How to Turn your Passion for Sports into Income

Do you love sports so much that you’d want it to be part of your everyday life? Turning this passion for sports into a steady income may be easier than you’d think. Let that passion lead you to your next paycheck. Do you think that it would be impossible to make your dream sports-related job come true? Just a few years ago, people would not have believed there was a way to earn money from playing video games. Esports players today can earn a comfortable six-figure income from playing video games they are passionate about. You can do the same with various other sports-related jobs. If you are interested in football-related jobs, or maybe you are interested in coaching basketball, you can definitely turn your passion for sports into an income. Here’s how.

Get into sports journalism

Having a sports-related career is oftentimes a blend of two different professions. Sports journalism can be a mixture of reporting, writing, analysing data, or conducting interviews. Depending on your ‘field’ of interest, sports journalism has some of the highest-paying sports jobs. A well-established sports statistician can easily make a six-figure salary. Statisticians are involved in the journalism industry as much as reporters themselves. They provide valuable insights and analytics about athletes, teams, and strategies. Statisticians can operate under media outlets or be hired by a specific club or team. One of the best jobs in sports is one that puts you right in the middle of the action. On-field reporters get to interview their favourite athletes and coaches for a living. However, people who are interested in this career path should keep in mind that they must be unbiased and story-driven. So you should be able to keep your cool and be professional throughout the interview sessions. With the popularity of football in Malaysia, both jobs (statistician & reporting) are in demand, but you should be well-versed in all things football to be a promising candidate. Depending on how far you go in your career, professional reporting is also amongst the highest-paying sports jobs in the sports field.

Personal Trainer/Coach

Being a personal trainer or coach is one of the best jobs for athletes. If you have retired from your sports-related career and you have always had a passion for teaching, then coaching is for you. Football coaching jobs are amongst the most sought-after. Many public and international schools compete in state-level competitions yearly, and football coaching jobs will always be in demand, especially if you have the credentials to back it up. Or if you manage to land the role of a personal trainer, you will potentially be able to train athletes weekly. Many would see this as amongst the best sports-related jobs. Basketball coaching jobs are also in demand, especially in international and Chinese vernacular schools. Coaching jobs are predominantly the best jobs for ex-athletes since they have on-field knowledge and ability. However, if you are interested in a variety of sports like archery or competitive climbing, being a PE teacher means you get to cover multiple sports of your interest.

Collecting and Selling Memorabilia

With the popularity of football in Malaysia, there are die-hard football fans at every turn. Among these jobs in football, collecting and selling memorabilia may be the most underrated. But with the right items up for grabs, selling memorabilia might be the quickest way to make big bucks, depending on rarity. This being a football-related job, you should also keep in mind that there are fake memorabilia out there, and you should be able to spot the difference if you are looking to get into this industry. You can purchase 100% authentic sports memorabilia like jerseys, gear and other accessories at Al-Ikhsan stores or online. Having a source of income is what everyone needs. However, it would be more fulfilling when that source is also your passion. You would be able to make money out of doing something you love. As Confucius once said, "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."