OWN YOUR CAREER: A Winning roadmap for Sports Professionals

OWN YOUR CAREER: A Winning roadmap for Sports Professionals

A close friend of mine has been a senior leader at Facebook for more than a decade. Brilliant, respected, the kind of person you’d think was untouchable.

A few months ago, he told me something I never expected to hear from him:

“For the first time in my life, I’m afraid for my job, because of AI.”

Weeks later, Facebook announced sweeping layoffs, more than 20,000 jobs gone in what Mark Zuckerberg called the company’s “year of efficiency.”

That’s not gossip. That’s the world we’re living in.

And if you think this kind of wave won’t hit sports, you’re wrong. Clubs, leagues, and global brands are facing the same reality: pressure to deliver more with fewer people, to automate wherever possible, and to move faster than the rest or risk being left behind.

From Job Security to Career Ownership

There was a time when being a great employee was enough.

You showed up, did the work, built trust, and in return you got promotions, stability, and the sense that your role was safe.

That time is gone.

Today, the only real security is Career Ownership, treating your career as something you actively lead, not something that just “happens” to you.

Think of it as an entrepreneurial mindset, but built for employees.

It’s not about quitting to launch a startup. It’s about bringing the same ownership, curiosity, and drive into your role, no matter where you sit in the organization.

Why Career Ownership Matters Now?

Whether you’re sitting in the boardroom of a top football club or just starting out in marketing at a sports brand, the truth is the same: you can’t expect the system to carry you anymore.

And this isn’t theory, it’s already happening:

• ESPN recently let go of more than 20 high profile commentators and analysts, including household names. The official reason: cost reductions and new ways of producing content, including AI driven tools.
• Manchester City, together with their technology partners, now uses AI, based systems for performance analysis and fan engagement. What once demanded large teams of analysts can now be processed automatically, changing the shape of backroom operations.
• Adidas has begun using generative AI in design and marketing. Campaigns and creative assets that used to take entire departments are now produced faster, with fewer resources, and at a fraction of the cost.

If the giants are moving this fast, what does that mean for the rest of us?

What Career Ownership Looks Like

Owning your career doesn’t mean leaving to launch a startup.

It means showing up as if you own the path you’re on, because you do.

It means:

• Never stop learning: Especially about the tools and skills reshaping our industry.
• Measuring yourself by impact, not tasks: Did you help drive revenue? Save time? Create a better fan experience?
• Making yourself visible: Share what you’re learning, take the lead on new projects. People notice who moves things forward.
• Building for tomorrow, not yesterday: Focus on skills that will matter in the years ahead, not just what got you here.

Here’s the blunt truth: no manager, no HR team, no company will guarantee your future.

That’s on you.

Five Steps to Start Owning Your Career Today:

1. Bring AI into your daily routine

Try tools like ChatGPT, Midjourney, or sports analytics platforms in real work.

Don’t just read about them, use them.

2. Build your internal brand

Be the person who brings new ideas, pilots projects, and pushes things forward.

3. Invest in tomorrow’s skills

Data, storytelling, understanding new tech. Even short online courses can change the way people see you.

4. Think like a builder inside your company

Look for ways to save time, reduce costs, or create new value. Treat your role as if it’s your own business.

5. Grow your circle

Connect with people in AI, sports innovation, or other forward looking communities. Relationships open doors when the ground shifts.

The Moment of Choice

Sports has always been about separation: those who step forward, and those who hold back.

The same is true for careers now. The people who embrace Career Ownership are already shaping what comes next. Others are waiting and slowly realizing the game has moved on.

I don’t share this to scare you. I share it because I want you to win.

Because in this industry, there really isn’t a middle ground.

You can be part of writing the next chapter, or watch someone else write it for you.

And my hope is simple: that you’ll choose to own it.

With love for sports and innovation

Amir