Internship Overview: The Battle Creek Battle Jacks are offering an opportunity for current college students to gain real-world sports merchandise, retail, and e-commerce operations experience while playing a hands-on role in managing both the ballpark team store and the Battle Jacks online shop. This internship is designed for students interested in sports retail, branding, e-commerce execution, and customer experience who want ownership, responsibility, and exposure to both in-person and digital sales channels within a live sports environment.
About the Battle Creek Battle Jacks: The Battle Creek Battle Jacks are a proud member of the Northwoods League, the premier collegiate summer baseball league in North America. Based in Battle Creek, Michigan, the Battle Jacks operate like a professional minor league organization while maintaining a culture centered on teamwork, accountability, creativity, and community connection.
Our interns are essential members of our summer family. Merchandise interns play a key role in representing the Battle Jacks brand, managing retail operations, and helping fans proudly wear and support the team both at MCCU Field and online.
The Northwoods League features elite college players from across North America and operates at a professional level, using wooden bats, minor league-spec baseballs, overnight travel, and nightly games in front of thousands of fans.
Internship Dates
- Start Date: On or around mid-May 2026
- End Date: On or around mid-August 2026
Academic Qualifications
- Declared major or minor in Sport Management, Merchandising, Marketing, Business, or a related field
- Other majors will be considered
Description of Responsibilities
Pre-Season Responsibilities
- Coordinate with merchandise leadership on product orders and merchandise design concepts
- Assist with inventory receiving, organization, and tracking for both in-stadium and online merchandise
- Support setup, organization, and optimization of the Battle Jacks online team store, including product listings, descriptions, imagery, pricing, and sizing
- Prepare merchandise areas for the season, including cleaning, setup, and stocking of items
Game Day Responsibilities
- Operate merchandise stands during Battle Jacks home games
- Handle cash and credit card transactions accurately and professionally
- Assist with scheduling, oversight, and support of game-day merchandise staff
- Maintain visual standards and organization of merchandise displays
- Monitor online merchandise performance during home stands and assist with fulfillment coordination as needed
- Complete end-of-homestand inventory reports and share with merchandise leadership
Post-Game Responsibilities
- Assist with merchandise stand cleanup and organization
- Secure merchandise inventory and storage following games
- Support additional requests from front office or operations staff as needed
E-Commerce & Online Store Responsibilities
- Take ownership of the day-to-day execution of the Battle Jacks online team store
- Maintain accurate product listings, inventory levels, and pricing
- Assist with online order fulfillment, customer service follow-up, and issue resolution
- Support promotional pushes tied to player announcements, theme nights, and special events
- Track basic online sales performance and identify opportunities to improve product mix and presentation
Post-Season Responsibilities
- Collect remaining merchandise and complete final inventory counts
- Assist with cleaning and organizing merchandise storage areas
Desired Skills and Qualifications
- Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Organized, reliable, and detail-oriented
- Comfortable taking initiative and adapting in a fast-paced environment
- Ability to stand for extended periods and lift 30–50 lbs
- Previous cash handling or retail experience preferred but not required
- Interest in e-commerce, online retail, or digital sales platforms
- Familiarity with platforms such as Shopify, Square, or similar is a plus but not required
- Comfort working across both physical retail and online sales channels
Additional Tasks May Include
- Game day setup and breakdown
- Hanging banners and signage
- Assisting concessions or other departments as needed
- Participating in in-stadium entertainment and promotions
- Field pickup and post-game cleanup
- Office and clubhouse organization
- Fan interaction and engagement
- Delivery receiving and inventory organization
- Power washing and stadium recovery tasks
- Food prep and player meal support
- Special events and community activations
- Merch modeling, sorting, and display setup
- Creating or participating in promotional and social media content
Compensation: This internship is structured as an educational and professional development experience. There is no hourly wage associated with the position. The intern understands that compensation is provided in the form of hands-on experience, training, and exposure to the operations of a collegiate summer baseball organization.
Housing & Living Expenses: Housing is not provided, and interns are responsible for arranging their own summer living accommodations. There are a variety of housing options available in and around Battle Creek, Kalamazoo, and greater Calhoun County during the summer. The organization will provide a monthly stipend up to $600 (based on skills and experience) to help offset living expenses such as food, gas, and housing.
Equal Opportunity Employer: The Battle Creek Battle Jacks are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), age, national origin, ancestry, height, weight, marital status, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
