Favorite Parts Of Working In The Sports Media Industry As An ESPN Social Media Creative Manager
Mitchell, ESPN's Creative Manager, Social Media, thrives on the unique blend of "the box of toys" — sports and Disney/Marvel properties — available to leverage creatively. This, coupled with the constant challenge of developing unique social media content that sets ESPN apart, and the collaborative environment with talented colleagues, fuels Mitchell's passion for the role.
Creative Problem-Solving, Collaboration, Sports and Entertainment Industry, Social Media Marketing, Digital Content Creation
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Mitchell Clements
Creative Manager, Social Media
ESPN
University of California, Santa Barbara (2013)
UCLA Anderson School of Management (2026)
Political Science, American Studies
Arts, Entertainment & Media, Sports & Fitness
Creative
Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Working with major sports and Disney properties (Marvel): Mitchell highlights the unique opportunity to combine his passion for Marvel with his profession, creating engaging content around sports and these iconic characters.
2. Creative problem-solving and unique content creation: He emphasizes the exciting challenge of developing innovative social media campaigns for major sporting events, aiming to differentiate ESPN from competitors.
3. Collaborative work environment: Mitchell values the collaborative nature of his work, mentioning the talented individuals he's surrounded by and the collective brainstorming that leads to successful campaigns.
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about being in your industry?
I get to be around sports and Disney characters all day. This includes Marvel, and I'm a huge Marvel nerd.
If you would have told me when I was eight years old, digging through crates of Marvel comics, that one day it would be part of my job to figure out how we can integrate the NFL or NBA with Marvel characters, I would have called you a liar. But here I am.
Definitely, the box of toys we're able to play with as ESPN slash Disney is a perk. There's also the creative challenge of being presented with a business objective. For example, when the college football championship is coming up, we need to create something in anticipation of Georgia winning.
What if TCU pulls off the upset? What's something cool that will set us apart from our competitors on social? That is a really fun challenge to tackle, and we do this all the time. I'm surrounded by very talented people at my job, which I could also list as another favorite part of what I do.
Ultimately, I would just say the type of IP, the type of characters in sports that we get to cover is fantastic. The creative brainpower I'm surrounded by, along with the business challenge of creating something unique that people will only find on ESPN Social, is what continues to drive me in this role.