This post is a guest post from Matt, who writes at Spills Spot. Matt works for a local minor league baseball team on the side to make some extra income. He does what he loves, and has found a side hustle which brings in a few thousand dollars a summer. In this side hustle guest post series, I’m looking to inspire others with unique stories of how people are making some extra money. Working for a sports team on the side might be for you. Read on below to learn how to work for a sports team part-time to make more money.
I fell in love with baseball as an elementary school kid playing Little League. There’s just something about the game, it’s hard to put into words.
Since then, baseball became a passion of mine and has been a huge part of my life ever since. When I realized I wasn’t going to become a professional baseball player, I knew I needed to pivot to the next best career choice.
For me, this meant going to college and majoring in sports marketing.
Breaking into the sports industry is a long and difficult road. The hours are long, the pay is low, and the competition is fierce.
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.”
That was my thought process as I graduated from school and landed a minimum-wage position as an usher for the local minor league baseball team.
My goal was to get my foot in the door, make connections, and work my way up in the organization.
In this post, I’ll share with you my story of how I started working for a minor league baseball team, and how I make money on the side of my day job working part-time for a sports team.
How I Started Working for a Sports Team
Working as an usher for the local minor league baseball team was a lot of fun and I had made a great decision to take a role there.
Within a few months, I had displayed my strong work ethic and passion for baseball.
My managers noticed, and I got a new role working in the press box. Each baseball stadium has a press box, where various media members work for each game. This includes announcers, scoreboard operators, video producers, scorekeepers, and a few other roles.
I finished out the season keeping stats and helping operate the video scoreboard.
The next season I was offered an internship in marketing and media relations. It was the next step in my journey and another opportunity to build more skills. The season was long, but went well.
The only problem was at the end of the season, it was evident that the internship was not going to lead to a full-time position like I had been hoping for.
While I had done a great job and they wanted me to remain with the team, it was simply a matter of no full-time roles being open. Also, I was so early in my career that I hadn’t built enough marketable skills.
I had a decision to make: should I stay in a low paying role, or take a chance somewhere else?
Balancing a Low Paying Hustle with the Want to Make and Save More Money
This led me to a crossroads, with a decision to make. I could be stubborn, continue working part-time for the team, making minimum wage, and hope that a full-time role eventually opened up.
The other option was that I could pivot, find a marketing role in a different industry, and build additional marketable skills to better prepare myself for a role in the sports industry down the road.
While I wrestled with this decision, ultimately, it was clear that the latter was the right decision to make, both from a personal growth and financial standpoint. It was time to learn new skills and make some money.
Change can be difficult, but it’s often necessary to reach our full potential in life.
At this point, I decided I would continue to work with the team part-time, and find a full-time role in a different industry.
Connecting My Passion of Baseball with a Side Hustle
After making my tough decision a few years ago, I’ve been loving life and finding success in my career and side hustles.
I worked for two years doing content marketing for a startup, and another two years working in customer marketing for a tech company.
I’ve grown tremendously, gained valuable experience, and built new marketable skills.
With my part-time sports side hustle, I’ve also kept my connections with the minor league baseball team.
I’m currently in my seventh season with the team, and this balance has turned out to be the perfect fit for me.
While heading straight to the ballpark after my full-time job means that some days can be long, I love what I do and am grateful for where I’m at in my career.
Working nights and weekends can be a little rough, but I’m doing what I love and that’s what matters in life.
What Do I Do for my Sports Side Hustle
As I mentioned above, I work in the press box for a minor league baseball team. My title is Game Day Stringer.
Essentially, I am on a laptop during each game, inputting each pitch and play that happens.
This data is sent to MiLB (the minor league baseball league), and appears real-time on their website and mobile app.
This website lets people following along on their phones and computers see what’s happening in the game.
Our team plays 70 home games per season, and I usually work 50-55 of those games.
The games never conflict with my full-time work, since the large majority are on nights and weekends. The hours aren’t long, usually around 5 hours per shift.
For how much I make each summer, this can vary, but typically, I end up making a few thousand dollars per season. With this extra income from my baseball side hustle, I’ve been able to pay off our student loans and invest into our IRA’s.
Skills Needed for a Sports Industry Side Hustle
The first skill which is necessary for a sports industry side hustle is a passion for the sport and game. If you aren’t passionate about a sport, then it might be tough to work for certain team.
A second skill is advanced knowledge of the sport. For me, I need requires advanced knowledge of baseball and how a game is scored. Each team only has one main person that fills this role, and maybe a couple backups.
While this particular role is difficult to obtain, the opportunities with sports team in both the major and minor leagues are plentiful.
Typically, each team post their open roles on Teamwork Online, and you can also Google jobs for the team you’re looking for.
Also, teams usually will host a yearly job fair a few months before the season starts, where you can attend and interview for open part-time roles. This is a great way to get started.
To land a part-time role shouldn’t be too difficult. They’re looking for people with customer service skills, friendly, passionate and the team and sport, reliable, and hard working. You don’t need specific schooling or experience.
Why I Love Working for a Sports Team on the Side
I love working for a sports team because baseball is a passion of mine.
Most of these jobs will be for minimum wage, so if you’re simply looking for ways to maximize your income, this likely won’t be the right side hustle for you.
However, if you’re looking for a role that’s enjoyable and flexible, working part-time in the sports industry can be a good fit for you.
Like I’ve mentioned, I love what I do. I essentially get paid to watch baseball. Also, I’ve built strong friendships with my coworkers over the years.
As long as I’m still in the Bay Area, I see no reason to not continue working this side hustle. I’m sure as soon as my wife and I have a kid I’ll scale back and work much less games, but I still want to keep these connections.
I love the camaraderie with my coworkers, the extra cash flow, and getting to be at the ballpark so often.
Eventually, I may transition back into the world of sports full-time, but for now I’m simply enjoying the journey.
Please reach out if you have any questions about this side hustle, or the sports industry as a whole. I’d be happy to help in any way I can.
There are so many amazing side hustles out there in the world. I’ve found a side hustle I love, and hope you can too!
Thanks for reading, and big thanks to Erik for having me!
Readers: what do you think about this side hustle idea? Would you be interested in working for a sports team to earn some extra income?
