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new platform, Sport Huddle, has been launched by Australian sports industry experts, in an effort to connect the sports industry in order to support the sporting sector as it rebuilds from COVID-19.

Sport Huddle, founded by Jess Hurford, allows sports professionals to connect with organisations for project-based and permanent jobs, access resources, and build their networks.

With a 20-year career in international sport, Hurford said COVID-19 allowed her to see an opportunity for the sports industry to think differently and take an alternative and more collaborative view on workforce resourcing.

“I created Sport Huddle because I want to provide a new way for individuals and organisations to connect and adapt in an ever-changing work environment,” Hurford said.

“I wanted to grow sport through increased learning and collaboration.

“It’s an easy-to-use online platform to connect sports organisations with industry experts in all areas of expertise which are so important to supporting sport on the local and international stage,” she said.

Hurford told Ministry of Sport she hopes Sport Huddle can also become the go-to platform for sports professionals to take their careers into their own hands.

“Our goals are to change the mindset of the industry to be more project-based and agile, in a similar way to other industries such as television, events and hospitality,” Hurford told Ministry of Sport.

“[We want] Sport Huddle to be the go-to platform to help and empower experts to go out on their own and support their careers.

“We want to build trust with sports organisations and to be the provider of share resources, back end solutions, and to deliver bespoke staffing solutions to help their businesses run more efficiently.

“Sport Huddle has been developed to complement the existing options in the market and provide a platform to increase direct connections in the sports industry.

“It will act as a directory to assist sports organisations to find the experts and specific skills they need efficiently and encourage fast solutions for a seasonal market.

“Being in lockdown forced people to think differently, it also showed us how efficient working from home can be.

“Albeit that assumes schools are open, as efficiency goes out the window once you have to fight off kids who want to change your zoom background to Minecraft,” she said.

For the launch of the platform, Sport Huddle will be a free membership service in order to support Australia’s $14 billion sports industry as it recovers from the impacts of COVID-19.

Former Rugby Australia chief commercial officer, Cameron Murray, said Sport Huddle will help get the sports industry back on its feet by helping keep the community together.

“Sustainable success for any industry relies on finding and keeping the right talent,” Murray said.

“Fostering collaboration and creating a community to exchange ideas and resources will make sure Australia’s sports industry is well-placed to compete as we adjust to sport in the new world,” he said.

To find out more about Sport Huddle, click here.