5 Weird Jobs in Sports That Pay Over $50,000 a Year

I know what you're thinking, and no, I’m not getting fired. I was talking to Zah about the Premier League this morning, and as usual, he was complaining about how bad the refs are. So, I asked him, 'How much do Premier League refs get paid?' He told me he had no clue but heard it’s not a lot. So, I decided to look into it, and I was blown away.

It turns out that Premier League refs are making less money than mascots here in America. It’s crazy to think about, considering the Premier League is the most-watched league in the world, yet they’re earning less than Benny the Bull. After discovering that, I became curious to see what other unusual jobs in sports offer a decent living, and here’s what I found.

Mascots: ($60,000-$600,000)

Francois Lacasse. Getty Images.

No, that’s not a typo. A professional mascot can make anywhere from sixty to six hundred THOUSAND dollars a year. Benny the Bull, for example, is pulling in three hundred grand a year… just for being a mascot. I’m not hating—I’m just speechless. Walk around, do some dances, start a few chants, take some pictures, do a couple of charity events, and boom—three hundred grand in the bank. Un-fucking-believable.

NFL Social Media Manager ($50,000-$100,000)

This might sound hypocritical, considering it’s kind of what we do as a company, but getting paid $50,000 a year to make posts about an NFL team sounds like the easiest job in the world. Granted, I could never do it because if the Miami Dolphins ever gave me that power and they played the way they are now, I’d be fired on the spot. I’d put the whole organization on blast.

UFC Cut Guy (Median Salary $51,000)

Josh Hedges. Getty Images.

I was surprised to learn that UFC cutmen don’t actually work for the UFC—they’re independent contractors. I’ve seen some pretty nasty cuts in the UFC, and all I’m going to say is, if I ever had to stitch up that one girl’s face from a couple of weeks ago, my rate would go up immediately.

MLB Bullpen Catchers ($50,000 -125,000) 

PI via ZUMA Press Wire. Shutterstock Images.

This was the closest thing I could find to a picture of an MLB bullpen catcher, so you’ll have to live with it. I get that they’re catching pitches from guys who throw absolute heat, but I’m sure they get used to it after a while, which means they’re getting paid anywhere from $50,000 to $125,000 a year to play catch. Insane.

NFL Ball Boy ($50,000-$60,000)

You’ve got to be kidding me, right? An NFL ball boy is making more money than 80% of the teachers in Florida. I know people give teachers a hard time because they get a couple of months off, but these guys are working five months a year and just handing a football to a ref. Sign me the fuck up.