By: Sarah Overton
In the fast-paced world of sports, Aly Clauson is making a name for herself as a trailblazer and a voice for women looking to enter the industry. As a social media content creator and passionate sports enthusiast, Clauson's journey from Temple University to the Philadelphia Flyers and the Philadelphia 76ers has been filled with determination, resilience and a commitment to empowering others along the way.
Clauson attended Temple University in Philadelphia, where she received a B.A. in advertising with a concentration in account management.
Clauson's interest in working in sports was sparked during her junior year at Temple when she received an email about earning a sports media certificate. Although she couldn't graduate with the certificate, it piqued her curiosity and led her to explore opportunities in the sports world. With a passion for social media and content creation, Clauson set her sights on internships to gain valuable experience and make her mark in the industry.
While at Temple, Clauson volunteered with several organizations and was a member of the university’s Sports Media Society for Women (SMSW). This organization aims to promote diversity in the sports media industry through networking and mentoring events.
As she ventured into the sports industry, Clauson quickly realized the importance of networking and mentorship for career growth.
"For me, networking has been amazing,” Clauson said. “I think a lot of people who are coming into the industry think that networking is only to be done for getting a job, but I have made so many amazing new friends and connections just through networking.”
As Clauson was working towards her degree, she spent her time interning with multiple sports teams in her area, including the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Philadelphia Phillies and Philadelphia Flyers. These experiences provided her with a diverse skill set and a taste of various roles within the sports industry.
During her time with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Clauson served as a game day intern. In this role, she sold tickets for upcoming games, participated in game day operations, and helped execute on-field promotions and activities.
In 2021, Clauson also worked for the Philadelphia Phillies as a ticket sales representative. Here she sold individual tickets and ticket packages to upcoming games, communicated first-hand with guests, and helped with gameday operations.
Additionally, Clauson spent time working for the Philadelphia Flyers as a corporate partnerships intern. While working for the Flyers, Clauson gathered proof of performance photos for sponsors, helped log sponsored social media posts, and created end-of-year recaps for sponsors that included photos and analytics.
Upon graduating from Temple University, Clauson began working for the Philadelphia 76ers as a social media and content fellow. This role was her first role in content creation and solidified her decision to pursue a career in the sports industry.
In this role, Clauson was responsible for creating engaging content, following emerging trends, and posting to the Sixers’ four social media sites. Clauson also filmed and edited vertical-short form content for the team’s social media accounts.
One of the major things Clauson did during her time with the Sixers was implement tracking systems to measure the results of her posts. These systems helped put a number to her success.
During her tenure, Clauson’s posts brought in over 34 million views and increased engagements by over 2.2 million. Clauson also posted to the Sixers’ official TikTok account, which had the fastest year-over-year growth out of any platform. She also helped grow the TikTok account’s audience by 43% from August 2022.
Clauson recognizes the importance of fan engagement, particularly through social media, in connecting with fans and attracting new ones to the sports world.
To ensure her strategies remain effective, she stays up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies, actively engaging on social media platforms and learning from other creators and teams.
Outside of work, Clauson excels at social media, with over 40 thousand followers on her personal TikTok account.
She uses her platform to share insights and advice for women looking to have a career in the sports industry through an ongoing video series called "Make it to the League."
The motivation behind this series stems from her own journey into the industry, driven by the lack of visible women creators at the time. Clauson seeks to use her platform to help other women break into the sports industry and pursue their dreams.
Through social media, Clauson hopes that she is able to be a role model for young girls aspiring to break into the sports world.
“Growing up sports were always made out to be the ultimate boys club and I think it is really powerful for younger girls to see that they too can be involved,” said Clauson. “I know this career path was something I didn’t even think was possible for me, just because I am a girl. I try to be a role model by being real and authentic. With the content I post you will know how hard it can be to get a job in the industry sometimes. I currently am going through that and sharing my journey so others know they are not alone.”
Working in sports comes with its own set of hurdles, especially for women.
When asked about the most challenging part about working in sports, Clauson said having to go the extra mile to prove herself and being questioned about her sports knowledge is hard. She also mentioned how working long hours during the season can be overwhelming if you do not make time for yourself.
Clauson’s advice to women wanting to work in sports is to make genuine connections with people and to gain as much volunteer experience or internships as you can.
Aly Clauson's story is a testament to the power of perseverance, networking, and using social media for positive change. Her determination to create a space for women in the sports industry and serve as an authentic role model is empowering a new generation of girls to chase their dreams fearlessly. As more women like Clauson shatter barriers, the future of women in sports looks brighter than ever.
(All photos courtesy of Aly Clauson)
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