Many people think that the sports industry solely comprises athletes, the training staff, and the team’s general manager. However, that is not the case.

There are many cogs in the form of businesses and organizations, which are essential to ensure that the sports industry runs smoothly. Often, retired athletes or even sports enthusiasts eventually tend to branch out, opening a business in this industry.

According to a study on the global sports market, sales projections showed that this industry is set to reach a net worth of approximately $250 billion soon.

Let us discuss this in greater detail, exploring some great small business ideas that are perfect for all sports enthusiasts and athletes who have prior knowledge of the inner workings of the industry to get into.

Small Business Ideas for Sports Enthusiasts

1. Online Fitness

The world is heading towards a digital future, comprising many businesses going online. You can take advantage of this and start your online fitness platform.

It has been proven to be a highly lucrative business, primarily since the internet is available to everyone, allowing you to target an incredibly wide audience.

2. Launch a Ticketing Platform

The main purpose of an online ticketing business is to create a platform that allows people to buy tickets for various sports events online. It works because a specific percentage of each ticket sale goes into the platform and is considered an incredibly profitable business.

This is because people prefer to buy tickets online to skip the hassle of being stuck in long ticket lines or getting to the venue beforehand to reserve the seats they want.

3. Sports Blog

If you are a retired athlete or love sports, you should consider starting a sports-related blog. Starting a blog based on sports is a great business idea to monetize your views and opinions based on certain events.

You can boost your income by getting paid to add links to your blog and performing affiliate marketing to make some extra cash.

4. Provide Online Coaching Services

If you are an athlete or someone interested in sports with exceptional skill and command over a particular sport, you should consider providing online fitness coaching services.

You can record videos of yourself doing fitness exercises or offer online classes to people looking to get live fitness coaching to help improve their form to ensure maximum fitness is achieved. Center your business on these online classes, and a catalog of different exercise videos people can learn from.

5. Sports Camp

This is a great business idea for people who love sports or are athletes looking to expand their income, allowing you to earn great profit in the long run and help people realize their potential and improve their skills.

Your sports camp can also have state-of-the-art facilities and offer diversified sports activities to widen your target audience to cater to people of all ages and different skill levels.

6. Launch Athletic Clothing Brand

Athletic clothing is a huge part of the sports industry, with many notable brands centering their business on athletic apparel due to the potential to profit from it.

Launching your athletic clothing line is a great venture to earn money in the sports industry, mainly because of the high demand for athletic wear in the apparel market, providing professional athletes and the general public with the right kind of clothing that helps their performance.

7. Get into the PR Business

Another great business venture in the sports industry which you could go for is starting a sports PR business.

The main responsibility of a PR business is to make the necessary decisions and improve their client’s brand image, ensuring that the general public’s perception of them is positive.

You can earn money by creating a PR business that handles athletes and other sports businesses to improve their image in the market and make sure that they do not make a decision that has a negative impact on society.

8. Dietitian

Following the right diet is essential for any professional athlete. You can earn profits by opening up a dietitian business, creating routines for them divided into days that comprise food items that ensure that athletes are always in top shape.

You could also provide them with ideas on nutrition to boost their sports performance and earn considerable profits in the process.

9. Massage Therapist

Many sports teams have dedicated massage therapists to help them relax their muscles, and you can provide them with those services by starting a sports massage therapy business.

10. Become an Illustrator

Not all businesses in the sports industry aim to enhance performance and help athletes in different ways. Some exist within the industry solely for entertainment purposes, such as illustration.

You can start a sports illustration business involving drawing various cartoons, showcasing your creativity, and being a part of the sports industry.

11. Develop a Fitness Application

People are coming up with mobile applications for almost everything out there. The need for fitness-related apps has become higher than ever with the emergence of sportswear and smart fitness trackers.

Considering the market for fitness trackers and online fitness, you can develop an app related to sports, a highly profitable business. There is a range of different ideas you can choose from when developing your app to give yourself an edge over the competition.

12. Sports Equipment Manufacturing

Starting a business centered on manufacturing sports equipment is a great idea to get involved with the sports industry.

With a manufacturing business, you can select from a vast library of different types of sports goods to choose from, ranging from soccer equipment to cleats and other equipment related to football.

13. Mobile Fitness Trainer

There are many people out there who would prefer to get trained the old-fashioned way rather than relying on online platforms.

This has led to the emergence of mobile fitness trainers, who go to their client’s homes to train them, and is a great idea to earn money in the sports industry.

14. A journalist for the Sports Section

If you have a background in journalism and are passionate about sports, you can combine them and start a sports journalism business to secure profits in the sports industry.

15. Mobile Coach

Just like with fitness training, many teams also require a coach that can come to their choice of venue to train them. You can start a mobile coaching business to cater to such teams or athletes by coaching them.

16. Sports Event Planner

If you are a sports enthusiast or an athlete with a knack for arranging tournaments in your locality, you can also turn that into a sports business. You can open up an event planning agency specializing in sports events, arranging regional tournaments and competitions.

17. Launch Gym Bags

Especially useful for potential entrepreneurs who are interested in sports, you can start your brand of gym bags as a business and secure great profits in the sports industry.

This would involve creating functional and trendy gym bags to capture the attention of athletes and people who frequent the gym, resulting in a business that has great potential.

18. Toy Maker

You can start a business that develops toys catering to a specific sport. This has great potential for success in the sports industry, as sports merchandise is always in demand.

19. Start a Bicycle Manufacturing Business

Bicycle sales following the pandemic reached an all-time high, with over $8 billion spent on bicycles during the lockdown. Opening up a bicycle manufacturing business is a great idea because bikes are an invention in demand due to their usefulness in travel.

20. Talent Scout

If you are a retired athlete or someone interested in sports which can spot talent, you should consider starting a talent scout business. You can help potential athletes reach the professional level by securing lucrative team offers.

21. Sports Psychologist

As a psychologist in the sports industry, you will have to deal with mental trauma athletes may be facing and help them alleviate all that stress buildup to ensure they perform their best during the game.

22. CrossFit Gym

Even though opening up a gym is a great business venture in its own right, going for a cross-fit gym is particularly profitable because it has been trending during the past few years, leading to a rise in popularity.

23. Promoter

If you have a background in marketing and experience in the sports industry, you can start your own promoting business focused on promoting athletes and sports teams.

24. Starting a Magazine

You can launch your own sports magazine containing information like an inside scoop on the most recent matches to capture the reader’s interest.

25. Photography

Starting a sports photography business is an incredibly lucrative way to earn from the sports industry, offering your services to athletes and sports teams.