Last updated: October 2026
USA Hockey runs two different internship tracks, and only one is for current students. The Brendan Burke Internship is a 10-month, salaried hockey-operations role for a recent college graduate, with applications due May 1. The student internships sit inside the National Team Development Program (NTDP) in Plymouth, Michigan: game-day roles in marketing operations, ticket sales and box office, and video production, applied for by emailing a department contact with no posted deadline. Nothing is open now: the Burke deadline passed on 1 May 2026, and the NTDP season is underway. Here's the cycle in plain words: you apply by 1 May 2027 (expected) for the Burke Internship, or contact the NTDP in summer 2027 for the 2027-28 season.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | Burke: email a cover letter, résumé, references and a 400 to 500 word essay to the address on the Burke Internship page. NTDP internships: email the department contact listed on usahockeyarena.com/employment. National office jobs: TeamWork Online |
| Application window (2027–28) | Burke: for the 2027-28 term, due ~1 May 2027 (the page says the deadline is May 1; it was Friday 1 May 2026). NTDP: for the 2027-28 season, no dates published; expected to surface around summer 2027 |
| Rolling? | Burke: no. A fixed May 1 deadline, with notification expected in early June. NTDP internships: no deadline stated; applications go to a department contact by email |
| Eligibility | Burke: recent college graduates only, with "substantial experience in hockey during their collegiate career." NTDP internships: college students (marketing, business, communications, sport management or video production majors desired). GPA and work authorization not stated |
| Duration | Burke: 10 months, mid-August to mid-June. NTDP: a season-long game-day schedule, late September to early April per the flyer (which names the 2025-26 season) |
| Compensation | Burke: "a salaried intern position," amount not published. NTDP flyers don't state pay; the ticket sales flyer says college credit is available |
| Return offers | Conversion rate and class size not published |
| Locations | Plymouth, MI (USA Hockey Arena and the NTDP) for every internship found. The national office is in Colorado Springs, CO and posted no internships |
| # Programs | Two: the Burke Internship (graduates) and NTDP game-day internships in marketing operations, ticket sales and box office, video production and communications |
No USA Hockey internship was posted on 17 October 2026. The Burke Internship, for recent graduates, is expected to be due about 1 May 2027. NTDP student internships have no published deadline and are applied for by email.
USA Hockey's game-day internships ask for fan promotions, ticket sales and video production, so a finished project helps. Externships are short, remote programs where you complete a real project for a real company, most commonly over 8 weeks. The Beats by Dre Creative Advertising Strategy Externship fits game-day marketing and partner activation, and the Breaking Games E-Commerce Data Analysis & Strategy Externship fits ticket sales and box office work. Explore all Externships.
What Is a USA Hockey Internship?
A USA Hockey internship is a role with the national governing body for ice hockey in the United States, almost all of it based at the National Team Development Program (NTDP) and USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan. There are two tracks. The Brendan Burke Internship is a 10-month, salaried hockey-operations role "intended for a recent college graduate," so it isn't a student program. The NTDP's game-day internships in marketing operations, ticket sales and box office, and video production are for college students. USA Hockey's national office in Colorado Springs posts jobs on TeamWork Online but listed no internships on 17 October 2026. Local clubs, associations and rinks hire separately, and the NHL's league office has its own NHL internship guide.
When Do USA Hockey Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?
The two tracks run on different clocks. The Burke Internship has a fixed annual deadline: its page says the application deadline is May 1, with notification in early June, and the 2026 deadline was Friday 1 May. That's about 3.5 months before the mid-August start. The NTDP internships have no posted window. The Arena's employment page lists them under a 2026-27 heading, but the flyer text still names the 2025-26 season, so the flyers are a guide to the format, not to this year's dates. We have only one dated Burke cycle, so the May 2027 date is an expectation, not a published date.
Nothing is open. TeamWork Online showed one USA Hockey posting on 17 October 2026, a full-time Manager, Partnership Activation role, and the NTDP season is underway. Use the months ahead to build the proof both tracks ask for.
Draft the Burke essay if you will have graduated by then: the page asks for 400 to 500 words on your interest in the internship and on being dedicated, ambitious and passionate about hockey. For the NTDP, build a résumé around marketing, sales or video work.
The Burke Internship for the 2027-28 term is expected to be due on 1 May 2027. It's a hard deadline: the 2026 page said applications must be received no later than 1 May 2026.
The Burke selection committee is expected to notify the chosen candidate in early June. NTDP internship applications for the 2027-28 season are by email, with no dates published, so contact the department in summer.
The Burke Internship is expected to run mid-August 2027 to mid-June 2028. NTDP game-day internships run with the season, which per the flyer is late September to early April.
How to read this page: our dates come from tracking previous recruiting cycles and daily posting data. Treat them as informed estimates based on historical patterns, not confirmed dates. The company's official careers page is always the most current source. If a role is posted there, go by that, even if this page suggests the window hasn't opened yet.
Why You Must Apply the Week Applications Open
The Burke Internship has a hard deadline of May 1 and a single seat: a committee of hockey-operations staff chooses one recipient. The deadline isn't a rolling date, so a late application isn't considered. For the NTDP internships there is no deadline, but each role is a single game-day seat and the season starts in late September, so email the department contact early in the summer rather than waiting for a posting that may never appear.
Which USA Hockey Internship Programs Should You Target?
These are the programs we could verify on 17 October 2026. The Burke Internship is for graduates, and the NTDP roles are for students.
| Program | Focus | Who it is for | Key skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brendan Burke Internship | Hockey operations at the NTDP, plus international events, the American Development Model and coaching education | Recent college graduates; 10 months, mid-Aug to mid-Jun; salaried | Hockey experience, essay, references |
| NTDP Marketing Operations Intern | Game-day promotions, partner activation and concourse setup at every Team USA home game | College students; weekends and holidays | Live event planning, detail, multitasking |
| NTDP Ticket Sales and Box Office Intern | Box-office windows, day-of-game sales, arena tours and customer service | College students; college credit available | Customer service, sales, communication |
| NTDP Video Production Intern | Videoboard and broadcast production, plus content for social | College students; most home games | Adobe Premiere, After Effects, Photoshop; camera and audio |
| NTDP Sports Communications Intern | Listed as a department on the Arena page; no flyer found | Not stated | Not recoverable |
The Arena's employment page also lists hourly jobs, such as ice maintenance and restaurant roles, that aren't internships. Find the programs on the Burke page and the Arena employment page.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
The two tracks have different bars:
• Burke Internship: "a recent college graduate interested in hockey operations as a career," with "substantial experience in hockey during their collegiate career." It isn't open to current students.
• Burke application: a cover letter, a current résumé, a list of references and a 400 to 500 word essay.
• NTDP Marketing Operations: a college student, with marketing, business, communications or sport management majors desired and hockey familiarity preferred.
• NTDP Ticket Sales and Box Office: a college student seeking a career in sales, marketing, business, communications or sports management; hockey familiarity not required.
• NTDP Video Production: a college student with Adobe Creative Suite knowledge, available for most home games.
• GPA and work authorization: not stated on the Burke page or the flyers.
Do You Need Hockey Experience?
For the Burke Internship, yes: it asks for substantial hockey experience during college. For the NTDP game-day internships, no. The ticket sales flyer says familiarity with hockey is preferred but not required, while the marketing flyer lists it as preferred.
What Skills Does USA Hockey Look For, and How Do You Build Them?
The three NTDP flyers share a short list. Game-day presence: all three have you work Team USA home games. Detail and multitasking: all three ask for detail orientation and the ability to multitask. Communication: all three want a professional demeanor and strong communication. Promotions: all three involve in-game promotions or creative content. The video flyer adds Adobe Creative Suite, camera operation and audio mixing.
What USA Hockey looks for in interns
Skills across 3 USA Hockey intern & analyst job descriptions · NTDP internship flyers on usahockeyarena.com
Method: full-text read of the three NTDP internship flyers (Marketing Operations, Ticket Sales and Box Office, Video Production) linked from the USA Hockey Arena employment page, on 17 October 2026. Three flyers is a very small base and they share template language, so treat the bars as direction, not precision.
How Is Demand for Operations Interns Moving Right Now?
Operations intern postings · Sep vs Aug 2026
vs 3,952 in August
For USA Hockey applicants: Operations intern hiring picked up sharply in September; apply within the first week a role posts, while the most seats are open.
Daily US job-posting counts, Sep 1–30 vs Aug 1–31, 2026. Covers under half of US postings; shows direction, not market size.
Build These Skills Before You Apply
Each skill below comes from an NTDP flyer and maps to a remote Externship you can finish before you email the department.
| Skill (from real JDs) | JD evidence | Externship that builds it |
|---|---|---|
| Game-day promotions and partner activation | Marketing Operations flyer: in-game promos, concourse marketing and signage | Beats by Dre Creative Advertising Strategy |
| Ticket sales and box-office data | Ticket Sales flyer: box-office windows and day-of-game sales | Breaking Games E-Commerce Data Analysis & Strategy |
| Fan and youth-audience insight | Ticket Sales and Marketing flyers: in-arena promotions and fan experience | Pinterest Gen Z Consumer Behavior |
For the video role, an Externship deliverable can sit in your reel next to your own edits, which is what the Adobe and production asks in the flyer reward.
What Is the USA Hockey Application and Interview Process Like?
USA Hockey doesn't use a portal for these internships. This is what the pages show:
1. Pick your track. The Burke Internship is for recent graduates. The NTDP game-day internships are for college students.
2. Burke: email the package. Send a cover letter, a current résumé, a list of references and a 400 to 500 word essay to the address on the Burke page by May 1.
3. NTDP: email the department contact. The Arena's employment page lists a contact for each department, and the flyers say to send your résumé, plus a cover letter for marketing and video.
4. Selection. A committee of hockey-operations representatives chooses the Burke recipient, who is expected to be notified in early June.
5. Interview. The NTDP interview steps aren't published.
National office jobs are posted on Comeet and TeamWork Online, but none was an internship on 17 October 2026.
What Students on Reddit Say
We found no first-hand Reddit threads from USA Hockey interns; searches returned NHL team internships and officiating threads, so there's no student consensus to report here.
How Do You Stand Out for a USA Hockey Internship?
Three moves. First, pick the right track. The Burke Internship is for graduates with real hockey experience, while the NTDP roles are the door for students. Second, write the essay for the committee. The Burke page asks you to relate your characteristics to being dedicated, ambitious and passionate about hockey, so use specific examples. Third, show up early and available. The NTDP roles need you at most home games, including weekends and holidays, and the season starts in late September, so email the contact in summer. USA Hockey publishes no applicant count and no conversion rate for either track, so treat an internship as a way into hockey operations or the game-day staff.
What Other Companies Should You Consider?
If you're aiming at USA Hockey, these programs sit closest by sport or by setting.
- NHLleague office program, separate from the national governing bodyGuide →
- Minnesota WildNHL club with its own internship programGuide →
- Colorado AvalancheNHL club hiring through Kroenke Sports & EntertainmentGuide →
- Sporting Kansas Citypro club that also posts internships on TeamWork OnlineGuide →
- ESPNsports media alternative for content and video internsGuide →
Our sports internships summer 2027 guide maps league, team, media and betting programs in one place.
FAQ
Can I still apply for a 2026 USA Hockey internship?
No for the Brendan Burke Internship, which is for recent graduates and closed on 1 May 2026. NTDP student internships have no posted deadline and the 2026-27 season is underway, so email the department contact on the Arena's employment page to ask. Nothing was posted on 17 October 2026.
When is the Brendan Burke Internship deadline?
The page says the application deadline is May 1, and the 2026 deadline was Friday 1 May 2026, with notification in early June. Expect about 1 May 2027 for the 2027-28 term. Check the Burke page, since we have only one dated cycle.
Is the Burke Internship for students?
No. It's intended for a recent college graduate interested in hockey operations, with substantial hockey experience during college. It's a 10-month, salaried internship in Plymouth, Michigan. Current students should look at the NTDP game-day internships in marketing operations, ticket sales and video production.
Are USA Hockey internships paid?
The Burke Internship is described as a salaried intern position, and the amount isn't published. The NTDP flyers don't state pay, so we can't say those roles are paid or unpaid. The ticket sales flyer says college credit for internship hours is available.
How do I apply for an NTDP internship?
Email your résumé, and a cover letter for the marketing and video roles, to the department contact listed on the USA Hockey Arena employment page. There's no portal and no posted deadline. Contact the department early, since the season starts in late September.
Where are USA Hockey internships located?
Every internship we found is in Plymouth, Michigan, at USA Hockey Arena and the National Team Development Program. USA Hockey's national office is in Colorado Springs, Colorado, but it listed no internships on 17 October 2026, only a full-time partnership role.
Is a USA Hockey internship the same as an NHL internship?
No. USA Hockey is the national governing body for the sport, while the NHL is a professional league with its own league-office program. Local hockey clubs, associations and rinks hire separately from both. See our NHL internship guide for the league's program.
Do USA Hockey interns get full-time offers?
USA Hockey doesn't publish a conversion rate or class size. Its site does list past Burke interns by year, going back to 2010-11. Treat either track as a way into hockey operations or game-day work, not a promised path.
No USA Hockey internship is open now, and the Burke deadline is expected around 1 May 2027. Mark your calendar, and if you want a finished project to show, a remote Externship takes about 5 to 10 hours a week.
About the Author
Bifei Wang has spent 17 years focused on human flow and the growth of young professionals, spanning international education, career training and coaching, and recruitment process outsourcing. Over 7 years at Extern, he has had one-on-one sessions with thousands of students exploring careers in consulting, finance, tech, marketing, and data, giving him a firsthand view of how the job market has shifted for early-career professionals and what it actually takes to break in.
