• Loading stock data...
Monday, July 14, 2025

Finding Your Footing Internationally

By: Simone Kemler


“Everyone has their own story. What’s yours?” When I ‘snooped’ around on frontofficesports.org I found this statement and I thought this could be a good way to start my personal contribution. To respond to this task, I have to take the readers back in time: I have always liked sports; I always watched whatever was on TV and especially enjoyed tennis. Some of my favorites include Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe and of course Chris Evert. I say this to prove that I knew and loved sports, specifically tennis, since before July 7th, 1985, the day Boris Becker won his first Wimbledon title and brought Germany to a new era — not only in tennis, but in sports in general.

From then on, sports were heavily televised (tennis, in particular) and after my studies (Economics and International Marketing) I began to think about working in sports. However, in those days making a living within professional sports was unheard of and very rare in Europe. Frankly, I thought (and still think) that the US is much more open to the idea of sports being an industry; the US had national leagues in baseball, American Football and Basketball in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. These existed much earlier before Europe came up with something comparable — so to me it is no wonder that Würzburg’s Dirk Nowitzki had to take the risk and move to another continent in order to pursue a career as a pro basketball player.

Consequently, Germans (and probably other European countries, too) had little to no special study opportunities and/or training courses to obtain a degree in sports, events, sports-economics, etc. However, a degree is something vital to have when working in Germany or other European countries as careers ‘from rags to riches’ are possible of course, but they do not typically fit with the German mentality.

However, since that time a lot of things have changed; when it comes to working in sports nowadays we have plenty of paths to follow — however what you always need are languages, spirit, skill and the guts to go and pursue what you want. Now there are many university courses and programs that deal with sports management and the number and variety of possible jobs to apply for is constantly increasing.

Another approach to find a job in sports is being active yourself — for example, I am a member of my local tennis club and volunteered to work for a couple of years as its press officer. This gave me an insight into how things work when it comes to administration and sports, it showed me the multitude of tasks a sports club has to face and made me aware of how the world of sports-officials and sports-associations ticks. So what you should do is form a network of your own contacts and keep in touch with your sport so you know where possible developments might lead — thanks to the web this has become fairly easy.

Something that you NEVER should underestimate is being in the right place at the right time and even this needs to be paired with the necessary bit of luck; this is how I got my first job in professional tennis. Since then, I have worked either in the organization of Sports Events or as a Freelancer writing in several Sports Events (mainly Tennis) and my idea is that the manner in how these events are staged does not vary significantly. This also has to do with the fact that the international associations (in Tennis: ATP, WTA, ITF) have a tight catalogue of necessities and obligations that have to be met in order to be allowed to organize said events.

If you would want to add European/International experience to your CV, why not try a placement that is widely offered to those that study Economics-Business, Studies/Sports Management/Sports-Economics or Communication. Recruiters would look for skills like basic experience in sports marketing and communication, proficiency in MS Office, as well as basic knowledge of Photoshop, Indesign or Standard Content-Management-Systems. In addition to this, Social Network skills are required. Possible candidates should be flexible, creative and show a high level of organization, skill and initiative. Also, a sound basic knowledge at large as well a highly professional approach within the contact and the communication to others is expected.

These placements usually last six months and, if chosen carefully, can lead to recruitment and/ strengthen one’s own personal network of contacts. With regards to language skills: English is spoken in all Scandinavian countries, Holland and Germany as well as of course the UK, so lack of the home country language might not be so significant. Also, international sporting events usually have English as their first language — so it may not be impossible to find a place in a project where English is spoken. However, language skills in Spanish, Russian and/or Chinese, do give you major advantage, that is without a doubt.

Another way to ‘conquer’ the world of sports might be working for a global player like Adidas, Puma, Nike and so forth — here your motto should also be ‘never give up’, try again and again, because persistency might ‘do the trick’ and it helps you keep an eye on the what is going on in your desired sport/sport industry. These companies get a vast range of applications every day so make sure yours is spot-on so that it catches their eye from the start.

I myself am still in the middle of things in terms of finding partners, cooperations and projects that pay my bills, so it would be only fair to tell you that it is a lot of fun and exciting and you always meet interesting people. HOWEVER it is a full-time, life-time job that sometimes can bring you to the edge and make you ask yourself: ‘why am I doing all this?’ It has to fit in your personal environment and what is absolutely sure is that nothing is really sure — so bottomline: working in sports is highly recommendable.

We would like thanks Simone for her time and insight!

Simone writes free lance amongst others for Ubitennis.com/English Desk

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Emmanuel Acho Set To Land Solo Show on Fox Sports

Rising star Emmanuel Acho is poised to land his own solo show at Fox Sports, say sources. He currently co-hosts FS1’s ‘Speak for Yourself.’
Sponsored

Varsity Partners Steps Up the Sponsorship Game with TBT Teams

TBT has thrived on innovation and forward thinking through its seven year existence —including being the first indoor U.S. sporting event to return to action during the pandemic with a 24 team bubble in Columbus,Ohio —brand sponsorships for teams was the next opportunity for growth.
Sponsored

Executive Roundtable: Putting Employees First

Best Employers in Sports, Charlotte Hornets, Miami Dolphins, remote work, diversity, inclusion, COVID-19, leadership, career development
Sponsored

Putting Fans At The Center of Your Data Strategy Post-COVID

The Portland Trail Blazers are one example of an organization offering a more personalized customer experience thanks to data.

Featured Today

May 31, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Sydney McLaughin-Levrone (USA) reacts before the women's 100m hurdles during the Grand Slam Track Philadelphia at Franklin Field
exclusive

Track’s New Money Is Running Into Old Problems

The sport’s big-money era has hit some speed bumps in 2025.
Bobbleheads are seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently.
July 12, 2025

Baseball’s Bobbleheads Are the Center of the Collectibles Universe

Baseball’s most important keepsake drives long lines—and big business.
Rimouski, QC - JUNE 1: Final Game of the 2025 Memorial Cup between the Medicine Hats Tigers and the London Knights on June 1, 2025, at the Colisée Financière Sun Life in Rimouski, Qc.
July 11, 2025

CHL Is Facing a ‘Pandora’s Box’ of Questions Amid NCAA Talent Departure

As players defect to college, the Canadian Hockey League won’t cede ground.
Jun 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) bats during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Seattle Mariners at Globe Life Field.
July 9, 2025

The Torpedo Bat Business Is Still Going Strong: ‘Here to Stay’

Demand for the oddly shaped bats has stayed strong across the sport.
Gabby Thomas
exclusive
June 12, 2025

Grand Slam Track Cancels Los Angeles Meet As $30 Million Track Start-Up..

Sources close to Grand Slam insist money is not an issue.
June 13, 2025

What Rolapp’s NFL Exit Means—and the Top Candidates to Replace Him

NFL media boss Brian Rolapp leaves; the league hunts for his replacement.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
May 23, 2025

New LPGA Commissioner: Women’s Golf ‘Really Hard’ to Find on TV

Former PGA of America COO Craig Kessler will lead the tour.
Donald Trump, Nick Saban
May 22, 2025

Proposed Trump College Sports Commission May Never Happen

The White House is not sure of its plans.
May 15, 2025

PGA Championship Tees Off With Free Food, Record Hospitality Sales

General admission includes unlimited food and non-alcoholic beverages.
Jun 12, 2019; Boston, MA, USA; St. Louis Blues center Ivan Barbashev (49) and right wing Vladimir Tarasenko (91) hoists the Stanley Cup after defeating the Boston Bruins in game seven of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final at TD Garden
May 15, 2025

The 10 Biggest Stanley Cup Upsets of All Time

Since the 1984–1985 NHL season, 10 squads have defied the odds.