The sports on screen, whether a team, event, or single athlete, have a whole world behind the screen. From the sidelines to the press rooms, professional athletes and teams have their own team that does what they can to promote them on and off the field. 

There are two important people off the field: the team manager and the equipment manager. The team manager is almost like a coach because they lead and manage the team. The manager organizes tournaments, creates schedules, and handles the finances for travel. The manager might keep a binder of the players’ profiles and important forms for professional leagues and ensure all players’ uniforms are correct for that specific game. Team managers usually deal with more of the legal and marketing side of the field. 

The job that does not get a lot of attention but would be noticed if missing is the equipment manager. There’s usually one head equipment manager for this job, but the work is done by a whole team. The equipment team is responsible for fixing the uniforms and helmets or any other equipment that is needed for games or practices. Footballers might need to fix their helmets or bring extra balls for away games. For hockey, the equipment managers might need to sharpen skates, fix any hockey sticks, and get the players’ equipment fixed, cleaned, and ready for home and away games. 

An athletic trainer is always necessary for any sports team, whether it’s high school, college, or professional level. As athletic trainers assess equipment and the field or court to ensure it’s safe for the athletes, they are always needed. Before practice, athletic trainers tape or wrap injuries and perform rehab. During practice or games, they examine the playing area to ensure there’s nothing to injure the athletes. Overall, athletic trainers make sure the field and athletes are both safe. 

On and off the screen, the marketing and social media crews promote the team and engage with the fans. For example, before every game, the Buffalo Bills lost their competitors and the stadium hosted by the game. Once the players arrive at the stadium, whether home or away, the social media crew will post photos of the players walking in, and once the game has started, they’ll post score updates after each quarter and at the end of the game. When the Bills are not playing, they are either practicing on the field or in the weight room, making the world better. In December 2024, the Senate passed the HEARTS Act, which was motivated due to Damar Hamlin (safety for the Bills) suffering cardiac arrest during a Monday Night Football game. This will make CPR training accessible and allow automated external defibrillators in more schools. 

Of course, these are not the only jobs off the field, although these are important to keep the team active. There’s the incredibly talented team on the field and a team on the sidelines doing everything they can to keep those athletes happy and healthy. While they’re not playing on the field, the managers, equipment crew, and social media team would be noticed if they weren’t there.