Once upon a time, pro sports franchises were dependent on local and national television networks for video presentations of their teams. Stadium technology, even with the advent of “jumbotron” screens, simply didn’t require teams to need more than the services offered by the networks.
Now that we’re in a web-based age, video production skills are in high demand as teams move more and more toward producing their own in-house programming for game days and their websites.
Just the game day features for the stadium screens and website video require a lot of time and effort to keep fresh material before the audience. Add in the existence of 24-hour cable networks like the NFL Network and NBA TV, and franchises are finding the need to fund entire departments dedicated solely to video production. What used to be a side job for someone in the PR department is now its own fully-staffed entity.
That means opportunity for those with a passion for working in sports and the right combination of technical skills and artistic sense.
A long-time video production supervisor for an NFL franchise revealed that while a technical background is helpful, networking is the real key to finding and keeping a job with a professional sports franchise.
As far as the technical skills, he recommended that prospective candidates be well-schooled in the latest video production techniques. For someone like him who has been in the business for a couple of decades, that means continuing education and the willingness to stay on top of the latest trends in technology.
Although the sports leagues are big businesses, the individual teams are run more like smaller businesses. For that reason, he said, making the right contacts who can open doors is paramount for anyone desiring work in professional sports.
