The Relocation Problem in Sports Recruiting
By Allie Crone, Vice President at TurnkeyZRG
Job seekers are much less willing to relocate for a new role and that trend is not lost within the sports industry. In the continuously evolving landscape of sports, opportunities are more available and opening more frequently than ever before, however we’ve seen a significant decline among candidates within the industry and those desiring to enter the industry in the willingness to relocate for their dream job. While the sports world has always been synonymous with passion and chasing dreams, it begs the question as to why talented individuals are now hesitant to embrace new adventures in new cities in the sports industry. After speaking with a few hundred people a month in 2023, below are a few trends I’ve observed from individuals we’ve recruited.
An obvious trend is the skyrocketing cost of housing, especially in popular sports hubs of major cities. These cities demand an excessive price for accommodations, often with salaries unable to keep up with these inflated costs, and it becomes financially unfeasible for job seekers to uproot their current living situation and restart. High interest rates also make it difficult for individuals to give up their current rates when buying a new home. Even those looking for new roles face this tough decision ultimately impacting their willingness to relocate.
There is also a reluctance to relocate due to the growing comfort and stability individuals have become accustomed to in today’s interconnected world, particularly since Covid. They know what to expect from their current employer and understand the flexibility they have. Disrupting this requires a leap of faith and desire to adapt to new networks and surroundings. Job seekers often opt to stay put to safeguard the stability they have created and are used to. Flexibility is so important to workers today and most are reluctant to risk what they know.
Finally, family ties and lifestyle considerations take precedence over professional ambitions, even more frequently with those earlier in their career who traditionally were much more likely to relocate for a new role that offers a promotion in responsibility, title and compensation. Finding new schools and leaving behind a support system pose substantial challenges that are more often outweighing the allure of a new job within sports.
The sports industry continues to captivate the hearts of passionate individuals, however the decline in these jobseekers willing to relocate needs to be addressed. It requires a holistic approach that provides professionals the opportunity to meet their aspirations while also providing personal stability. This can be done by fostering more flexible work arrangements and offering much greater relocation assistance. Although this conundrum is not just affecting the sports industry, by making these offerings to potential employees, we can continue to entice talented individuals to make the jump, creating a diverse and ever-evolving workforce.
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ABOUT TURNKEYZRG
Founded in 1996, TurnkeyZRG is a highly specialized talent recruitment/executive search firm filling C-level, senior-level and mid-management level positions throughout sports, entertainment and media. Over the past 25 years, TurnkeyZRG has filled more than 1,400 positions throughout sports, entertainment and media. TurnkeyZRG helps teams, leagues, stadiums, arenas, theaters, college athletic departments, events, sponsors, agencies, media companies, private equity companies and other clients identify, recruit and hire the very best management talent. Turnkey now benefits from ZRG’s global footprint, full array of industry practice groups, data-driven, analytical search tools, and technology investment in changing the way executive search/talent recruiting is done. TurnkeyZRG becomes a tech-enabled disrupter of the prior executive search model. For more information about TurnkeyZRG, visit www.turnkeyzrg.com.