The Ad Marketing Student Intern will support proposal development, research, brainstorm ideas, draft materials, and assist in cross-functional projects for brand partnerships in sports marketing.
About Us
Powered by one of the largest global newsrooms in sports media, The Athletic brings sports fans the most comprehensive stories about the teams, sports and athletes they love. The Athletic’s newsroom of 450+ full-time staff delivers in-depth coverage of hundreds of professional and college teams across more than 47 North American markets and all 20 football clubs in the English Premier League, as well as many Championship clubs.
About the Role
The Athletic is accepting applications for its Leon H. Carter Internship Program for Summer 2026!
We are seeking an Ad Marketing Student Intern to join our team in support of the Strategy and Program Management functions for Summer 2026. The Ad Marketing team is the engine behind the custom advertising programs we build for brand partners. Strategy and Program Management work closely with Sales, Planning, Design, Creative, and Editorial teams to turn client briefs into smart, insight-led sponsorship ideas and polished proposals.
We’re looking for an Ad Marketing Student Intern who’s eager to learn how brands show up in sports culture and make an impact on our brand partnerships. You’ll learn how creative and media strategies come together, contribute to proposals, support advertiser programs, and build portfolio-worthy work.
The rate of pay for this role is $20.00 USD per hour.
The application deadline is November, 17, 2025.
What You'll Learn
- How sponsorship ideas are developed and pitched to major brands.
- How strategy, creative, program management, media planning, and sales work together within a modern media company.
- How to craft compelling stories and visually sharp presentations.
- How to work cross-functionally on real, deadline-driven campaigns.
- How to develop, price, and track programs and deliverables for client campaigns.
- How to engage sports talent for branded content programs.
- How to package your work for your professional portfolio.
Responsiblities
- Support proposal development by conducting client, industry, and audience research.
- Contribute to brainstorms and help shape creative ideas that bring sponsorships to life.
- Draft and compile proposal sections including trends, case studies, and background slides.
- Partner with Strategy and Design to ensure decks are clear, cohesive, and on deadline.
- Develop tools and templates to support and refine the proposal process and/or post-sale production process.
- Work on a capstone project like an RFP response or client presentation with support from Strategy.
- Gain exposure to the entire proposal strategy process: from sales brief to ideation and final pitch.
Requirements
- Rising junior, senior, or recent graduate with relevant coursework or experience in marketing, advertising, communications, journalism, or a related field.
- A strong interest in sports, media, and marketing.
- Excellent writing, research, and storytelling skills.
- Curious, collaborative, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, remote-first environment.
- Detail-oriented and organized, with strong presentation and communication skills.
- Proficient in Google Slides or PowerPoint (bonus: basic design sense or experience with Canva, Figma, or Adobe Creative Suite).
The Athletic Media Company is an equal opportunity employer and enthusiastically encourages people from all backgrounds and experiences to apply. The Athletic will consider all applicants without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.
Click here to review our Applicant Privacy Notice, which describes how and when The Athletic Media Company collects, uses, and shares certain personal information of job applicants and prospective employees.
Beware of fraudulent job recruiting schemes! Our recruiters use [email protected] exclusively. We do not conduct interviews via text or instant message and we do not ask candidates to download software, to purchase equipment through us, or to provide sensitive personally identifiable information, such as bank accounts or social security numbers. If you have been contacted by someone claiming to be a recruiter with The Athletic but operating from a different email address about a job offer, please report it as potential job fraud to the law enforcement and to [email protected].
Top Skills
Adobe Creative Suite
Canva
Figma
Google Slides
PowerPoint
Similar Jobs
HR Tech • Information Technology • Professional Services • Sales • Software
The Customer Success Manager - Bob Finance manages customer relationships, driving adoption and retention through financial expertise and strategic account management. Responsibilities include utilizing customer health data to identify opportunities for growth and collaborating cross-functionally to align customer priorities with business outcomes.
Top Skills:
Epm ToolsFp&ASaaS
Software
The Product Designer will create engaging mobile and web interfaces, enhance the user experience in group chats, and collaborate with product and engineering teams.
Top Skills:
Figma
Artificial Intelligence • Cloud • HR Tech • Information Technology • Productivity • Software • Automation
Design and develop software for PostgreSQL database management, ensuring reliability and scalability. Collaborate with stakeholders to incorporate feedback and meet technical requirements.
Top Skills:
Ci/Cd SystemsGoJenkinsKubernetesLinuxMariadbMySQLOraclePostgresPuppetPythonRuby
What you need to know about the Colorado Tech Scene
With a business-friendly climate and research universities like CU Boulder and Colorado State, Colorado has made a name for itself as a startup ecosystem. The state boasts a skilled workforce and high quality of life thanks to its affordable housing, vibrant cultural scene and unparalleled opportunities for outdoor recreation. Colorado is also home to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, helping cement its status as a hub for renewable energy innovation.
Key Facts About Colorado Tech
- Number of Tech Workers: 260,000; 8.5% of overall workforce (2024 CompTIA survey)
- Major Tech Employers: Lockheed Martin, Century Link, Comcast, BAE Systems, Level 3
- Key Industries: Software, artificial intelligence, aerospace, e-commerce, fintech, healthtech
- Funding Landscape: $4.9 billion in VC funding in 2024 (Pitchbook)
- Notable Investors: Access Venture Partners, Ridgeline Ventures, Techstars, Blackhorn Ventures
- Research Centers and Universities: Colorado School of Mines, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Denver, Colorado State University, Mesa Laboratory, Space Science Institute, National Center for Atmospheric Research, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Gottlieb Institute
