Going to a ball game is about so much more than watching the game live. Instead of sitting in your living room, you’re in the company of thousands of fellow fans and can buy an assortment of foods on sticks or in buckets, watch warm-ups and get to participate in the games and commentary that take place between plays. While all of these extras make for an exciting atmosphere, they also make for economic stimulation and create quite a number of jobs, meaning that everybody wins.
CareerBuilder and Economic Modeling Specialists Intl (EMSI) took a look at post-recession job growth in the six largest sports-related industries in the United States. And in a comeback story that’s fit for the big leagues, jobs in sports-related industries combined have increased by 12.6 percent between 2010 and 2014, compared to the overall national job market which grew by 5.5 percent. The average earnings in these combined sports-related industries ($78,455) are significantly higher than the national average ($57,947).
Learn more about the growth these industries are experiencing, as well as 22 of the fastest growing sports-related jobs within those industries that help make game day a success.
Industry Growth
On the national level, much of the growth in sports-related jobs has been on the business end, with the promoters of performing arts, sports and similar events growing by 30 percent between 2010 and 2014, followed by agents and managers for artists, athletes, entertainers and other public figures, which grew by 17 percent.
| Industry | 2010 Jobs | 2014 Jobs | % Growth |
| Sports teams and clubs | 76,411 | 82,968 | 8.6% |
| Promoters of performing arts, sports and similar events with facilities | 76,269 | 99,445 | 30.4% |
| Other spectator sports | 54,545 | 53,538 | (1.8%) |
| Racetracks | 44,672 | 40,712 | (8.9%) |
| Promoters of performing arts, sports and similar events without facilities | 31,481 | 41,091 | 30.5% |
| Agents and managers for artists, athletes, entertainers and other public figures | 30,748 | 35,899 | 16.8% |
| Total | 314,125 | 353,654 | 12.6% |
Occupational breakdown
Within those six industries, 22 sports-related positions exist that are essential to your game day experience, including:
1. Meeting, convention and event planners
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 3,685
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 5,136
Change (2010-2014): 39 percent
2. Concierges
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 1,071
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 1,462
Change (2010-2014): 37 percent
3. Audio and video equipment technicians
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 6,491
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 8,268
Change (2010-2014): 27 percent
4. Market research analysts and marketing specialists
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 1,818
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 2,308
Change (2010-2014): 27 percent
5. Laborers and freight, stock and material movers, hand
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 6,491
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 8,212
Change (2010-2014): 27 percent
6. Public address system and other announcers
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 2,040
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 2,530
Change (2010-2014): 24 percent
7. Secretaries and administrative assistants, except legal, medical and executive
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 5,193
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 6,417
Change (2010-2014): 24 percent
8. Agents and business managers of artists, performers and athletes
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 9,493
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 11,641
Change (2010-2014): 23 percent
9. Radio and television announcers
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 1,174
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 1,428
Change (2010-2014): 22 percent
10. Producers and directors
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 2,881
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 3,490
Change (2010-2014): 21 percent
11. Bartenders
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 2,879
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 3,476
Change (2010-2014): 21 percent
12. Ushers, lobby attendants and ticket takers
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 25,441
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 30,388
Change (2010-2014): 19 percent
13. Accountants and auditors
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 1,952
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 2,314
Change (2010-2014): 19 percent
14. Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 7,299
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 8,574
Change (2010-2014): 17 percent
15. Public relations specialists
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 3,301
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 3,875
Change (2010-2014): 17 percent
16. Maintenance and repair workers, general
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 3,565
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 4,160
Change (2010-2014): 17 percent
17. Security guards
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 13,975
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 16,253
Change (2010-2014): 16 percent
18. Office clerks, general
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 6,068
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 7,054
Change (2010-2014): 16 percent
19. General and operations managers
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 5,611
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 6,476
Change (2010-2014): 15 percent
20. Amusement and recreation attendants
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 5,336
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 6,110
Change (2010-2014): 15 percent
21. Coaches and scouts
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 7,769
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 8,349
Change (2010-2014): 7 percent
22. Athletes and sports competitors
Employed in sports-related industries (2010): 9,535
Employed in sports-related industries (2014): 9,775
Change (2010-2014): 3 percent