Ever wonder what it’s like to work for a leading sports entertainment brand? Working at ESPN is unlike anything else! That’s because we’re always finding new ways to interact with fans – however and wherever they connect with sports. We have the latest technology, innovative ideas and world-class talent on our team, and every day is extraordinary! 

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.

What You Will Do 

As a Production Intern, you will have the opportunity to gain real-world experience producing multi-platform content, while also learning about different areas of the business through observations. The internship will provide an opportunity to experience many aspects of the Production Assistant role within ESPN NEXT. If selected for this role, you will report to the Manager, ESPN NEXT and assist the team by:

  • Supporting content creation for various properties
  • Pitching ideas, producing and editing video elements
  • Consuming and producing studio show content for social platforms to drive engagement
  • Producing highlights and researching ideas to share with teams you work with
  • Observing multiple areas of interest at ESPN during a period of the internship

Required Qualifications & Skills

  • Conversational knowledge of multiple sports, especially sports heavily covered by ESPN
  • Awareness of media trends (i.e. social, digital, linear, etc.)
  • Awareness of ESPN content (i.e. platforms, shows, events, etc.)
  • Familiarity with ESPN’s content across multiple platforms
  • Ability to research and pitch story ideas
  • Ability to work in fast-paced environment that requires assignments to be completed in quick turnaround fashion

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience in sports media, preferably in content creation
  • Passion for creative storytelling
  • Experience with editing video
  • Ability to clearly communicate progress of assigned video elements with
  • team members and producers of shows.

Education

  • Be enrolled in an accredited college/university taking at least one class in the semester/quarter (spring/fall) prior to participation in the internship program OR currently participating in a Disney College Program or Disney Professional Internship
  • Major or previous coursework in Journalism, Broadcast, Sports Media, Communications or related major preferred

Additional Information 

  • The approximate dates of this internship are June through August 2025
  • Able to have a consistent, reliable work schedule throughout the internship 
  • Fully available for the duration of the internship, 40 hours each week
  • Subsidized housing near the ESPN Campus in Bristol, CT will be available for those who are eligible. Details to be shared during the interview process. 

Candidates for this opportunity MUST meet all of the below requirements:

    • Be at least 18 years of age
    • Have not completed one year of continual employment on a Disney internship or program
    • Possess unrestricted work authorization
  • 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.