Sports Agent Jobs & Internships

The job of the sports agent is extremely dynamic and includes responsibilities aimed at achieving the goals of the sports organization or athlete. Elements of management include forecasting, planning, organizing, and decision making. Sports agents have an obligation to fully understand the dreams and fears of athletes, from rookies to veterans. This process begins with a client being instructed to evaluate their goals and priorities.

• Make higher education part of your plans. No specific degree is required to land a sports agent job, but because much of the work revolves around contract negotiation, it’s not uncommon to find sports agents who hold law degrees or a master’s in sports management.
• Get an internship. If you can secure one with a sports management agency, this can be invaluable your path as an aspiring sports agent, enabling you to gain hands-on experience. In fact, an internship is so important that many undergraduate sports management degree programs require it.
• Get a job of some kind in the sports industry, and it doesn’t need to be agent-related. Moving up in the sports industry is dependent on having the skills needed and the desire to succeed.
• Become licensed and certified. Sports agents are required by some states to register and obtain a license to practice their profession. In the NFL’s case, the player association has guidelines requiring the league to certify all NFL agents. The process to receive certification includes having a bachelor''s degree, passing a background check, payment of application fees, and successful completion of an examination.

As of May 2017, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that agents and business managers of artists, performers, and athletes had an estimated average annual wage of $90,870.

A career as a sports agent can blossom just about anywhere there are professional sports. Certain locations are better than others for sports agent jobs, however. Large markets like California, New York, and District of Columbia have a higher concentration of jobs and higher pay, whereas small markets like Missouri, Oklahoma, and Oregon have fewer opportunities with a significant disparity in salary.

Gaining experience and building a network to become a sports agent takes time. Those who complete an undergraduate degree (sports management is ideal) spend four years in education and perhaps two or three more years in internships or full-time gigs in the sports industry before pursuing the lucrative job of a sports agent. For those who start out as lawyers, on the other hand, they may spend up to eight years in undergraduate and graduate programs. These graduates may also practice law before deciding to pursue a sports agent career, and this could be a 10-year span of education and experience.