Sports Analytics Professional
If you’re interested in becoming a sports analyst, you’ve come to the right place. The competitive nature of the industry means that you’ll have to be willing to accept low pay, or even work for free, to gain experience. But in the end, you’ll be glad you did, because this career is highly lucrative. In addition, you can network with other people who share the same passion as you. You can look for sponsors and speakers at these conferences to network with other sports analysts.
Most analysts begin their careers as interns. Depending on your goals, some internships require specific classes while others require only a resume and cover letter. Regardless of the type of internship you pursue, most sports channels and news organizations have an internship program. To be considered for an internship, you’ll need to submit a resume, a cover letter, and examples of your work. Some internships will require you to present a portfolio of your previous work.
The first step to becoming a sports analyst is to be a sports fan. As a child, you probably followed your favorite team in your local league or school and collected baseball cards and replica jerseys. You probably even played pretend as one of the players. You learned how to analyze games and the statistics associated with them as you watched them. Your friends and family would argue about which stat was more useful than the other.
While you can find an online program to help you gain the knowledge and skills needed for the profession, college programs aren’t very agile when it comes to responding to career changes. The good news is that there are online programs that offer sports analytics courses. They are accessible from anywhere, even if they are online classes. The downside is that they’re often small and limited in size, but if you’re interested, you should definitely check out the online program!
How Do You Become a Sports Analytics Professional?
In addition to having a passion for sports, you should have a background in mathematics, statistics, and programming languages. These skills are essential in this career, as it will require you to do a lot of speaking and interpreting of data. Getting to the root of a problem will be your main goal in this career, so don’t underestimate your ability to communicate effectively. But be sure to do the research and keep your head on your shoulders.
In the meantime, you should attend sporting events regularly, and network with industry professionals. While some analysts spend their days in offices, others present their reports live on television. In order to make a name for yourself, you should cultivate a professional demeanor. You should learn how to think quickly and remain poised in front of a camera. Though talking to the camera can be intimidating, it becomes easier with practice.
The first step in becoming a sports analyst is obtaining the right educational background. Most analysts have degrees in mathematics and statistics, although formal education is more important. Despite the requirement of formal education, most employers value relevant work experience more than a degree. If you’re interested in this career path, a master’s degree in data analytics may be the answer. You can also become a sports analyst if you’re famous in the field. Many sports analysts are former athletes and are very popular with local audiences.