Many sports enthusiasts dream of turning their passion into a profession, but few possess the determination and drive to see it through. Enter Aiden Bechamps, a junior at Fordham University who is making waves in the sports media world through his commitment and dedication.
Bechamps, a transfer student from Montclair State University, along with a full course load of classes, works on the side for two different sports media companies: Foul Territory and Empire Sports Media.
At Foul Territory, a baseball show hosted by a slew of former MLB All-Stars and former MLB Network host Scott Braun, Bechamps wears many hats. “I do anything they ask me to do,” he explains. “I am kind of like a Swiss army knife for them. One day, I could be a production assistant on set, [and] another day, I could be writing segments or video editing, really whatever they need.”
He began working with Foul Territory in the spring semester of his sophomore year after stumbling upon a job posting on Handshake before working with Empire Sports Media. “I work there a little bit less now because of my work with Fireside Yankees, but I’ve still stuck around Foul Territory and help them in any way I can,” Bechamps noted.
Fireside Yankees is part of Empire Sports Media, a New York-based media company covering all of the city’s sports teams. Bechamps got the chance to start working with the company simply by talking about the New York Yankees.
“I met my friend and current co-worker, Ryan Garcia, by talking about the Yankees over Twitter,” Bechamps recalls. “After telling him about what I did with Foul Territory, he asked if I wanted to come join the squad, and the rest is history.”
While Bechamps has always been a baseball fan, particularly for the Yankees, he didn’t always know he’d venture into the sports media industry. He started making sports edits on Vine when he was 11 years old, eventually turning to filmmaking. Unsure he wanted to pursue a filmmaking career, he started making baseball reports on TikTok and realized his calling lay in sports media.
With the two companies, interacting with former and current MLB players and prominent figures in the sports media industry is a given. Bechamps says, “It was kind of intimidating at first, I mean, I looked up to many of these guys growing up. In the end, they’re all just regular, really nice guys that want to help you learn not only for the company now but also for any career aspirations.”
Bechamps has had a lot of great experiences to look back on in his early stages of working in the media industry, but his favorite so far is co-hosting podcasts with Garcia on Fireside Yankees. “Yes, we’re co-workers, but we’re friends first,” Bechamps asserted. “So it doesn’t feel like work and that we’re just friends talking about the Yankees.”
Looking ahead, Bechamps sees his current roles as invaluable stepping stones toward his future career aspirations. “The hands-on experience is important,” he noted. “Finding what an audience wants and what they do and don’t view is crucial for a successful career in sports media.”
For Fordham Rams with aspirations in the sports media field, Bechamps offered tips. “Take any opportunity you can get,” he advised. “Even if something is unpaid, the networking opportunities and connections will be valuable enough to make the experience worthwhile.”
He also stated, “Even if you can’t find an internship, start making content on your own. Whether that’s writing an article, making a YouTube video or a TikTok or just tweeting about sports; just put your work out there, and if it’s good, people will come to you.”
In a world where the intersection of sports and media continues to captivate audiences worldwide, Bechamps’ journey is a testament to the opportunities that await those with the courage to chase their dreams. As he continues to pave his path in the realm of sports media, one thing remains — Aiden Bechamps is just getting started.
