The Tampa Bay Rays and Tampa Bay Rowdies are committed to creating and sustaining a diverse workforce in all aspects of the organization, both in baseball, soccer, and business. The Summer Trainee Program is a summer work program for a select group of students from underrepresented backgrounds seeking to grow their knowledge and network within the sports industry.

The trainees will be working with the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team, along with day-to-day operations of their designated departments within the organization. The trainees will be provided an overview and in-office experience of leadership and develop tools necessary for leading and operating the various lines of business within a major league sports franchise.

Program Outline:

  • Housing is included at the USF St. Petersburg campus.

Eligible Applicants:

  • Must be rising seniors at an accredited college, community college, or university (two-to-four-year institution) and working towards a degree in a relevant discipline.
  • Seeking candidates from the following underrepresented populations:
    • People of Color
    • Women
    • LGBTQ+
    • Individuals living with a physical disability, invisible disability or condition, or who are neurodivergent
    • Veterans
  • Be able to have an 8-week commitment to participate in the program.

Below are the departments that trainees will have the opportunity to be placed into if selected for the program:

  • Provide support for all Rays Baseball Foundation and Community Engagement programs and events including but not limited to game day experiences, Play Ball initiatives, Rays Community Fund Grant Program, Rays Science of Baseball, Reading with the Rays and other marquee event gatherings as needed
  • Provide gameday support for the Rays 50/50 Charity Raffle program and coordinate operations related to the 50/50 Charity Raffle
  • Provide support in fulfillment of in-kind donation requests and experiences
  • Assist the Corporate Partnerships team with assembling client proposals, presentations and contract fulfillments.
  • Execute game-day duties and responsibilities as directed, including but not limited to setting up activation tables, capturing proof of performance photos and facilitating in-game activations at Tropicana Field (Rays) and Al Lang Stadium (Rowdies).
  • Assist with data entry/tracking in Microsoft Dynamics, CRM/KORE, SponsorUnited, YouGov, Trajektory and other pertinent platforms to assist the Corporate Partnerships Team.
  • Assist with the organization and execution of special events and networking opportunities in Corporate Hospitality (Summer Soiree, All-Star Game, etc.).
  • Manage inventory of merchandise, premium items and hospitality requests.
  • Assist the Marketing department with creative workflows including inputting creative requests, trafficking advertising to traditional and digital media partners, proofreading/editing creative jobs as needed, etc.
  • Help run our Rays Rookies Kids Club and Fan Packages programs, including fulfillment of orders, customer service and promotional planning.
  • Assist Grassroots Marketing Coordinator and Grassroots Marketing Intern with building out promotional event calendar, resupplying grassroots vehicles and executing grassroots events as needed.
  • As necessary, work and shadow Marketing employees on game days helping with promotional giveaways, media partner promotions, mascot handler, etc.
  • Help in the ideation and coordination of content for Tampa Bay Rays main accounts.
  • Take a prominent role in content ideation, creation and execution for auxiliary accounts like @RaysRaymond and @TropicanaField.
  • Keep a pulse on our Rays fan base, assist in responding to fan questions and comments and engage with fans via social media platforms.
  • Monitor social media posts/comments/replies, etc. regularly to understand consumer feedback and coordinate closely with other departments as needed to address and resolve issues in a professional and timely manner.
  • Help to identify social media influencers to network with and coordinate communications, tickets and gifting.
  • Customer service via phones and emails with single-game ticket buyers and season members.
  • Game day duties, including but not limited to:
    • Assisting in the redemption center
    • Ballpark app assistance
    • Prepping suites
    • Group night organization
  • Learning and assisting in the Rays Rewards loyalty program for Season Members.
  • Assistance with any applicable Season Member events and gift pick-up.
  • High focus on Lead Generation through local events and research on local companies, organizations, nonprofits and youth sports
  • Work with team members and other internal resources to ensure product fulfillment and top-of-the-line customer service
  • Assist with the production of flyers and marketing materials to assist the Sales Team with their initiatives
  • Willingness to attend events throughout the Tampa/St Petersburg area to grow the brand and your network
  • Assistance with daily and game day operations of the club related to ticketing, group experiences and miscellaneous inquiries
  • Perform other tasks, projects and responsibilities as assigned

Prospective candidates must submit the following materials with their application to receive full consideration:

  • Current resume
  • Cover Letter explaining what you are looking to gain from the internship (no more than 500 words)

Applicant Timeline:

  • Posting: January 13 - February 7, 2025
  • Application Review: February 10 - 28, 2025
  • Interviews: March 3 - 21, 2025
  • Candidates Notified: April 4, 2025

Applications for the 2024 Summer Trainee Program are now closed.

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