Behind the play: Meet Ainsley Peterson, operations assistant for Sun Devil Athletics

Student Ainsley Peterson left her hometown of San Diego, California, to study at Arizona State University, which led her to a unique opportunity to work in sports as an operations assistant for Sun Devil Athletics.

“I chose ASU because I always knew that I wanted to double major in finance and sports business, and ASU was one of the few colleges that had both of those programs,” Peterson said. “Wanting to get experience in sports, I knew that there are lots of opportunities with all the professional teams around, spring training, and, of course, Sun Devil Athletics.”

A senior student in finance, accounting and sports business — with a minor in special events management — Peterson said that choosing her field of study was an easy choice, and she got her first taste of working in game day operations through an internship experience with the Arizona Cardinals.

“Through the Cardinals internship program, you could work in parking or concessions,” she said. 

“I did one game in parking and then got the opportunity to move to production and staging, so I got to help with rolling the Cardinals heads and logos out in the field for the pre-game intro, for any halftime shows I helped with the stages. It was really cool.”

Following her internship with the Arizona Cardinals, Peterson found the opportunity to support the game-day experience for Sun Devil Athletics games by working as an operations assistant.

“A lot of my responsibilities, specifically with football, include helping with guest assistance centers, making sure that they're fully stocked with the game's programs and the season's yearbooks, making buttons for them to hand out to fans for their first games,” she said. “And then responding to any issues or any situations that arise on game days.”

For the other sports beyond football that Peterson supports, like men’s and women’s basketball and gymnastics, her role has a wider scope.

“It’s not just limited to guest services, I’m making sure all of the games are running smoothly, whether it's helping officials, making sure they have food, or making sure things like wristbands, bag tags, all of that is going well.”

Peterson recently celebrated her one-year work anniversary with Sun Devil Athletics, and she said her experience as a student employee has helped prepare her for her future career.

“I think working in sports is such a unique experience,” she said. “It's not just a typical nine-to-five, so I am being prepared for those long nights or weekends working. I think it's good to have a foundation and learning from those around me is really great too, so I'm really just so grateful for the opportunity.”

In addition to her work on campus, Peterson serves as the president of the Student Alumni 

Association and as a member of Alpha Kappa Psi, a professional business fraternity.

After her graduation day in May 2026, Peterson said that she plans to pursue a graduate degree.

“I will be staying and getting my Master's in Finance at ASU, so I am very excited for that. Then, after May 2027, hopefully getting a job for a sports team in finance or corporate partnerships,” Peterson said.

Her advice for other students looking to work in athletics? Keep your eyes peeled for opportunities and make connections where you can.

“I would say to keep your eyes out for anything being posted, but also don't be afraid to reach out,” Peterson said. “I've had friends who have sent an email and they've gotten opportunities to work with soccer, or whatever it may be. It’s not being afraid to ask; the worst that anyone can say is no.”

Photo by Thomas Padden, ASU Student Life