Trade associations are an important part of any industry.
They give you the chance to meet people with like interests and career paths. Many
also offer conferences, charitable events and career services. You could think
of them as the fraternities of “the real world”. One industry trade association that I hope to
become a member of and would recommend is the National Sports Marketing Network
(NSMN). They have deemed themselves “the exclusive industry trade organization
for sports business professionals in the United States” and rightfully so. NSMN’s members include league commissioners,
network and corporate executives, agency presidents and a host of other sports
industry professionals. This group is
encouraging interaction between sports professionals and creating a more united
front in the industry.
