Ad Marketing Student Intern, Summer 2026 - The Athletic
Powered by one of the largest global newsrooms in sports media, The Athletic brings sports fans the most comprehensive stories about the teams, sports and athletes they love. The Athletic’s newsroom of 450+ full-time staff delivers in-depth coverage of hundreds of professional and college teams across more than 47 North American markets and all 20 football clubs in the English Premier League, as well as many Championship clubs.
About The Role
The Athletic is accepting applications for its Leon H. Carter Internship Program for Summer 2026!
We are seeking an Ad Marketing Student Intern to join our team in support of the Strategy and Program Management functions for Summer 2026. The Ad Marketing team is the engine behind the custom advertising programs we build for brand partners. Strategy and Program Management work closely with Sales, Planning, Design, Creative, and Editorial teams to turn client briefs into smart, insight-led sponsorship ideas and polished proposals.
We’re looking for an Ad Marketing Student Intern who’s eager to learn how brands show up in sports culture and make an impact on our brand partnerships. You’ll learn how creative and media strategies come together, contribute to proposals, support advertiser programs, and build portfolio-worthy work.
The rate of pay for this role is $20.00 USD per hour.
The application deadline is November, 17, 2025.
What You'll Learn
How sponsorship ideas are developed and pitched to major brands
How strategy, creative, program management, media planning, and sales work together within a modern media company
How to craft compelling stories and visually sharp presentations
How to work cross-functionally on real, deadline-driven campaigns
How to develop, price, and track programs and deliverables for client campaigns
How to engage sports talent for branded content programs
How to package your work for your professional portfolio
Responsiblities
Support proposal development by conducting client, industry, and audience research
Contribute to brainstorms and help shape creative ideas that bring sponsorships to life
Draft and compile proposal sections including trends, case studies, and background slides
Partner with Strategy and Design to ensure decks are clear, cohesive, and on deadline
Develop tools and templates to support and refine the proposal process and/or post-sale production process
Work on a capstone project like an RFP response or client presentation with support from Strategy
Gain exposure to the entire proposal strategy process: from sales brief to ideation and final pitch
Requirements
Rising junior, senior, or recent graduate with relevant coursework or experience in marketing, advertising, communications, journalism, or a related field
A strong interest in sports, media, and marketing
Excellent writing, research, and storytelling skills
Curious, collaborative, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, remote-first environment
Detail-oriented and organized, with strong presentation and communication skills
Proficient in Google Slides or PowerPoint (bonus: basic design sense or experience with Canva, Figma, or Adobe Creative Suite)