Career Preview: Top Roles in Sports & Entertainment Marketing

Mar 17, 2020

Sports & Entertainment Marketing (SEM) is where your favorite past-times and your professional interests collide - and it’s the perfect path for applying the skills you’ve developed through DECA. Not sure what the career paths in SEM really look like? Read on for a preview of some top careers in this exciting industry.

Sports Team Marketing

From advertising and social media campaigns to sponsorship opportunities and in-game entertainment, a marketing role on a sports team is all about creating interest and engagement for the team among fans, corporate sponsors and the community. Whether marketing for collegiate teams, minor league sports or the top professional teams, these roles are fast-paced and hands-on, requiring marketers in the field to take on responsibilities across many different areas of marketing.

Entertainment Marketing

Similar to sports teams, our favorite forms of entertainment like movies, television networks and even theme parks all need dedicated marketers to drive interest, views and attendance. Advertising, promotional campaigns, publicity events and even marketing analytics can all be part of the job of an entertainment marketing professional. And with more and more companies getting in the entertainment game (like Amazon & Apple), the demand for entertainment marketers is strong!

Event Management & Production

If walking into the opening session of a DECA conference gets your heart pumping, a career in event management and production may be for you! Developing event themes and graphics, designing stage schematics, and keeping the show running behind stage are all key aspects of a career in event management. Love events, but not the idea of stage productions? Careers in event management can also specialize in corporate events, experiential marketing, and more.

Facility Management

Sports and entertainment run on events, and the arenas, fields and stadiums that they take place in are all managed by professionals in facilities management. Marketing the facility, scheduling and planning live events, managing vendors and improving the facility to create experiences crowds love are all part of a career in facility management. Bonus: think of all the great events you could experience when they’re hosted in a facility YOU manage!

Public Relations

Whether a top athlete, famous actor, or big event (like the Oscars®), the media loves to talk about the latest sports and entertainment news, making public relations a key role in the sports and entertainment industry. These professionals can work for individuals, teams, movie studios, television networks and more, and their primary focus is to create and communicate engaging stories that secure media coverage. This career path demands strong skills in networking and thinking on your feet – two skills you’re already developing as a DECA member and competitor!    

Want to know more about sports and entertainment marketing?  Visit deca.org/sem for more information, including the scoop on DECA’s annual Sports & Entertainment Marketing Conference.

This article was originally published in the March/April 2020 "Sports and Entertainment Marketing" issue of the DECA Direct magazine.

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Discussion Questions

  • 1
    Select one career area, research a specific role, and explain the role along with the responsibilities.
  • 2
    Why do you find this role intriguing?
  • 3
    What are the required skills and aptitudes for this role?
  • 4

Classroom Connection

Career CLuster:

Marketing

Instructional Area(s):

Professional Development

Performance Indicators:

Explain employment opportunities in event management
Utilize resources that can contribute to professional development