Here are some resources I’ve been collecting for the awesome Ops (Operations Directors or Producers) I’ve gotten to work with, and for others who hope to find entry-level employment in the sports entertainment industry.
Background Information
One of my favorite “side hustles” is working as a local hire for sporting events. Gotta say, I love doing this! There are so many perks:
- upbeat work environment
- lots of walking (my daily goal is 10K steps — easy! BOOM!)
- meet lots of interesting people
- ability to see the action up close*
(*To be honest, I rarely take advantage of this. My favorite thing about any sporting event is snuggling with my DH, and it takes herculean effort for me to actually pay attention to the game. But I’m working on it!)
Resources & Notes for Ops
Shopping List for 35 – $150 budget. PDF; note: this list was for a late summer event on a HOT day, so we went through about 3x the usual amount of ice. There was no Set Day for this event. We had two meals in addition to the snacks and drinks on this list.
Runner Duties – PDF; Print and give to your runners to help them learn the ropes. Many thanks to Erinn Enos, my first Ops ever and the original source of most of this document.
ESPN Meal Signs – download the PDF and print selected pages as needed. (Not every venue, obviously.) To post for crew meal locations.
OK State Random Note – the crew meal will be set up at one of two wings of the upper level at Gallagher-Iba. Please, request the South-East Concourse. The West Concourse gets afternoon sun, which is unpleasant for crew members who spend much of their day in direct sunlight as it is. Thank you!
Resources for Local Hires
Runner Duties (same as above). I review this document before every gig so I can (hopefully) meet or even exceed expectations.
A Message for Garcia – Love this little booklet! It was required reading at a job I had 30 years ago. You can read a complete reprint (including the author’s notes about how it achieved “a larger circulation than any other literary venture has ever attained during the lifetime of the author, in all history”) thanks to Darren Hardy here.
Not a reader? No worries. Andy Andrews provides a terrific, FREE audiobook version here.
Conclusion
These notes and documents have helped me feel a little more prepared on each gig, and less likely to make mistakes. Again, I credit Erinn Enos for her great communication skills, patience and encouragement during my first assignment. Hope this page will be a blessing to others! Let me know if there’s anything you’d change or add by leaving a comment on my Facebook business page. Thanks for stopping by!
