Being an NBA floor sweeper may not be as glamorous as playing on the court, but it’s an honest job with honest pay. You get to be adjacent to the game, see a lot of cool things most people miss, and work in one of the most fun settings on Earth.
However, as with any job, the most important aspect is the pay. Every fan or player knows about floor sweepers, but their salary is far from common knowledge. This article takes a look at how much they earn, and goes into other general details about their work.
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A (Surprisingly High) Pay
Though it’s not as conventional as working in an office, a floor sweeper is just like any other job in that you have to move your way up the ladder. Most people may assume that every sweeper earns the same salary, but that’s far from the truth.
The average salary for any one floor cleaner is $80,000. That’s a lot of money, especially since they don’t have to work full days and get to be around such a cool, lively environment, but it’s also definitely deserved based on all they do to make the NBA tick.
Shifting Scales
The reason the average sweeper salary is $80,000 rather than a set base is that there are a few factors that affect how much a sweeper can make. It’s easy to think they’d all get the same amount each season, but most sweepers get paid based on their personal experience.
A rookie sweeper just starting out will likely earn between $60,000 and $70,000 (with 60 being much more likely). A more experienced sweeper with a lot of time in the league can earn as much as $90,000 to $100,000. The more they work, the higher the wage goes.
Not only that, but each team gives out a different salary. Some pay their sweepers a bit over the average, while others pay a bit less. They are all around the same amount, but the starting pay tends to be a bit more generous with specific organizations.
Most sweepers are more experienced, which is why the average is on the higher end of the spectrum as well. Getting in new faces is not something that happens too often.
How Do You Become a Sweeper?
As with any job, being a floor sweeper is not something you can just go do. While it’s not particularly skill intensive, especially for the pay, getting to be one takes a little bit of work.
When applying to become a cleaner, you have two options. First, you can reach out to the team you want to work for’s resource manager. It might take some extra sleuthing on your end, but it’s worth it. Just search their names on LinkedIn and then Google their emails.
If that’s too much, you can always check the NBA job page on their website. They routinely post openings for any positions. That includes floor sweeper.
A Tough, but Rewarding Position
Now that you know the salary and how to apply, you may want to know what an NBA floor sweeper actually does. As you might imagine, it’s self-explanatory.
A sweeper goes out with a broom and cleans the hardwood during timeouts and halftime. They wipe off the lane during free throws or during any accidental falls too. Basically, anytime the floor could get wet from sweat or water, they have to go out and make sure it stays dry.
It’s not the most glamorous work out there, but it’s incredibly important at stopping injuries and keeping players safe.
Just know, they aren’t relaxing when the lights get bright. Sweepers have to be ready to go at any time. Quick cleaning is hard work. Sometimes, they have to go onto the court forty or more times a game. That goes up to sixty or more for incredibly rough contests.
Final Words
As you can see by the salary and work environment, an NBA sweeper is a highly sought after job. It’s a competitive position that many people would love to have, especially with their favorite team. There are a lot of slots out there, but only so many for each organization.
The high pay might surprise some, but floor cleaners do an incredibly important job. Basketball is a contact sport, and people fall a lot during the game. Spills happen too.
Without the sweepers on the sidelines ready to go out and make sure everything stays dry before, during, and after a game, there would be even more injuries. Nobody wants that.
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