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Sports producers are responsible for ensuring every aspect of the content of sports newscasts for live broadcasts, or recorded sports stories are delivered entertainingly and memorably. They work on location at sports events and rarely work in an office and usually work full time and often more than 40 hours.
How to Become a Sports Producer
You can get a job as a sports producer with an associate’s degree. However, most have a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism, journalism, communications, or television production. Others go on to get a master’s degree. Students take courses in newscasting, public administration, correspondence, business, and other subjects. High school students can take journalism, creative writing, business, and computers.
This career is very competitive. Those with good educational backgrounds typically have the best chance of securing a job. Not only is your education essential to securing a job, but your experience! So how do you get that? The preferred way to get experience is to get an internship in film, media projects, or television. You start at an entry-level position, like working in the production office doing administrative duties. You can also support the film crew on the set or other tasks, such as running errands.
Getting a job in television or other places can help you form relationships, get recommendations, and lead to jobs! Popular networks like FOX, NBC, and others offer internships, so get out there and get your foot in the door! You can also look at your local television or radio network for work. So what do you do next? Build a resume or portfolio!
When you approach the job market, which, as we have mentioned, is competitive, you need to present proof of your background experience in the field. Every job that you had relevant to this field is necessary to list. You need that edge against those competing for that job! Employers want to see that you speak the language of the industry, like well-rounded knowledge of all sports and their athletes and statistics. To do this, you need to watch as many sports events as possible and observe how it comes together. Did the broadcast get you excited, was it informative, and was it memorable? Don’t forget to put in those recommendations from other jobs!
Sports producers need many skills, like creative and critical thinking. They need knowledge of the media. Producers also need a strong command of their audience’s language and the ability to work under pressure. They need exceptional leadership and interpersonal skills. Sports producers need to be flexible and able to work well under pressure. Let’s move on to what they do.
Job Description of a Sports Producer
Sports producers have the dream job when you consider they go to NFL practices with reporters, interview soccer stars, get into the locker rooms, or go to the NBA All-Stars festivities. Who wouldn’t love that, right? You are right, and that is why this career is so competitive. Meeting and interviewing athletes is the fun part of the job, but they are responsible for doing so much more. Let’s check out what that is.
Sports producers have various duties and wear many hats that can include developing show schedules, working with writers and producers on scripts, and coordinating coverage of a sports event with the director. They need to constantly contact announcers through headset radios, call the breaks for commercials, and the times for promotional announcements. They often add special effects to the broadcast with computer animation, video technology, or other effects, like graphics.
Sports producers work under a tight timeline and fill in captivating content within minutes allotted. Sports producers interview athletes, which sounds great, but not every athlete is patient; therefore, the producer needs to be on time with the camera professional. They often help the camera person with some technical work, like lights, so that the interview goes smoothly. Producers must know in advance most of the questions they will ask during an interview with an athlete and confidently and spontaneously ask impromptu questions that are relevant. Sports producers also need to be informed and stay within budget constraints.
Sports producers have their eyes on every aspect of a broadcast and have a passion for what they do. You can do this too!
Good luck!