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If you are interested in working within the sports industry, there are lots of jobs in the commercial aspects of the sector, says Kevin Quinn, head of commercial and marketing for Leinster Rugby.
“Working in sport, when you are close to a team you get caught up in all that passion, the drive, especially when things are going well – it can be really satisfying,” says Quinn.
Working within sport, he says, can be “very intense”, but has its own rewards.
Getting ready for matches and working on sponsorships, for example, brings a lot of work but is also “very exciting”.
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Passion
“I think having a passion for sport, if you want a career in sport, is key,” says Quinn. “Working in sport, working in Leinster Rugby, you find that everyone is invested in the team.”
He finds that a shared interest in sport can makes it easier to forge connections with people in the industry.
For students interested in working within the sports industry, Quinn recommends students go on to club websites and see what roles they have.
Research
“Even by going on to their website you can see so much of what they do, be it in marketing, commercial or sponsorship,” he says.
He recommends students to “see what is interesting”, follow your passion and keep your mind open to changes within the industry.
Quinn says he got into working in the commercial side of sport through a “non-traditional” route by completing a degree in electronic engineering before working as a video engineer in television broadcasting with Setanta Sport.
He began working in sports broadcasting doing live coverage of GAA matches before later moving into the commercial side of the industry.
Qualifications
Even without formal qualifications, there are ways to learn new skills in a given industry by “working with good people”.
“At different stages of your career, if you work with good people, and trust good people, you will learn a huge amount,” he says.
Interview conducted in 2022
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