Just wondering if certain jobs in sports provide living wages but also what is the path to even get into certain jobs.
Someone has to run the game clock, like how do you even get started running game clocks on an amateur level then get drafted into the pros. Like "bro, you did your thing on the clock today, I may have a spot for you at Lambeau, pays $12 an hour".
Anybody know anyone who works in those kind of jobs that can share what that life is like?
1. "I worked a game/shot clock in college" In response to Reply # 0
I worked for the athletic department at my university. I was pretty good at it, but it's a pretty replaceable skill set. My old boss is a friend and I haven't heard once "this asshole that replaced you keeps re-setting early."
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2. "I know a guy that's done press box PA stuff at NFL games for a few years" In response to Reply # 0 Thu Dec-17-15 09:08 PM by Call It Anything
Like, "... 4 yard rush. Tackle by...". He told me what he gets for it and I don't remember exactly. I feel like it was in the $100 range, not more than $150. But he feels immense pressure to get everything right because people will yammer if he gives the wrong guy a tackle. He got the job because the guy before him was terrible, so apparently it's a fickle thing.
3. "It's good money but no hours" In response to Reply # 0
My friend's dad was the fill-in PA announcer for the Celtics back in the day and I felt like he made a hundred bucks or so per game, which given that you're only working a couple hours is a nice rate but you don't work often enough. It was more just cool to be able to be connected to the team, get his son into the locker room and get out basketball team good tickets, etc.
I have a couple of friends who are trainers. One (NBA) is very successful and makes a good living. Another (baseball) also makes solid money but he's in SoCal and can gauge rich people, which helps.
I knew a ref and you can make a middle class living that way but it's a bit of a grind, bouncing around to find games, dealing with assholes every night.
And I feel like in every case, to get started depends on who you know.
9. "yeah i know a PA guy who just never stops working" In response to Reply # 3
he is the PA guy for the kings, angels and often he fills in elsewhere (clippers, reign, etc) and he works an on-air radio gig. i dont know who he fucks to get these jobs. when the padres had an opening a jokingly said he had to go in order to establish a monopoly on all so cal PA jobs. i bet he thought about it.
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4. "I run LED animations for Seahawks, Sounders, Storm, Mariners, etc..." In response to Reply # 0
...on top of a full time gig at att tho
Neither the $ or hours are great & I really wanted the gig when the Sonics were here but the Seahawks have kinda made up for all the headaches lately
That & I kinda spun it off from contract work through my company to where I'm negotiating my own wages & crew through Seattle U & Gonzaga for their Key Arena games
There's a Directv sports netowrk gig I hope to nab soon. If anyone has connections holla
8. "If it's full time/contract it's good, if not then it pays dirt" In response to Reply # 0
Like the guy who crawls through that hot ass tunnel to manually change all the numbers on the Red Sox scoreboard gets paid $50 a game for his trouble and the list to be that guy is a mile long.
I knew a girl who dropped out of college to become a Laker girl (yes, she was hot as fuck) and I was surprised to find out that they make dirt in terms of what the team pays. I think she said it was like $150 a game, say there are 50 games in a year, that's not a lot of money (though obviously she made good money modeling and other shit as a result). That's about what most stringers get paid to report on games, too (it varies but I would say $100-$200 is a very solid range).
Most jobs like you're describing are that way. A lot of people want to do them, a good number CAN do them and so naturally the pay is not very high.
But if you are like the team dentist in the NHL or you do analytics for an MLB front office or something else like that, yeah, you will make good money.
And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
13. "hence the parenthetical note about her making guap as a result" In response to Reply # 10 Mon Dec-21-15 02:02 PM by ConcreteCharlie
i'm just saying the direct pay sucks but you get a ton of eyes on you and they also get paid for the other related crap they do like calendars and videos.
she did a lot of music videos and modeling and shit. i think she lasted two seasons and part of another (her first year she came in during the year if i remember correctly). eventually she went back to school.
the kings ice girls do even worse but there are other opportunities there. the one girl became their in-arena host, another one got a job with the team doing reporting (feminine angle features) and promo stuff for their website, etc. they also are linked to the galaxy (same owners) so the girls will often work for both franchises.
And you will know MY JACKET IS GOLD when I lay my vengeance upon thee.
11. "I know people that work on the Reds production team" In response to Reply # 0 Mon Dec-21-15 01:36 PM by THRILLHOUSE
Basically videoboard/scoreboard operations. It's just an additional part time gig for them, so probably doesn't pay a whole lot. And most of the people who run camera during the games are just college interns. (the cameras the Reds use for their videoboard anyway, can't speak for the cameras Fox Sports uses)