Got The Job, Now Make Me Exec!

Getting yourself a sports business job is quite a challenge in itself, but what if you are not complacent with just breaking into the industry?  You want to be an executive of a major sports franchise and will do whatever it takes to get that coveted job.  Your best shot at landing the executive position is to be related by blood or marriage to a major stakeholder in the ownership group, but what if you are not so fortunate?  Bill King of SportsBusinessJournal looked at the breakdown by percentage of ways that people are able to become executives:

Those who worked their way up at a franchise (36 percent)

Those who were hired to run a team based on a prior business relationship with the owner (11 percent)

Those who came in from outside of team sports, often through the work of a search firm (9 percent)

Those who were brought in from a league office (7 percent)

General managers who took on the additional title, sometimes with added responsibilities but sometimes without (12 percent)

Former players who got the job primarily because of that connection (3 percent)

Family members (16 percent)

This actually paints not such a bleak picture.  You really do not have to be a family member to get the prized executive position (although it certainly does help).  SportsBusinessJournal has a long article on this subject with personal stories from many high ranking officials of large franchises.  I suggest you read it, if this topic interests you.