You've spent your life loving sports. Now you want to get paid for it. But passion alone won't get you hired.When I was trying to break into the industry, I had questions and very few honest answers. Everyone said:"Follow your passion.""Network more.""Just get your foot in the door."But nobody really explained how sports actually works. So I learned the hard way - completing 16 internships and professional experiences at Springfield College and building a decade-long career with organizations like the Phoenix Suns, San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Guardians & Reds Spring Training Facility, Athletes Unlimited, and the Israel National Baseball Team.Breaking Into Sports is the playbook I wish I had when I was starting out. It's practical, honest, and filled with real-world guidance on:Why passion alone won't get you hired-and what truly sets candidates apartNetworking that actually works, building real connections instead of transactional onesSurviving your first job: long hours, entry-level sales, and handling rejectionTurning early roles into career launchpads and knowing when to pivotThe stuff nobody tells you: burnout, impostor syndrome, geographic flexibility, and moreFeaturing 250+ insights from leaders across the industry, including:Rob Manfred – Commissioner, Major League Baseball (MLB)Jerry Colangelo – Chairman, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame; Former Owner & Chairman, Arizona Diamondbacks and Phoenix Suns & Mercury; Former Managing Director, USA BasketballTony Clark – Executive Director, Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA)Adam White – Founder & CEO, Front Office SportsAnnie Meyers Drysdale – Olympian; Basketball Hall of FamerAlan Nero – Managing Director, Baseball, OctagonPat O'Conner – Former President, Minor League BaseballSam Kennedy – President & CEO, Boston Red SoxDana Brown – General Manager, Houston AstrosJosh Rawitch – President, National Baseball Hall of Fame and MuseumJamie Dinsmore – President & CEO, Hockey Hall of FameDerrick Hall – President & CEO, Arizona DiamondbacksJohn Doleva – President & CEO, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame …and many more This book is for students mapping out their futures, recent grads grinding through applications, and early-career professionals figuring out their next move. Stop piecing together advice from textbooks and social media. The roadmap is here. Now it's your turn to take the field. About the Author Stuart Sokoloff has over a decade of experience in sports business, working across revenue generation, operations, and business development with organizations including the Phoenix Suns & Mercury, San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Guardians & Reds Spring Training Facility, Athletes Unlimited, the Baseball and Basketball Hall of Fames, and the Israel National Baseball Team. He teaches Sports Sales and Service at Springfield College and mentors the next generation of sports professionals. Stuart Sokoloff is a sports business professional with over a decade of experience across sales, operations, and revenue generation in professional sports. During his career, he has worked with organizations including the Phoenix Suns & Mercury, San Francisco Giants, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Guardians & Cincinnati Reds Spring Training Facility, the Israel National Baseball Team, the Baseball and Basketball Hall of Fames, and Athletes Unlimited. Stuart began his journey in the sports industry by completing 16 internships and professional experiences while earning his Sport Management degree from Springfield College. That relentless pursuit of hands-on experience gave him a ground-level understanding of how the sports business actually works and laid the foundation for his career. In addition to his professional work, Stuart teaches the 300-level Sports Sales course at Springfield College, where he mentors and prepares the next generation of sports professionals
