If you're anything like me, your childhood dream was to play for the NBA. Or the MLB. Or maybe both, Jordan-style.
And, if you're anything like me, that dream—or even the dream of making varsity in high school—didn't exactly go as planned.
But that doesn't mean you can't have an awesome career in the sports world. At these companies, your days could involve anything from marketing games and tournaments to interacting with fans to helping coaches and athletes play the best games possible. Not to mention some sweet inter-office competition.
No, you might not get a multi-million dollar signing bonus and the chance to wear a jersey every day, but hey: Talking shop with your co-workers will be just as fun as watching the game. That's way more than you can say for most gigs.
1. SeatGeek
Where: New York
SeatGeek lets you search for the best deals for games (and concerts and theater events, too). It aggregates dozens of sellers—StubHub, eBay, TicketsNow, and more—and organizes tickets not just by price, but by a proprietary Deal Score that lets users find the best values.
A team of sports lovers, everyone at SeatGeek knows it’s important to have a little fun—and friendly competition. In the office, you’ll find spur-of-the-moment Nerf basketball games, after-work bowling, Xbox wars, and crazy-competitive ping-pong tournaments. “There’re a lot of people who love playing ping-pong here," says Nihal Singhal, SeatGeek's VP of Business Development. "It can get pretty intense.”
2. NFL
Where: New York
Work for the NFL—need I say more? Really, though, a job here is cooler than you could possible imagine.
For one, NFL employees operate much like a team, and their office space encourages them to do just that. Office meeting points like The Huddle Café—a deluxe kitchen and dining area—are designed to promote socializing, productivity, and collaborative work. Free fitness classes and access to a state-of-the-art gym are also open to everyone, fueling a strong team spirit.
It also comes as no surprise that employees have incorporated their love of the game into the office: For example, “Back to Football”—a campaign that began as a fan initiative to celebrate the start of football season—has become an NFL employee tradition. Each year as the season kicks off, employees flaunt their favorite team gear in the office and host a pep rally filled with tailgating, games, and photobooth sessions.
3. Hudl
Where: Lincoln, NE
Serving hundreds of youth, high school, college, and professional sports teams across the country, Hudl offers a web-based platform where coaches and athletes can collaborate to dominate the competition. From Hudl’s website, coaches can upload game video, make comments, and break down data for their athletes, while players can make highlight reels and learn new techniques—improving team performance both on and off the field.
What could be better than working with Hudl’s coaches and athletes? Getting to see them play. Hudl partners with hundreds of college football teams and several NFL franchises, and each year employees get two free tickets to see a partner of their choice in action. Back at home, Hudl’s social events committee keeps morale up and co-workers connected, planning fun events like happy hours, movie nights, and—of course—trips to sporting events.
4. Omnigon
Where: New York
Digital consulting company Omnigon works with sports brands (think Fox Sports, the PGA Tour, and NASCAR) on their online strategy and marketing. “Omnigon is sports and digital—which for me was the perfect mix," shares Kim White, Manager of Community and Client Services. "I’d played sports my whole life, and now I can work in digital.”
In addition to working with sports, the team makes time for playing them, too. Foosball is an all-time favorite, and Omnigon employees have been known to play multiple games a day. New employees start with Minor League status, but with time and practice, they can quickly move up the foosball ranks. As Christian Bovine, Interaction Designer and Front-End Developer puts it: “It’s a playful office."