Career Guide
About This Role
A Ticket Sales Account Executive sells tickets to fans, families, businesses and groups: season tickets and memberships, partial plans, group outings and sometimes premium seating. It is one of the most common entry-level jobs in professional sport and one of the most reliable ways into the industry, because teams hire sellers regularly and promote strong performers into service, premium, sponsorship and leadership roles.
Many organizations call the role inside sales, sales representative or account executive. Some teams use “account executive” for corporate or partnership sellers as well; in this guide, it means ticket sales.
What a ticket sales account executive does day to day
The day is built around outreach. Anthony Manserra, Account Executive of Ticket Sales for the NLL’s Toronto Rock (2019), told SPMA his goal was new business for season tickets and group sales. In the off-season, that meant outbound calls and lead follow-up: emails first thing, a block of calls mid-morning, follow-up emails at midday, more calls in the afternoon, and setting up the next day before leaving.
Sales teams are often split by product. Andrew Sidney, Director of Ticket Sales for the Detroit Tigers (2020), described a new business team selling packages and memberships to consumers and businesses through face-to-face appointments, calls and email, and a group sales team selling large outings to schools, churches, businesses, nonprofits and youth sports. He admitted it took about six months before he understood why he liked sales and was good at it.
Training and coaching are a big part of entry-level sales. Joe Isse, Director of Inside Sales for the Portland Trail Blazers (2020), described leading the entry-level sales and service team with a focus on recruiting and on one-on-one coaching tailored to each seller’s goals and learning curve.
Anthony Manserra, Account Executive of Ticket Sales for the Toronto Rock, described the core of the job to SPMA in 2019: “The main goal is to seek out new business for season tickets and group sales.” At the MLB level, the structure is larger but the job is the same. Andrew Sidney, Director of Ticket Sales for the Detroit Tigers, said in 2020: “My role is responsible for overseeing all new ticket sales for the Tigers. We have two teams that are focused on generating sales, our new business team and our group sales team.”
What a ticket sales account executive decides, and what sits with others
The account executive owns their prospecting activity, customer conversations, accurate CRM records and their individual sales target.
Pricing, discounts and inventory are set by sales leadership and revenue staff; sellers work within approved offers. Once a sale is made, many organizations hand customers to a service team, such as a Member Services Coordinator. Premium inventory and sponsorships often belong to specialist sellers such as a Premium Seating Sales Manager or Sponsorship Sales Manager.
Skills employers look for in a ticket sales account executive
- Communication: confident, natural conversations by phone and in person.
- Resilience: handling rejection and staying consistent.
- Needs discovery: asking good questions and listening.
- Organization: managing a pipeline in the CRM.
- Coachability: improving quickly from feedback.
- Goal orientation and competitive drive.
How to become a ticket sales account executive
Teams often hire recent graduates directly into inside sales or sales academy programs. Part-time box office, call centre, retail or game-day work builds relevant skills, and internships with ticketing departments help. SPMA’s profiles of Daniel Marozzo of the Blue Jays (2019) and Zachery Ellis of the Edmonton Oilers (2019) show other entry paths through ticket sales coordination.
When interviewing, ask about base salary and commission, training, call and appointment expectations, how leads are assigned and how sellers have been promoted.
Activity targets and the first year
Ticket sales account executives are usually measured on activity and revenue. Many teams set daily or weekly targets for calls, meetings and appointments, and track new revenue against a monthly or season goal. Entry-level programs, sometimes called inside sales or sales academies, train new hires for several months before promoting the strongest to account executive roles.
The work centres on prospects: past single-game buyers, groups such as schools, businesses and community organizations, and fans who have shown interest online. The account executive builds a pipeline in the CRM, follows up consistently, and moves buyers toward bigger packages over time.
In SPMA’s job data, the requirement employers in this area mention most often is experience with a CRM system such as Salesforce, followed by evening and weekend availability. Candidates who can describe their own sales activity with numbers, even from a non-sport job, tend to stand out.
Ticket sales account executive jobs on SPMA: what the postings show
Since late 2023, SPMA has listed 74 jobs that match this role, including 9 in Canada and 64 in the United States. Employers used titles such as “Account Executive”, “Ticket Sales Account Executive”, “Director of Ticket Sales” and “Inside Sales Representative”. Organizations that posted them include Beloit Snappers, Florida Panthers Hockey Club, Ltd, Baltimore Orioles, Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Aberdeen IronBirds.
Examples of posted pay: Account Executive – Club & Youth Sports, Hudl (Lincoln): US$70,000–US$90,000 a year; Senior Account Executive, Genius Sports (New York): US$120,000–US$130,000 a year; Account Executive, Partnership Marketing, National Hockey League (NHL) (Greater Toronto Area): C$57,000–C$62,000 a year.
Source: SPMA’s database of 3,289 sport job postings in Canada and the U.S., late 2023 to November 2026, matched by job title. Pay figures use the midpoint of each posted range and exclude postings without pay. See current ticket sales account executive openings on SPMA.
Ticket sales account executive salary and job outlook
No single government occupation category closely matches the Ticket Sales Account Executive role, so national salary figures can be misleading. Pay depends on the level of sport, the organization’s size and budget, and the region; roles with junior, minor-league, university and nonprofit organizations generally pay less than similar jobs at major professional teams. Sales roles usually combine a base salary with commission, so total earnings depend heavily on results.
The most reliable guide is current postings: check pay ranges on SPMA’s jobs board, and in Canada compare with Job Bank’s wage search for related occupations.
Common career questions
What does a ticket sales account executive do?
A ticket sales account executive sells season tickets, packages, memberships and group outings to fans and businesses through calls, emails and meetings, and manages their customers in the CRM.
What is an account executive in sport?
In most teams it means a ticket sales representative. Some organizations also use the title for corporate partnership sellers.
Is ticket sales a good way to start a career in sport?
Yes. It is one of the most common entry points, and strong sellers often move into service, premium, sponsorship or management roles.
How are ticket sellers paid?
Usually a base salary plus commission. Structures vary by organization.
Further reading and qualification checks
Related SPMA guides: Ticket Operations Manager, Sports CRM Manager and General Manager.
