Kickstarting a career in the Sports Tech space
COLLECTION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LEEDS DIGITAL
Andy Roberts, co-founder of Digital Sport North and CMO of Planet Sport Group, offers some insights for those embarking on a career in the thriving SportsTech sector in Leeds.
Photograph of people networking at one of Digital Sport North’s events.
From sports media to data analysis and developing the latest wearable tech, there’s a plethora of exciting career pathways in the sports sector - even if you’re not blessed with the talent and potential to be an athlete.
SportsTech is a rapidly evolving space, and it’s an exciting time to be breaking into this fascinating industry. And if you’re based in and around Leeds, you’ve got a huge opportunity to make a splash in a deep talent pool of sports, tech, and digital people working at the forefront of the ever-changing ways we’re all now consuming sport.
With strong sporting roots and culture, a well-established and fast-growing digital sector, and a super-supportive ecosystem, the city attracts a host of investors, entrepreneurs, established businesses and start-ups alike. So, how can you get involved and make your name?
Make use of the resources available
Leeds is a very well connected place to base and grow a (sports-related) technology business or find one that will suit your talents. There are innumerable resources available, from business programmes to networking events, helpful mentors and angels, funding and grant schemes, plus great office and co-working spaces such as Avenue HQ and Platform.
Over at Planet Sport Group, we recently interviewed Stuart Clarke MBE, founder of Leeds Digital Festival and UK Tech Week, who had plenty of pearls of wisdom to share on the rapid evolution of the SportsTech sector in Leeds.
He shared that, as a city, we’re now much better at retaining talent because we have the ecosystem in place to support graduates and entrepreneurs. Tech firms are beginning to interact with universities earlier on, and the careers fairs hosted in the city are a great place to start those initial conversations. Not just for graduates, but people at different stages of their working lives who are looking for a career change.
These universities, such as Leeds Beckett University, provide a host of support for start-ups in the region, from coworking spaces to business advice and professional training.
Build a strong network
One of the best things you can do is learn from the more experienced people around you. You have an extensive network of expertise on your doorstep, with clubs to tech hubs, betting and gaming giants, and stacks of exciting start-ups.
Both starting a career and growing a business are easier when you have the right connections. Business networks such as Digital Sport North and Leeds Digital were designed to join the city together with a series of meet-ups throughout the year.
Networking can open doors to all kinds of opportunities, and attending events is a great way to start building relationships with people you respect in the industry.
Digital Sport North friend and former panellist James Thomas of Azzuu, shared some sharp insight: “It's not business ideas that succeed, it's the people behind the ideas. This will become even more relevant in the coming decade as we see AI take over the software solutions. Ultimately, people buy people.”
“Whatever you decide to do, make sure that the way you treat people and interact with them is honest, respectful and try to learn from every interaction.”
Stay up to date with the industry
If you’re looking to start a career in SportsTech, you likely already enjoy following sports news and happenings. If you’re not active on LinkedIn, making connections with people in and around sport and following the leading companies then you definitely should be.
Innovations in SportsTech follow gaps emerging in the sports world, so staying up to date with what’s changing for leagues, teams, athletes, and fans can help you spot challenges, opportunities, and understand what matters to target users.
These things tend to move fast, and having the wider industry context in the bank gives you plenty to talk about and provide value at networking events.
Get experience
Look out for work experience and opportunities by attending networking events, getting to know some of the people working at companies you’re interested in, and working your LinkedIn.
The potential career arc open to you was well put by Thomas:
“In your 20’s, try as many different jobs, activities, life experiences as possible
In your 30’s, start honing in on what you are good at.
In your 40's, work as hard as possible to make as much money as possible so you don't have to work as hard in your 50s!”
Particularly in Leeds, there’s a unique undercurrent of comradeship among sports and digital professionals, and you’ll likely find that people are willing to go out of their way to help.
Stuart Clarke MBE explains, “I think it's a very generous city. People are generous with their contacts, their networks and introductions, and I think that's one of the reasons why we've grown so much over the last sort of 10 years or so, because we want the whole city to win.”
Even if it pushes you out of your comfort zone, start putting yourself out there, looking out for opportunities, building meaningful relationships, and learning from as many people as possible.
Check out our feature on the Leeds Digital site here.
