create a professional platform for the sport in the United States.

But establishing a league is only one part of building a sustainable cricket ecosystem.

Long-term growth requires:

• Players

• Coaches

• Scouts

• Academies

• Facilities

• Media

• Sponsors

• Marketing professionals

• Team operations

• Player development

• Strong local cricket communities

That means cricket's growth in America isn't only a story about what happens on the pitch.

It's also a sports career story.

As the industry grows, it needs people who understand the sport and know how to help organizations develop it.

Developing the Next Generation

One of the biggest questions facing American cricket is how to create a pathway for the next generation of players and coaches.

Plunkett is already working on that challenge.

Through his involvement with American cricket and Liam Plunkett Cricket, he is helping develop players, coaches and cricket communities.

That gives him a valuable perspective on what American cricket needs next.

It's one thing to watch a sport expand from the outside.

It's another to be directly involved in building it.

What Comes Next for Cricket in America?

Can cricket become a major American sport?

How important will Major League Cricket be?

Where will the next generation of American players come from?

How can coaches, entrepreneurs and sports professionals become part of the industry's growth?

Those are the types of questions worth asking now, while the American cricket market is still developing.

And they're exactly why hearing from someone like Liam Plunkett is valuable.

Learn From a World Cup Champion Helping Build the Game

If you're interested in cricket, sports business, coaching, player development or the growth of emerging sports markets, this is an opportunity to hear directly from someone who has experienced the game at the highest level and is now helping build its future.

The Future of Cricket in America

Featuring Liam Plunkett, 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup Champion & Co-Founder of Cricket Impact Group

Join Sports Management Worldwide for this free Doc Talk and hear Plunkett's perspective on Major League Cricket, player and coach development, and where the sport could go next in the United States.

Register Free for the SMWW Doc Talk

Cricket's future in America is being built now. Learn from someone helping build it.

Cricket is one of the most globally recognized sports in the world, but what does it actually take to build a career on the business side of the game?

On September 24, Sports Management Worldwide is hosting a FREE LIVE DOC Talk with Arsalan H Shah, Founder & CEO of G.A.M.E. Sports Management.

Arsalan will take us inside the business of cricket and share his experience working in athlete management, representation, deals and career development.

Inside the Business of Cricket

For anyone interested in working in cricket, understanding what happens away from the pitch is just as important as understanding the game itself.

During this live conversation, we’ll explore topics including:

• What athlete management looks like in the cricket industry
• How relationships and deals are developed
• Career opportunities within the business of cricket
• What it takes to break into athlete representation
• How the continued globalization of cricket is creating new opportunities

And because this is a LIVE DOC Talk, you’ll have the opportunity to bring your own questions and ask Arsalan directly.

Cricket Is Global. Your Career Can Be Too.

At Sports Management Worldwide, we believe your location shouldn’t determine how far you can go in the sports industry.

If you’re interested in becoming an agent, representing athletes, working in cricket operations or simply discovering where your skills could fit within the sport, conversations like this give you the chance to learn directly from professionals working in the industry.

FREE LIVE DOC TALK

September 24 - 9 AM PT | 12 PM ET | 9 PM PKT (Live on Zoom)

Register now: SMWW.com/doc_talk

Bring your questions. Build your network. Learn from the industry.

Go Global or Go Home.

Sports has never been bigger, more global or more accessible.

New leagues are launching. Women's sports are setting attendance and revenue records. Traditional leagues are expanding internationally. Streaming platforms are competing for live games. Teams now produce their own podcasts, documentaries, social videos and behind-the-scenes programming.

Every game creates hours of potential content — and every piece of that content needs a knowledgeable, engaging personality to bring it to life.

That is why the definition of a sports broadcaster has changed dramatically. The industry still needs play-by-play announcers and television analysts, but it also needs podcast hosts, digital reporters, sideline correspondents, content creators, studio personalities, esports commentators and experts who can translate sports data into stories fans understand.

More Sports Means More Stories

The sports calendar is becoming increasingly crowded. Established leagues are adding games and international events, while emerging leagues are creating entirely new audiences.

Women's sports is one of the clearest examples. Deloitte projects that global revenue from elite women's sports will reach at least $3 billion in 2026 — an increase of 340% in just four years. Broadcast revenue alone is expected to rise from $551 million in 2025 to $765 million in 2026.

The audience is growing with it. Nielsen reports that the National Women's Soccer League now has approximately 39.3 million fans, up from 30.8 million in 2023. Women's basketball, soccer, softball, hockey and volleyball are all generating new programming and storytelling opportunities.

International sports are expanding too. American football is staging more games overseas. Soccer leagues are cultivating fans on every continent. Cricket, rugby, Formula 1 and basketball are using streaming and social media to reach audiences far beyond their traditional markets.

These sports need people who understand their rules, athletes, strategies and culture — and who can make new fans care.

Streaming Has Removed the Limits of Traditional Television

For decades, aspiring broadcasters competed for a small number of jobs at television and radio stations. Those positions remain highly competitive, but television is no longer the only destination.

Games now appear on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, league-owned platforms and direct-to-consumer streaming services. Teams and athletes are becoming media companies themselves.

A single organization might need personalities for:

• Live game broadcasts
• Pregame and postgame shows
• Podcasts and livestreams
• Social-media videos
• Athlete interviews
• Team documentaries
• Fantasy-sports programming
• Betting analysis
• International broadcasts
• Sponsor-supported content

Nielsen found that viewing of streaming sports documentaries grew from approximately 4.7 billion minutes in 2021 to nearly 17 billion minutes in 2024. That content requires far more than someone holding a microphone. It requires researchers, interviewers, producers and storytellers who understand what makes sports emotionally compelling.

AI Is Producing More Data — but Fans Still Need Humans

Artificial intelligence is transforming sports coverage.

AI can process thousands of statistics, identify trends, generate graphics, create personalized highlights and compare player performance almost instantly. Teams and media companies can now analyze information that previously required entire research departments.

But data without interpretation is simply noise.

Fans do not just want to know that a quarterback's completion percentage dropped against a particular defensive formation. They want someone to explain why it happened, what the coach might change and how it could affect the next game.

AI can find the statistic. A talented sports personality makes it meaningful.

The strongest broadcasters of the future will know how to use AI as a research assistant without allowing it to replace their judgment, credibility or personality. They will verify the information, ask better questions and turn complex analytics into clear, memorable stories.

In an age when computers can generate unlimited content, authenticity becomes even more valuable.

The Modern Broadcaster Must Be More Than a Voice

A great voice is helpful, but it is no longer enough.

Today's sports personalities must understand the sport, prepare thoroughly, interview effectively and communicate naturally across multiple platforms. They need to be comfortable appearing on camera, recording a podcast, reacting live and developing their own professional brand.

They must also establish credibility. Fans can recognize immediately when someone understands the game — and when someone is simply reading information from a screen.

The most employable broadcasters will combine five qualities:

• Sports knowledge
• Preparation and research
• An authentic personality
• Digital and social-media skills
• The ability to explain analytics clearly

Aspiring broadcasters should not wait for a television network to give them permission to begin. They can call games for local schools, create a podcast, interview athletes, produce short videos and build a portfolio that demonstrates their abilities.

Your smartphone can become your first studio. Your social-media channel can become your first network. But professional training, constructive feedback and industry relationships can separate serious talent from the millions of people simply posting opinions online.

The Opportunity Is Bigger Than One Job Title

Government employment statistics still predict contraction in traditional radio and television announcing positions. At the same time, those figures do not fully capture the explosion of independent podcasts, streaming broadcasts, team-owned media, social content and contract work.

The old broadcasting ladder is narrowing. The sports-media universe surrounding it is expanding.

That creates opportunities for people who are versatile, knowledgeable and willing to build their own audience. It is especially promising for personalities who understand growing areas such as women's sports, international leagues, analytics and emerging sports.

The next great sports broadcaster may not be discovered sitting behind a traditional television desk. That person may begin by calling a college game, explaining statistics on TikTok, hosting an independent podcast or covering a league that mainstream media has overlooked.

Sports continues to expand because fans want more access, more information and more connection to the games they love.

AI can organize the numbers. Cameras can capture the action. Streaming services can distribute it around the world.

But sports will always need compelling human personalities to tell the story.

If you can inform, entertain and make an audience feel closer to the game, there has never been a more exciting time to develop a career in sports broadcasting.

Build Your Voice With SMWW

Sports Management Worldwide offers two courses built specifically for the modern sports media professional:

The Sports Broadcasting course develops your on-air skills, on-camera presence, and broadcasting fundamentals — taught by active industry professionals who understand what the market demands right now, not what it looked like a decade ago.

The Sports Media & Content Strategy course is built for the digital era — covering podcast production, social media strategy, content creation, digital storytelling, and how to build a personal brand that stands out in a crowded media landscape.

Together, they cover the full spectrum of where sports broadcasting is going — from the traditional broadcast booth to the podcast studio to the content platform. Learn how to build your voice, sharpen your on-camera skills and gain practical industry knowledge through Sports Management Worldwide's sports broadcasting education and mentorship opportunities at SMWW.com.

Sources: Deloitte Women's Sports Revenue Report and Nielsen Tops of Sports Report.

Formula 1 is about speed.

But increasingly, it's also about culture, fashion, entertainment and branding.

Ahead of the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, F1 partnered with Madrid-based fashion brand Pompeii on an apparel collection inspired by racing culture.

The collaboration goes beyond putting an F1 logo on clothing. It includes special events and fan experiences designed to connect Formula 1 with consumers away from the racetrack.

It's another example of something happening throughout professional sports:

Sports organizations aren't only building teams and competitions anymore. They're building global brands.

Why Sports and Fashion Keep Coming Together

Sports teams and leagues have something brands want:

Passionate audiences.

Fashion companies, technology brands, financial institutions and countless other businesses want access to those fans.

Sports organizations want something in return.

Revenue, exposure and opportunities to reach new audiences.

Creating partnerships that benefit both sides is a major part of the modern sports business.

And someone has to build those relationships.

Sports Partnerships Are a Career

When fans hear "sponsorship," they may picture a logo on a jersey or advertisement inside a stadium.

The industry has moved far beyond that.

Modern partnerships can include:

• Branded content

• Apparel collaborations

• Social media campaigns

• Athlete partnerships

• VIP experiences

• Hospitality

• Retail activations

• Live events

• Digital campaigns

• Fan engagement

Professionals working in sponsorship and partnerships must understand the sport, the audience and what a brand is trying to accomplish.

The best partnership doesn't simply put two logos together.

It creates something fans actually care about.

Want to Work in Formula 1 or Motorsports?

Formula 1's growth also highlights something many fans may not realize:

There are careers throughout motorsports that have nothing to do with driving the car.

Race teams, tracks, sanctioning bodies, sponsors and motorsports organizations need professionals working across the business.

Career opportunities can include:

• Team and race operations

• Marketing

• Sponsorship and partnerships

• Event management

• Public relations

• Business development

• Media and communications

• Driver representation

• Fan engagement

Understanding the unique business structure of motorsports is especially important for someone trying to enter the industry.

SMWW's Motorsports Management Course is designed to help aspiring professionals develop that industry knowledge and better understand the business behind racing.

Students can learn about the structure of motorsports, sponsorship, marketing, team operations, driver management, race events and the different career paths available throughout the industry.

For someone watching Formula 1, NASCAR, IndyCar or another racing series and thinking, How could I actually work in this industry?, developing that specialized knowledge can be an important first step.

Explore SMWW Motorsports Management

Drivers Are Brands Too

The same business principles apply to the athletes behind the wheel.

Today's drivers can build audiences that extend far beyond race day.

Social media gives drivers opportunities to develop personal brands around their personalities, lifestyles and interests.

That creates opportunities for professionals who can help athletes with:

• Personal branding

• Sponsorships

• Endorsements

• Social media strategy

• Partnership development

• Content

• Marketing

Understanding how to build and protect an athlete's brand is becoming an increasingly important part of athlete representation.

Explore SMWW Athlete Marketing & Branding

Formula 1 Is Competing for Attention

Formula 1 isn't only competing with other racing series.

It's competing with every other form of entertainment for people's time and attention.

That's why modern motorsports organizations invest heavily in storytelling, social media, partnerships, content and experiences.

A fan might discover Formula 1 through a race.

Another might discover it through fashion, social media, a driver, a brand collaboration or a piece of content.

Sports marketing connects those worlds.

Turn Your Passion for Racing Into a Career

You don't have to be behind the wheel to build a career in motorsports.

Behind every driver, team, race and sponsorship is a business operation filled with professionals.

If you understand the sport and develop skills in areas like motorsports management, marketing, sponsorship, athlete branding and event operations, your passion for racing can become the foundation for a career.

Sports Management Worldwide provides specialized online education designed to help aspiring professionals understand the business behind sports and develop skills they can take into the industry.

The cars create the excitement. The business behind them creates the careers.

Explore SMWW Motorsports Management

When millions of people watch the U.S. Open, their attention is naturally on the players.

But putting on one of the world's biggest tennis tournaments requires an enormous team working behind the scenes.

From operations and hospitality to marketing, media, partnerships, technology and player services, major sporting events create career opportunities that have little to do with hitting a tennis ball.

That's an important lesson for anyone who wants to work in sports:

You don't have to be an athlete to have a career at the highest level of the game.

What Does It Take to Run the U.S. Open?

Think about everything that happens during a major tournament.

Players need support.

Fans need tickets, information and hospitality.

Sponsors need activation.

Media organizations need access and content.

Facilities need to operate smoothly.

Digital platforms need to keep fans connected.

Behind all of it are sports professionals.

Career paths surrounding events like the U.S. Open can include:

• Event operations

• Sports marketing

• Corporate partnerships

• Hospitality

• Player services

• Media and communications

• Broadcasting

• Technology

• Ticketing

• Fan engagement

• Facility operations

A major sporting event is not simply a competition.

It is a massive sports business operation.

Sports Marketing Turns a Tournament Into an Experience

Today's biggest sporting events compete for attention far beyond the court.

Social media, sponsorship activations, branded experiences, merchandise and digital content all help turn a tournament into something fans want to experience throughout the day.

That requires professionals who understand both sports and consumers.

Sports marketers have to answer questions like:

How do we attract new fans?

How do we keep them engaged?

How can sponsors become part of the experience?

How do we turn a two-week tournament into a global brand?

Those are valuable skills across virtually every sport.

Broadcasting Brings the U.S. Open to the World

Only a fraction of U.S. Open fans will ever sit inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Everyone else experiences the tournament through television, streaming, social media, radio and digital content.

That creates opportunities for broadcasters, producers, reporters, camera operators, editors, researchers and content professionals.

SMWW's Sports Broadcasting training is designed to help aspiring sports media professionals develop the skills needed to communicate stories and connect audiences with the action.

Explore SMWW Sports Broadcasting

Sports Careers Go Beyond the Team

One of the biggest misconceptions about working in sports is that you have to work directly for a professional team.

Events like the U.S. Open show how much larger the industry really is.

Leagues, tournaments, venues, sponsors, media companies, agencies and governing bodies all need talented people.

That means someone interested in building a sports career should look beyond the scoreboard.

Look at the business operating around it.

Turn Your Passion for Sports Into a Career

The next time you watch a major sporting event, pay attention to everything surrounding the competition.

Every sponsor.

Every broadcast.

Every social post.

Every fan experience.

Every hospitality area.

Every smoothly operated part of the venue.

Someone has a job making each of those things happen.

Sports Management Worldwide offers specialized online education designed to help aspiring professionals develop the knowledge and skills needed to pursue careers throughout the sports industry.

Don't just watch the event. Learn how the business behind it works.

The NFL is making history in Australia.

The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams are bringing regular-season NFL football to the Melbourne Cricket Ground, putting Melbourne at the center of the football world.

But major international sporting events create opportunities beyond what happens on the field.

They bring together executives, teams, media, business professionals, fans, and people looking to build careers in sports.

That's why Sports Management Worldwide is bringing the sports business community together in Melbourne.

Sports Business Networking During NFL Melbourne

On September 10 from 4–6 PM, SMWW will host a special networking event at The Cricketers Bar at The Hotel Windsor in Melbourne.

The event gives aspiring and established sports professionals the opportunity to meet and learn from leaders with experience across American football, Australian sports, international sports business, and education.

Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with sports industry leaders including:

• Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, President and Founder of Sports Management Worldwide and NFLPA Agent

• Brian Hampton, San Francisco 49ers

• Ken Jacobs, former Cricket Victoria CEO and SMWW Faculty

• Nate Godfrey, Australian sports executive

• Scott Field, Deakin University

For anyone interested in working in sports, these are the types of relationships that can help turn an interest into a career opportunity.

Sports Careers Are Built Through Relationships

You can learn scouting.

You can learn analytics.

You can learn athlete management, sports business, broadcasting, marketing, and dozens of other skills.

But careers in sports are also built through relationships.

Meeting someone working inside the industry can provide insight you won't always find online.

A conversation can lead to advice.

Advice can lead to an introduction.

An introduction can eventually lead to an opportunity.

That is why networking has always been an important part of the SMWW philosophy.

What you know gets you prepared. Who you know can help you get in the room.

The NFL's Growth in Australia Creates New Opportunities

The arrival of regular-season NFL football in Melbourne is another sign of how international the sports industry has become.

And when a major sports league enters or expands within a market, the opportunity extends far beyond players and coaches.

Growing sports markets need professionals working in:

• Sports marketing

• Sponsorship

• Event operations

• Media and broadcasting

• Scouting

• Analytics

• Athlete representation

• Ticketing

• Partnerships

• Fan engagement

• Sports business development

For Australians who want to build careers in American football or the broader global sports industry, this is an exciting time to get involved.

Get in the Room

Watching the 49ers and Rams play at the MCG will be a historic moment for football in Australia.

But if you want to work in sports, don't just watch the industry grow around you.

Become part of it.

The SMWW Melbourne Sports Business Networking Event is an opportunity to meet sports professionals, expand your network, ask questions, and connect with people who have built careers throughout the industry.

Whether you're a student trying to break into sports, an SMWW alum looking to expand your network, or an established professional interested in international sports business, come join us in Melbourne.

September 10 | 4–6 PM
The Cricketers Bar at The Hotel Windsor | Melbourne

Learn More and Register for the SMWW Melbourne NFL Meet & Greet

The NFL is coming to Melbourne. Your next sports career connection could be there too.