Great Ideas for Sports-Themed Businesses

Ideas for entrepreneurial sports fans

Being a great entrepreneur means pursuing a business idea that you feel passionate about. That can come in many forms – as a food truck, an emerging tech startup or a local manufacturing business. If you eat and breathe sports, there many ways to marry your passion for sports with the freedom of running your own business. You don't need to be a professional athlete to become a successful sports entrepreneur. Check out these 10 business ideas to help you brainstorm your business.

Sports radio

While most fans like to watch their teams play on TV, there are certain times and situations where that is not possible. If someone is traveling or simply wants to catch up on sports stats while on the run, you can provide play-by-plays, recaps and entertaining segments by starting your own sports radio station. You can also try and break into the world of sports radio by joining a sports radio show where you can talk about your passions – and get paid while doing so.

Sports photography

Sports photographer, sports-related careers

Parents often want lasting records of their kid scoring the winning goal or hitting a home run. Most times, the best they get is a blurry action shot on their smartphone or camera. As a sports photographer, you can work with amateur teams to capture photos of each player and sell them to proud parents. You can also work with parents to capture video footage and assemble a video highlight reel that parents can send to scouts at prospective colleges and universities. By building your experience, you can one day partner with a newspaper, magazine or website to do local sports photography coverage. Knowledge of the game and a good single-lens reflex (SLR) camera are essential for this business.

Sports writing

Since you already keep up with games, teams and players, you can share your knowledge by starting your own sports copywriting firm. Whether you want to freelance for a local newspaper covering high school teams in your town or ghostwrite for major- and minor-league athletes, you can attract a following by offering sports news, op-eds and features. You can even run and monetize your own blog.

Personal trainer/health coach

Both major- and minor-league athletes need to stay in peak condition year-round, and part of that is making sure they consume a nutritious diet and follow a strict workout regimen. Players need health coaches to design menus and create individualized workout plans. You can build a reputation with local clients first, then start advertising to teams. Find out more about how to become a personal trainer here. With the right schooling, you can also become a physical therapist. This can allow you to be hands-on with local sports teams by playing the crucial role of physical trainer.

PR for athletes

public relations, sports-related careers

Professional and college-level players frequently make headlines with their athletic abilities, but they have lives outside of their sport. Many athletes are also entrepreneurs and/or philanthropists, and it takes a great public relations agent to make sure their personal brands are well known, both on and off the field. If you've got an arsenal of media contacts and a go-getter personality, why not launch an independent sports PR firm?

Sports camp organizer

Organizing a sports camp is a great way to start a business you'll enjoy. The camp could focus on the sport of your choice and any level of competition; it can last one day or several weeks. To boost its appeal and popularity, bring in experts, like coaches and athletes, to offer attendees experienced insights into their respective games. Garnering a local athletic personality's endorsement can add further prestige to your event.

Youth sports leagues

If you have extensive experience in a certain sport, you can work with others in your community to set up a town league, seasonal league or club team. Communities need independent sports programs so young talent can develop year-round. By granting players access to new opponents, tournaments and varying league play, you can help develop the skills of your area while running your own business. It's important to work with others in your community, including high school coaches and influential members of the sports community, to set up your league.

Sporting goods store

While a sporting goods store may not be as hands-on as some of the other business ideas on this list, it still provides an important local service to sports programs. By specializing in a particular sport, you can become the authority on gear, local team merchandise and other topics related to that sport. You can also advise local leagues on the equipment teams should be using.

Athletic fundraising

Sports leagues and programs need money to buy uniforms, send teams to tournaments and run the overall league. While there likely aren't a ton of fundraising-focused organizations out there, you can set up your own company to help fund athletic programs in your community. This can involve running events, partnering with nonprofits and working with up-and-coming leagues. It may be difficult to get off the ground, but working with important members of your community can be a good start.

Sports filming and videography

Sports teams need quality video in order to improve. Breaking down formations, analyzing plays and building new styles all require video to improve. Professional videographers are needed to film games and provide a platform for coaches and teams to get better. Besides recording games, you can make college recruiting videos for star athletes. Highlight reels are an important part of the recruiting process, and if you can carve a niche for yourself as an excellent videographer, your services could be called upon by high school athletes everywhere.

More business ideas

Looking for even more ways you can start a business? Check out these ideas from our partners at CO— by U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Or dig into these other great business ideas.

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Matt D'Angelo: Matt D'Angelo is a Staff Writer based in New York City. After graduating from James Madison University with a degree in Journalism, Matt gained experience as a copy editor and writer for newspapers and various online publications. Matt joined the team in 2017 and covers technology for Business.com and Business News Daily. Follow him on Twitter or email him.