KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Stadium seats will easily fill this upcoming NFL season, but the hiring process for stadium jobs could be much more difficult.
On Friday and Saturday, the Kansas City Chiefs are hosting a job fair for a number of game day and event day positions.
A league source told NBC Sports that teams across the league are bracing for hiring struggles, which could lead to some troubles on game day.
A spokesperson for the Kansas City Chiefs said this is the first job fair the organization has held in years.
41 Action News reached out to other local professional teams to see if they faced any hiring challenges.
“Us staffing up at the time that we were, put us in a fortunate positions, just that there were so many talented people that were without jobs," Jen Fusci, Vice President of Sales and Services for KC NWSL said.
KC NWSL and the Kansas City Monarchs share Legends Field in Kansas City, Kansas. Both clubs say the excitement surrounding the teams made the hiring process much easier.
“Here you might be doing you know, behind the counter, you might be doing hospitality up in the suites, you might be grounds crew, but you're going to the ball park," Dan Vaughn, director of broadcasting and media for the Kansas City Monarchs said.
Businesses in the Kansas City area and across the country have faced many challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Some even had to close their doors for good because of the impact and loss of employees. Now, with businesses trying to get back on their feet, workers aren't as eager.
“People are saying no, why would I take that job and risk COVID for a pittance when I can get more money in a different job and minimal risk of COVID and it's better in terms of child care and such," William Black, associate professor of Economics and Law at UMKC said.
It all depends on the industry in which jobs are available. While stadium employees might be hard to come by, it's the sports industry and working for a team that's the draw.
For more information about job opportunities with KC NWSL or KC Monarchs, people can visit their websites.