Contract Event Programmer

Role Description

The Athletic is seeking a Contract Event Programmer to develop and execute compelling programming for our live events. This role will work closely with our newsroom, editorial leadership, and commercial and creative development teams to shape conversations, identify talent, and bring our journalism off the page and onto the stage. This is a highly collaborative, creative role for someone who understands the sports landscape, thrives at the intersection of media and live experiences, has experience sourcing and managing talent, and framing and producing high-level conversations - from top-tier athletes and journalists to emerging voices in the industry. This is a freelance, project-based position supporting key tentpole events throughout the year.

Responsibilities

• Partner with The Athletic newsroom and editorial leads to develop event concepts and programming that reflect our journalism and audience interests.
• Research, identify, and secure talent - including athletes, coaches, executives, and cultural figures – working through outreach, negotiations, and contracting.
• Build and shape run of show, including conversation arcs, formats and session structure.
• Collaborate with moderators, journalists, and hosts to prepare for on-stage conversations, including briefing materials and prep calls.
• Work cross-functionally with internal teams (editorial, marketing, commercial, creative development, production) to ensure seamless execution.
• Stay ahead of trends across sports, media, and culture to inform timely and relevant programming.
• Contribute to extending the life of event content across platforms (editorial, video, audio, social).

Qualifications

• Minimum of 8+ years of experience programming live events, ideally within sports, media or entertainment.
• Deep knowledge of the sports landscape, including leagues, athletes and key storylines.
• Proven experience sourcing, booking, and managing high-profile talent.
• Strong editorial instincts and the ability to shape compelling narratives and conversations.
• Experience working with journalists or editorial teams is highly preferred.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with a strong network across sports and media.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams simultaneously.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and adapting to evolving priorities.
• Willingness to travel for events as needed.

Benefits

• The annual base salary range for this role is $90,000.00 - $110,000.00 USD.
• The total compensation offered for this position may vary based on factors such as education, experience, skills, and location.
• For roles in the U.S., dependent on your role, you may be eligible for variable pay, such as an annual bonus and restricted stock.
• Benefits may include medical, dental and vision benefits, Flexible Spending Accounts (F.S.A.s), a company-matching 401(k) plan, paid vacation, paid sick days, paid parental leave, tuition reimbursement and professional development programs.
• For roles outside of the U.S., information on benefits will be provided during the interview process.