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by Stuart Sokoloff (Author)
You've spent your life loving sports. Now you want to get paid for it. But passion alone won't get you hired.
When I was trying to break into the industry, I had questions and very few honest answers. Everyone said:
"Follow your passion."
"Network more."
"Just get your foot in the door."
But nobody really explained how sports actually works. So I learned the hard way-completing 16 internships and professional experiences at Springfield College and building a decade-long career with organizations like the Phoenix Suns, San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Guardians & Reds Spring Training Facility, Athletes Unlimited, and the Israel National Baseball Team.
Breaking Into Sports is the playbook I wish I had when I was starting out. It's practical, honest, and filled with real-world guidance on:
- Why passion alone won't get you hired-and what truly sets candidates apart
- Networking that actually works, building real connections instead of transactional ones
- Surviving your first job: long hours, entry-level sales, and handling rejection
- Turning early roles into career launchpads and knowing when to pivot
- The stuff nobody tells you: burnout, impostor syndrome, geographic flexibility, and more
Featuring insights from leaders across the industry, including:
- Rob Manfred - Commissioner, Major League Baseball (MLB)
- Jerry Colangelo - Chairman, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame; Former Owner & Chairman, Arizona Diamondbacks and Phoenix Suns & Mercury; Former Managing Director, USA Basketball
- Tony Clark - Executive Director, Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA)
- Adam White - Founder & CEO, Front Office Sports
- Annie Meyers Drysdale - Olympian; Basketball Hall of Famer
- Alan Nero - Managing Director, Baseball, Octagon
- Pat O'Conner - Former President, Minor League Baseball
- Sam Kennedy - President & CEO, Boston Red Sox
- Dana Brown - General Manager, Houston Astros
- Dr. Lynn Lashbrook - President & Founder, Sports Management Worldwide
- Josh Rawitch - President, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
- Jamie Dinsmore - President & CEO, Hockey Hall of Fame
- Derrick Hall - President & CEO, Arizona Diamondbacks
- John Doleva - President & CEO, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
- ...and many more
This book is for students mapping out their futures, recent grads grinding through applications, and early-career professionals figuring out their next move. Stop piecing together advice from textbooks and social media. The roadmap is here. Now it's your turn to take the field.
About the Author
Stuart Sokoloff has over a decade of experience in sports business, working across revenue generation, operations, and business development with organizations including the Phoenix Suns & Mercury, San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Guardians & Reds Spring Training Facility, Athletes Unlimited, the Baseball and Basketball Hall of Fames, and the Israel National Baseball Team. He teaches Sports Sales and Service at Springfield College and mentors the next generation of sports professionals.
