What are post-athletic career transitions like?

Transitioning out of a professional athletic career involves moving into diverse new fields such as acting, filmmaking, activism, or military service. Former athletes can face severe financial challenges, with varying estimates regarding post-retirement bankruptcy rates. Organizations like the IOC Athletes' Commission also work to support athletes during these career shifts.

What we know

• Harrison Browne transitioned from playing professional ice hockey in the National Women's Hockey League to working as an actor, filmmaker, author, and LGBTQ activist. [2]
• A 2009 Sports Illustrated report stated that 78 percent of NFL players and 60 percent of NBA players experience bankruptcy within five years of retirement. [5]
• A National Bureau of Economic Research working paper calculated that the percentage of NFL players facing bankruptcy is lower, starting at 1.9 percent after two years and rising to 15.7 percent after 12 years. [5]
• The IOC Athletes' Commission serves as a link between current and recently retired Olympic athletes and the International Olympic Committee to shape decisions and represent athlete viewpoints. [3]

Still open

• Sources disagree significantly on the exact rates of post-retirement financial distress and bankruptcy among professional athletes, with estimates ranging from high percentages reported by sports media to much lower figures found in economic research papers.

Where to go next

• what caused itHow do professional athletes manage personal finances?
• how it workedWhat role does the IOC Athletes' Commission play for Olympians?
• a case in pointHow did Harrison Browne move from hockey to acting and activism?
• the bigger pictureWhat challenges do professional sports leagues face regarding retirement?
• compared withHow do military captains transition into acting careers?
• an unexpected connectionHow does a military captain become an actor?Just like professional hockey players transitioning into entertainment, military captains like Sangay Tsheltrim can pivot from the armed forces into professional acting.

Sources

• [1]Harrison Browne (Wikidata Q26209644) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Harrison Browne · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]IOC Athletes' Commission · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Sangay Tsheltrim · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Personal finances of professional American athletes · CC BY-SA 4.0