I’m an athlete. I always have been and I always will be. I’m also a Marine and we know, “Once a Marine, Always a Marine.” So it’s not too far fetched to say, “Once an athlete, always an athlete.” Most people carry their love of sports throughout life but it manifests itself in different ways.
They use the goal-setting tools and teamwork skills they learn in sports to succeed in business. They keep their competitive juices alive and still play in adult leagues. They play with their kids or get involved coaching them. Or maybe they just follow sports. Either way, it’s with them for life.
For others, like myself, we’ve carved out a niche in the sports industry to make a living. We’ve found a way to do what people always tell you to do when you’re young, “Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.”
What’s funny is there’s a guy many love to listen to, myself included, named Mike Rowe. I enjoy most of what he says which is to focus on the opportunities available and, if needed, get your hands in the muck in, if needed, a “Dirty Job”. He also has says you shouldn’t always pursue your passion because there might not be opportunity in your passion. I don’t disagree with him. However, I feel the sports industry is unique in that we have a space where passion meets opportunity.
There’s even opportunity to make money getting dirty. In the movie Caddyshack, Judge Smails tells Danny, “The world needs ditchdiggers too.” I love that line because I carved out a six-figure income digging holes and mixing concrete installing basketball hoops which is a glorified way of saying I was a ditchdigger. So I am meeting Mike Rowe not half way but all the way. I have a dirty job that’s also my passion, sports.
The going rate in the northeast is $550 to install a basketball hoop and the time on task, assuming you don’t hit bedrock, is three hours. After concrete and travel, you’re looking at roughly $150-166 an hour time on task. That’s not too shabby. That’s high-paying corporate consulting money. Almost as important, when you’re done you always see a smiling face and you drive away knowing you just contributed to thousands of hours or playtime.
Making money in sports is not all playing in the dirt. Be not afraid, there are more opportunities than just digging ditches. Before I list them out, just think. Where there’s a house with kids, there’s opportunity. Where there’s a school, there’s opportunity. Where there’s a playground, there’s opportunity. Where there’s travel teams, you guessed it, opportunity.
Death and taxes are not the only truths in life. People spending money on their kids and pets is the other.
Here are opportunities to make money:
- Residential
- Basketball Hoops
- Line Painting and Logos
- Pole Pad Lettering
- Backstop Netting
- Hoop Removals
- Backyard Courts
- Goals
- Soccer
- Lacrosse
- Batting Cages
- Mancaves
- SportScreens
- Hockey Rinks
- Personal Training
- And Many More…
- Basketball Hoops
- Schools
- Apparel
- Gym Floor Refinishing
- Track Resurfacing
- Bleachers
- Wall Padding
- Wall-Mounted Hoops
- Ceiling-Suspended Hoops
- Divider Curtains
- Bleachers
- Scoreboards
- Backboard Upgrades
- Reupholstery
- Gym Flooring
- Windscreens
- Playgrounds
- Line Painting
- Playground Hoops
- Artistic Painting
- Specialty Surfacing
- Bleachers
The opportunities are endless. You can do all of the above or focus on a niche. For instance, I know more than a dozen people who make a living and support their families selling just apparel. I made a comfortable living for years just focusing on selling and installing basketball hoops and doing court lines. I know a half a dozen guys that only install hoops and swing sets and make a very comfortable living.
What’s great about being an athlete is you already know the industry. Back to the idea of working in your passion, one of the benefits to the sports industry for athletes is you already know the industry.
- You know your way around a gym, school or playground.
- You know the decision makers: athletic directors, parks and rec directors and coaches.
- You don’t have to learn some new industry or culture such as pharmaceuticals. You may have to freshen up on it but you know the equipment and court dimensions.
- You’re connected within your community.
- If you were an athlete, especially a good one, you’re already the duty expert.
I hope you enjoyed this post and, more importantly, I hope you can feel the passion in my writing about this topic. I will be posting more info as I build the site and will also be coming back to this post with more links to add to it.
If you have any questions on how you may want to get involved with sports for a living, feel free to send me an email at mike@mikewesthead.com.
