GAME DAY Many people say the quarterback of a football team is the most important position in sports That’s because the quarterback controls the action The ball is in his hands on almost every play When things go well the quarterback receives most of the praise When things go poorly he takes the blame The quarterback is the highest paid player on many pro football teams 5 CHAPTER 1
But the quarterback is just one position on a team of players And it’s just one job among thousands in the sports industry These jobs may not be quite as exciting as playing quarterback But a career in sports can still be meaningful even if it doesn’t involve throwing touchdown passes For example a trainer helps the players stay healthy An equipment manager makes sure their helmets fit right A ticket seller makes sure people can attend their games A broadcaster describes their plays to the fans at home And when the game is over fans can read all about it in a story from a sportswriter 6
There are many different ways to work in sports Most of them don’t require a strong arm or quick feet But they do require a love for the game A SELECT FEW Many people dream of becoming an athlete in a major sports league However very few of those jobs are available 1,696 players of number 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 0 810 750 736 450 144 NFL MLS MLB NHL NBA WNBA Numbers are accurate as of 2021 7
