About the Role and Internship

ESPN NEXT is the company’s Production Assistant program focused on multi-platform content creation for early-career professionals. The program looks for creatives who have a passion “To Serve Sports Fans, Anytime, Anywhere.” As a part of NEXT, you will join a team of early-career professionals that produce creative content for ESPN shows, live events, social/digital and company-owned platforms. The dates of this program are June 8th through August 14, 2026.

What You Will Do 

As a Production Intern, you will have the opportunity to gain real-world experience producing different forms of video content for multiple ESPN properties while also contributing to social/digital content. This internship provides an opportunity to experience many aspects of the Production Assistant role within ESPN NEXT. Responsibilities include:

    • Supporting content creation for various properties, which may include (but not limited to) domestic and international studio shows such as SportsCenter, Get Up, First Take, NFL Live, and more
    • Pitching ideas, producing, and editing video elements for multiple properties while contributing ideas to the social team to drive engagement
    • Opportunity to observe multiple areas of content throughout the internship to gain an in-depth knowledge of content creation and storytelling

Required Qualifications & Skills

    • Conversational knowledge of multiple sports, especially sports heavily covered by ESPN
    • Awareness of media trends (i.e. social, digital, linear, etc.)
    • Familiarity with ESPN’s content across multiple platforms
    • Ability to research and pitch ideas
    • Ability to react quickly and positively under pressure

Preferred Qualifications

    • Experience in sports media, preferably content creation
    • Passion for creative storytelling
    • Experience editing video content using video editing software
    • Bilingual skillset a plus

Education

    • Junior, Senior, or Graduate student
    • Major or previous coursework in Journalism, Broadcast, Sports Media, Communications
      or related major preferred
Deadline to Apply: February 4, 2026
Candidates for this opportunity MUST meet all of the below requirements:
    • Be enrolled in an accredited college/university pursuing a degree taking at least one class at time of application OR currently participating in a Disney College Program or Disney Internship
    • Current Disney Interns, College, International, or Culinary Program Participants: You may only work for ONE consecutive year (12 months) in any combination of an internship and/or program
    • Be at least 18 years of age
    • Possess unrestricted work authorization
Additional Information
    • Able to have a consistent, reliable work schedule throughout the internship 
    • Availability early mornings, nights and weekends, 40 hours each week
    • Housing details in the Bristol, CT area will be confirmed at the time of offer
  • Resume
  • Two References
  • Essay describing what makes the applicant the best fit for ESPN’s internship
  • Account created with AAJA Submittable to fill in all required application fields
Scholarship Recipients and Press By Year
Past ESPN/AAJA Sports Task Force Internship Recipients

2021

Paulina JengPaulina Jeng is an experienced video journalist and producer, skilled in both on- and off-camera video content creation as well as audio, digital, and print production. “Earning [the ESPN internship] through a special selection process initiated by the Asian American Journalism Association (AAJA), I had the unique opportunity to integrate myself as a segment producer on our daily Snapchat shows. Outside of my daily work on the Snapchat team, I also gained knowledge about other ESPN operations through rotations with the DTCI, Editing, and ESPN China teams.

2020

Jackson Safon is a student at the University of Southern California studying broadcast and digital journalism. “My internship at ESPN provided me a great opportunity to learn major parts of the television industry and I’m continuing to learn this semester with my internship at The Ringer. […] I received experience in my field of interest while also being able to pick the brains of established professionals across ESPN,” Jackson says. He currently works as a video intern for The Ringer and as a producer/editor for USC Annenberg Media.

Privacy Policy

Application information will only be used internally by AAJA to promote student opportunities and for program evaluation and planning. In the application form, please indicate whether you would like to be notified of further student opportunities from AAJA, including scholarships, grants and additional journalism training. AAJA will only share your application information with appropriate ESPN selection staff.