| If you have always loved professional baseball, | | | | address announcing, statistician, dealing with local |
| then it is possible for you to become involved | | | | and regional sports media, promotions |
| with the industry in one way or another. One | | | | development and implementation, online |
| avenue to pursue is employment with a team or | | | | marketing, grounds keeping, stadium |
| league in the independent baseball league section | | | | management, concessions skills, and merchandise |
| of the pro baseball industry. Independent baseball | | | | inventory management. Even higher-level specialty |
| leagues and teams are not affiliated with any | | | | skills include stadium design, graphic design for |
| specific Major League Baseball organization, and | | | | logos and sponsorship obligations, game scheduling, |
| their ultimate goal is to become a profitable | | | | and raising capital for teams. |
| enterprise. Front office and league personnel have | | | | - Management (team): You will need to be able to |
| more flexibility in hiring people to help them reach | | | | manage employees, interns, and have a good |
| that aim. | | | | ability to deal with other executives, team |
| The question then becomes, "In what other way | | | | owners, and the league executives. You also will |
| can I work in the professional baseball industry | | | | be working long hours overseeing items dealing |
| without being a player, manager, coach, or | | | | with concessions, merchandise, stadium |
| owner?" Here are several starting points, each | | | | operations, stadium construction/renovation, |
| with a short description to help you better | | | | speaking at the local service organizations, dealing |
| understand what is available to you: | | | | with player contracts, and many other tasks. You |
| - League-level: It is possible for you to work with | | | | should have the ability to run a small/medium |
| an independent baseball league at the league office | | | | business, including accounting/payroll understanding, |
| level. Skills here include media relations, strategic | | | | budgeting, networking, and many other |
| planning, marketing, attracting major sponsors for | | | | senior-level tasks. |
| league-wide exposure, and other similar duties. | | | | With over 50 independent baseball teams |
| - Entry-level (team): Many independent baseball | | | | scheduled to play in 2010, there are several |
| teams need help with game-day operations, ticket | | | | opportunities to join this industry. Remember that |
| sales, community relations, and many other tasks | | | | your love for the game has to be tempered with |
| to entice local organizations and individuals to | | | | the understanding that the team owner, league |
| spend money with the team. You will need | | | | president, and general manager all want to turn a |
| interpersonal, computer, phone, and event-planning | | | | profit while maintaining a high standard of |
| skills. In addition, the hours may be long and some | | | | excellence in the local market. If you are willing to |
| physical effort will be required, especially if you | | | | do what you can to offer professional quality |
| work on game-day operations. | | | | while focusing on making a profit and obtaining |
| - Specialty skills: You can join an independent | | | | new fans then you have the first step needed to |
| baseball team with a number of specialty skills. | | | | find a job in independent professional minor league |
| These could include online radio broadcasting, public | | | | baseball. |