The wide world of sports encompasses thousands of industries and employs hundreds of thousands of people every year. And, for every away game, teams from every sport and league travel across their respected countries and even across the globe to participate. The logistics of transporting an entire team, their gear, and the staffers who support them, around the country, and then also temporarily housing those people, is mind boggling. That responsibility falls on a team of professionals, who often go by the name Equipment Managers. Equipment Managers are the vital cog that helps a team compete, working behind the scenes to ensure that each game goes as planned. They are basically professional movers, assistants, and maids all rolled into one, serving nearly all of the, behind the scenes, needs of professional athletes.

Equipment managers work alongside Traveling Secretaries to plan out flights, hotels, and any other necessary travel arrangements. Coordinating all of the travel requires teams to have their own private planes, or charter jets, similar to how a moving company has their own trucks. It’s not uncommon for teams to have more than one plane, especially if they are going to take part in post-season play, which has a more tentative schedule. Teams also must have hotels booked up in advance, even if they may not end up using them, and an additional storage area for all of the bags and equipment. Arranging all of these facilities and services is an immense undertaking that only those with unique skills can perform.

Maintaining equipment during any transition is a difficult process. Bags and boxes must be properly packed so that the equipment doesn’t get crushed or broken. Equipment Managers are professional packers, who understand how get gear safely from one city to the next. They work with the players’ equipment on a daily basis, and have an intimate knowledge of how to handle it. Like any professional mover, they understand how to fill space to keep bags and boxes sturdy and protected.

The Equipment Mangers’ responsibility extends beyond just planning and transporting players gear, they must also keep it safe and functioning. The jerseys have to be fresh and clean, lockers prepared, and all gear in one piece. Laundry and general repairs are just another facet of the duties they are tasked with. Essentially, Equipment Managers become maids for the players, keeping their work place clean and effective.

The world of the Equipment Manager is often overlooked by the common fan. It’s an unknown industry, which is essential to maintaining professional sports. Equipment Managers are professional movers, who happen to work specifically for athletes in a given sport. Their work keeps the game going smoothly, ensuring that athletes have their jerseys and shoes, sticks and balls, and pads and protection. Professional athletes essentially use moving companies, and everyday people can too.