There are more jobs in women’s sports than becoming a professional athlete, coach, or athletic trainer. Behind every team and league are people managing marketing, media, business operations, technology, and many other responsibilities.
Working in women’s professional sports can mean handling ticket sales for a basketball team, creating videos for a soccer club, or studying player statistics. The qualifications depend on the position, but many of these jobs are open to people who have built their skills in other industries.
This article covers 12 career paths in women’s professional sports, the skills employers value, and how to prepare for opportunities in the industry.
Why Women’s Professional Sports Is Creating More Career Opportunities
Women’s professional sports are getting more attention from fans, media outlets, and sponsors. With more people following women’s leagues and attending games, teams are also investing in their business operations. That means hiring people to handle everything from marketing and ticket sales to event planning and athlete support.
There are several professional women’s sports organizations worth looking into, each with its own career opportunities:
- WNBA: Beyond the basketball court, teams need people to manage marketing campaigns, coordinate daily operations, and handle business decisions.
- NWSL: Women’s professional soccer clubs and league offices hire professionals for everything from team administration to marketing, communications, and event planning.
- PWHL: Professional hockey, including communications, business, and team support roles.
- LPGA and WTA: Professional golf and tennis organizations employing event, media, and business professionals.
- Other leagues: Women’s professional volleyball, lacrosse, and developing soccer organizations also employ people in different departments.
These organizations need people who can organize events, manage budgets, develop partnerships, and connect with fans.
Top Jobs in Women’s Sports
There’s no single best career in women’s professional sports. Some people prefer working with athletes, while others enjoy creative, technical, or business-related responsibilities.
Here are 12 career areas worth exploring, depending on your interests.
1. Sports Marketing and Brand Management
Getting fans interested in a team takes more than putting up a few ads. Sports marketing professionals work on promoting games, reaching new audiences, and keeping existing fans involved. For example, a marketing coordinator might plan a campaign to boost ticket sales, while a social media manager shares game highlights, player interviews, and team updates.
You’ll find several types of marketing positions in women’s professional sports, including:
- Marketing coordinator or manager
- Brand manager
- Digital marketing specialist
- Social media manager
- Fan engagement manager
Having worked in sports before isn’t always a requirement. If you know how to run advertising campaigns, manage social media, create content, or track marketing results, you already have experience that could be useful to a professional sports team.
For professionals interested in making a career change, sports marketing jobs offer a chance to put that experience to work in a different setting.
2. Sponsorship and Partnership Sales
Sponsorship deals are an important source of income for professional sports teams and leagues. The people working in sports sponsorship look for companies interested in partnering with these organizations, discuss potential agreements, and plan promotional activities.
They also stay in touch with existing sponsors to make sure both sides benefit from the partnership.
Positions include sponsorship coordinators, corporate partnerships managers, partnership sales representatives, and business development directors.
People with sales or account management experience may already have many of the skills these positions require.
3. Sports Media and Broadcasting
There’s a lot more to women’s sports media than broadcasting games. Teams and news organizations need reporters to cover the latest results, interviewers to speak with athletes, and creative professionals to produce videos, live broadcasts, and social media content. All of this helps fans follow their favorite teams and stay connected throughout the season.
Some of the careers you can pursue are:
- Sports reporter, writer, or editor
- Broadcaster or play-by-play announcer
- Producer or digital producer
- Photographer or videographer
- Content creator or social media producer
Writing, journalism, photography, and video editing are useful skills for this type of work. Being able to tell an interesting story also matters, whether you’re covering a championship game or putting together a short player interview. Those projects can help you build a portfolio before applying for full-time sports media careers.
4. Sports Management and Front Office
A professional sports team needs people to manage its business activities, and much of that work happens in the front office. These employees handle everything from finances and daily administration to staffing and major team decisions.
Some common positions include general managers, assistant general managers, directors of operations, team administrators, finance managers, and human resources managers.
The work depends on the position. A team administrator might organize travel schedules, handle documents, and support staff, while a general manager makes decisions about player recruitment and team personnel.
Higher-level sports management careers usually call for years of relevant experience, strong leadership abilities, and connections within the industry.
5. Team and League Operations
A lot of planning goes into every professional sports game, from getting players to the venue to making sure everything is ready before fans arrive. Team and league operations staff take care of these details, helping games, events, and daily activities run smoothly.
Some positions in this area include:
- Operations coordinator
- Team operations manager
- Game operations coordinator
- Event operations manager
- Travel coordinator
- Equipment manager
Depending on the job, you might arrange transportation and hotel stays, manage equipment, prepare facilities, or coordinate staff on game days. Plans can change at the last minute, so being organized and knowing how to solve problems are especially useful.
6. Coaching and Player Development
There are several ways to get involved in coaching without being the person in charge of the entire team. Professional sports organizations also need assistant coaches, player development coaches, and skills coaches to work directly with athletes.
Other positions, such as video coordinators, scouts, and directors of player development, focus on studying performance, evaluating talent, and helping players improve their game.
These employees help athletes improve their skills, prepare for opponents, and develop throughout their careers.
7. Sports Analytics and Data
Sports organizations use data to evaluate players, study performance, and make business decisions.
Potential positions include sports analysts, performance analysts, data scientists, research analysts, and business intelligence analysts.
Their responsibilities include:
- Reviewing player statistics to identify strengths and areas for improvement
- Looking at ticket sales and how fans interact with teams
- Checking marketing campaign results to see what’s working
- Putting together reports that coaches and team executives can use when making decisions
Useful technical skills include Excel, SQL, Python, statistics, and data visualization.
Candidates interested in sports analytics jobs can focus on either athletic performance or the business side of sports.
8. Sports Medicine and Athletic Performance
Professional athletes rely on different health and fitness specialists throughout their careers. Recovering from an injury, improving physical fitness, and maintaining good nutrition all require specific kinds of support.
Some of the professionals involved are athletic trainers, physical therapists, sports physicians, sports dietitians, strength and conditioning coaches, sports psychologists, and performance specialists.
An athletic trainer may help athletes manage injuries, while a strength and conditioning coach develops physical training programs.
Requirements vary considerably. Medical and clinical positions may require specific degrees, licenses, and certifications, while other performance roles have different qualifications.
9. Communications and Public Relations
There’s always something happening with a professional sports team, whether it’s a new player signing, an upcoming game, or an important announcement. Communications staff help get that information out to fans and reporters, answer media questions, and make sure the team’s message is clear.
Some common positions include:
- Public relations coordinator
- Communications manager
- Media relations manager
- Communications director
Depending on the position, responsibilities may include:
- Writing press releases and official team announcements
- Arranging interviews with players, coaches, and journalists
- Responding to questions from reporters and media outlets
- Handling public statements during difficult situations
- Sharing important updates with fans, sponsors, and community partners
Strong writing, public speaking, media relations, and relationship management skills are useful for anyone interested in this type of work.
10. Ticket Sales and Revenue Generation
Ticket sales employees help professional teams generate revenue and maintain fan relationships.
Common positions include ticket sales representatives, account executives, group sales representatives, premium sales representatives, ticketing managers, and revenue analysts.
Their work may involve selling individual tickets, managing season memberships, organizing group packages, and supporting customer renewals.
11. Community Relations and Social Impact
Women’s professional sports teams also get involved in their local communities by running youth sports clinics, visiting schools, and working with charities.
Some positions in this area include:
- Community relations coordinator: Plans community events, youth programs, and appearances by athletes.
- Community impact manager: Works with local organizations on projects that benefit the community.
- Foundation manager: Handles charitable programs, fundraising activities, and nonprofit partnerships.
- Community engagement director: Builds relationships with schools, community groups, and local partners.
Experience in nonprofit organizations, education, community outreach, or event planning can help in these roles.
12. Legal, Finance, HR, and Business Administration
Not every career in women’s professional sports requires specialized sports knowledge.
Teams and leagues need employees who handle the same business functions found in other industries.
Some of the jobs you’ll find in this area include:
- Accountants and financial analysts: Keep track of team spending, manage budgets, and prepare financial reports.
- HR managers: Handle hiring, employee concerns, and other staff-related matters.
- Legal counsel and compliance professionals: Review contracts, deal with legal issues, and make sure teams follow league rules and regulations.
- Payroll specialists: Make sure players and staff are paid correctly and on time.
- Procurement managers: Find suppliers and purchase the equipment and materials teams need.
- Administrative coordinators: Take care of paperwork, meetings, schedules, and other office duties.
- IT professionals: Keep the team’s computers, software, and other technology working properly.
These positions can be a practical option for experienced professionals looking to transfer their skills into sports.
What Skills Do You Need to Work in Women’s Professional Sports?
The qualifications depend on the position. A sports physician needs different training than a marketing coordinator or ticket sales representative.
A lot of the skills needed in women’s professional sports are the same ones used in other industries. Depending on the job, employers may look for experience in areas such as:
- Communication: Talking with athletes, coworkers, fans, and sponsors.
- Organization: Keeping track of schedules, events, and deadlines.
- Sales and customer service: Helping fans, maintaining client relationships, and selling tickets or sponsorships.
- Data analysis: Looking at statistics, sales figures, and other information to see what’s working.
- Writing and technology: Creating content, putting together reports, and working with different software.
- Leadership: Managing staff, assigning tasks, and making decisions.
Some jobs call for more specific sports experience. Scouting, player development, performance analysis, broadcasting, and league operations are a few areas where knowing the sport and how professional teams work can make a difference.
You don’t necessarily need a sports management degree or professional athlete experience. Many sports careers for women and men rely on skills gained through education and work in other industries.
How to Start a Career in Women’s Sports
Getting hired in professional sports takes preparation, particularly if you have limited industry experience.
Fortunately, several ways can help you build relevant qualifications before applying.
Start With Internships and Entry-Level Roles
Internships allow candidates to gain practical experience while learning how sports organizations operate.
They can provide professional contacts, references, portfolio material, and exposure to different departments.
Opportunities may exist in marketing, media, administration, sales, operations, and health-related fields.
Build Relevant Experience Outside Professional Sports
You don’t have to work for a professional team to develop useful skills.
Here are a few ways to gain experience before applying for jobs in women’s sports:
- Marketing: Try working with an advertising agency, local business, nonprofit, or college sports department.
- Analytics: Use real sports statistics for personal projects or put together a portfolio showing your data skills.
- Media: Cover local sports, make videos about teams or athletes, or pick up freelance writing and content projects.
- Operations: Help plan local tournaments, college matches, or sporting events in your community.
You don’t need to start with a professional team. Work like this can help you build experience and give you real examples to share during interviews.
Build a Sports-Focused Resume
Even if you haven’t worked in sports before, your resume can still show employers what you bring to the position. Include past projects, relevant skills, internships, and certifications, along with examples of what you’ve accomplished in previous jobs.
For example, if you’ve managed social media accounts, mention how much you grew the audience or improved engagement instead of just listing your daily tasks.
For creative, media, or analytics roles, putting together a portfolio with examples of your work can give employers a better idea of what you can do.
Build Your Professional Network
Professional relationships can help you learn about organizations, job requirements, and career opportunities.
LinkedIn, industry events, alumni networks, professional associations, and sports conferences are good places to start.
You can also use Jobs In Sports to create a candidate profile, share your resume, and make your qualifications visible to sports employers.
Connecting with team employees or professionals whose careers interest you can also be helpful. Rather than immediately asking for a job, ask about their responsibilities and experiences.
Where Can You Find Jobs in Women’s Sports?
Women’s sports jobs aren’t limited to professional teams. Several types of organizations employ people who work directly with women’s athletics.
- Professional leagues and teams: Organizations such as the WNBA, NWSL, and PWHL offer positions across marketing, operations, communications, sales, coaching, and management. Check both league websites and individual team career pages.
- Governing and sports organizations: Groups like USA Gymnastics, USA Volleyball, and USA Hockey hire people for different roles. You can find some of these openings through the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s affiliated careers page.
- Media and broadcasting organizations: TV networks, streaming platforms, and sports websites hire reporters, producers, editors, and others to cover women’s sports.
- Sports agencies and businesses: You can also find opportunities with athlete agencies, sponsors, marketing firms, sports technology companies, and apparel brands.
If you’re interested in WNBA, NWSL, or PWHL careers, check the individual teams’ websites as well as the leagues’ job listings. Try searching by job title, too. A position might be listed as “marketing coordinator” or “operations assistant” without specifically mentioning women’s sports jobs.
For example, searching for “sports marketing coordinator” or “team operations assistant” may help you discover relevant openings.
Ready to Start Your Career in Women’s Professional Sports?
Working in women’s professional sports could mean helping athletes improve, managing a team’s business operations, creating media content, or connecting organizations with their fans.
The right career depends on your interests, qualifications, and the experience you want to develop.
Whether you’re seeking your first internship or bringing years of professional experience to the industry, register for free on Jobs In Sports to explore career opportunities and find positions that match your skills.
