There are many different branches of journalism, all of which draw in skilled communicators who want to be at the heart of a breaking story. Sports journalism is proving to be a particularly popular career for those with a true passion for sports and extensive knowledge they can draw upon to convey their stories with enthusiasm and accuracy.
With a vast array of sports events taking place across the country and around the world each day , sports journalism can be a busy career with an endless variety of stories to report on. For those who want to get started in sports journalism, there is no single right way to go about it. However, there are many ways of boosting your career prospects and enhancing your chances of success.
What is sports journalism?
Sports journalists report on sports events, teams and individuals. They can work in a wide variety of media, including television, radio, newspapers, magazines and internet sites. Their work can include reporting live from events, reporting on the buildup to big matches, and keeping fans informed about topics such as team changes. They may interview athletes and managers before and after events and seek opinions from fans. In short, it is an incredibly diverse career that covers all aspects of every sport imaginable.
Skills of a sports journalist
The most important skill for a sports journalist is sharing their knowledge of the sports industry. They also need to be good at research and pay sharp attention to detail. They must be creative, with good written and verbal communication skills. Crucially, they must possess a genuine enthusiasm for sports and a strong desire to build relationships with sports fans.
What is involved in sports journalism?
Although you have probably read articles on sports journalists, watched their reports on TV or listened to their live commentary, you may be less familiar with all the work that is involved in creating sports media. There will be production and editorial meetings, and live broadcasts require thorough preparation to ensure they run smoothly. Journalists spend a lot of time on research, looking for the best people to approach and a relevant angle to take, in addition to ensuring they have all the facts, figures and statistics to create pieces that are factually accurate.
Sports journalism covers a variety of different roles, all of which have their own requirements. You might work for a newspaper or magazine creating printed or online content. TV and radio outlets hire sports journalists to present sports shows and podcasts and go into the field to prepare reports on events. Even if you are not on camera yourself, you may work for a TV or radio station writing reports for others to deliver. Some sports journalists are employed by teams at a professional, university or amateur level to act as their media representative or communications officer.
Are qualifications necessary?
While there may be people who start informally and build up a successful career in sports journalism, they are few and far between. To acquire a position as a sports journalist, you will normally need a bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, English or another related field. While studying, it is a good idea to start building a portfolio and gaining journalism experience, such as writing for student magazines and publications. Many universities have a strong sports tradition, so there should be plenty of material to get you started. If you get the opportunity to participate in work experience or internships, be sure to make the most of them.
One way to get ahead in sports journalism is to follow your bachelor’s degree with further qualifications that cater specifically to sports journalism, such as an MA in Sports Journalism. Many top sports journalists praise the role such programs have played in their careers.
For example, ESPN NBA writer Tim Bontemps credits the skills he learned and the connections he built at St. Bonaventure University with putting him on the path to the success he enjoys today. Budding sports journalists who want to follow in his footsteps can consider St. Bonaventure’s online MA in Sports Journalism as an effective way to gain the skills needed to compete in this fast-paced career.
Getting started
To get started in sports journalism, you need to be ready to take every opportunity available. Make use of networking opportunities that you have formed through fellow students, teachers and alumni from your journalism and sports journalism courses, as well as those from work experience and internships. Although what you know is vital to being a sports journalist, who you know can help launch your career.
While your ultimate aim may be to form part of a major channel or publication reporting on top sports events such as the Olympics or the Super Bowl, be prepared to start small. Local newspapers are a great place to hone your skills and start to make a name for yourself. The fans of local teams are just as deserving of high-quality sports journalism as those at the national and international levels.
Continue to develop your knowledge so you will be ready to report with confidence and expertise when opportunities arise. To start making a name for yourself, you can set up your own sports website, blog or vlog. In addition to providing ways to develop your written and verbal communication skills, it will be a great resource to show prospective employers what you can do.
Sports journalism is not the easiest career to break into, so using every advantage you have is vital. You should also look out for new opportunities. The rise in popularity of esports, for example, means that there is a need for good sports journalists who have an understanding of this phenomenon.
When you do receive your first position, be professional and report to the highest standards. Through that position, you will gain further expertise and make new contacts. It’s the first step in a career that could lead anywhere.
Why become a sports journalist?
Sports journalism is hard to break into, salaries are varied, and working hours can be long and irregular, so is sports journalism worth pursuing? The answer from nearly every sports journalist and aspiring sports journalist is likely to be a resounding “yes.” It’s a career of endless variety where no two days are the same, and you can never be sure what will happen next.
Sports fans are familiar with the energy and excitement of the sports world, and bringing that into a career is a dream come true for many people. Here is a look at just some of the aspects of sports journalism that make it such an interesting career.
Escaping the 9-to-5
Many people find the daily routine of a commute followed by a 9-to-5 working pattern five days a week is a recipe for burnout. For them, one of the draws of sports journalism is its unpredictability. One day, you might be working in an office or from home, while the next day, you might find yourself on the edge of a pitch waiting for an event to start. At certain times of the year, you might be working long hours covering events; between seasons, you might find yourself with more time on your hands.
With many big sports events taking place on weekends or in the evening, you may find that you have more leisure time during weekdays. This is not a working life for everyone, but many sports journalists thrive on unpredictability and enjoy escaping the daily routine.
Get paid to watch sports
For many sports fans, the only thing better than watching an event or game they love is getting paid to do it. Sports journalists love sports and thrive on the edge-of-the-seat excitement that comes with a nail-biting game or a closely-run race. They enjoy the buildup of an event, speculating on how it might turn out. They like talking about events afterward and following teams or athletes throughout a season or competition.
That is not to say that sports journalists don’t work hard – they certainly do. There will be deadlines to meet, often on very short notice with fans eager to get the latest news as soon as possible. However, when you spend so much of your job immersed in something you love, working hard becomes enjoyable.
Meet the stars
Going to an event or game can allow you to see your favorite sports stars in action, and this is something many fans find particularly exciting. As a sports journalist, you will not only get to watch athletes in action, but you will get to meet them. Part of the role will involve interviewing athletes, managers and other key officials. You might meet them before the event to discover what they’re hoping for, or you might meet them afterward as they reflect on their success or defeat and where they hope their performance can take them next. You may also get to meet them at other times as they make key announcements about their careers or team changes, or you might interview them for more general purposes.
Regardless of the reason for the interview, sports journalists can get to know the real people behind their sports achievements. From them, you can learn about their career highs and lows to date, perhaps using that information in an article or report to provide inspiration for the next generation of sports stars.
It is possible that those working at the local level will be interviewing a sports star of the future as their career takes off. Think of your favorite sports star. Once they were a relative unknown, giving their first interview. For those big names of the future, their first interview might be with you. No matter what level you are reporting from, as a sports journalist, you get inside information on how the sport and events feel to participants and find out firsthand what it is like to experience the triumphs and disappointments a sports career can bring.
Travel opportunities
Any career that involves sports will include time on the move as participants travel to competitions and sporting events. This means that sports journalists covering them will also travel, making this an appealing career for those who enjoy visiting different places and getting paid to do it. However, this does not mean you will be unable to put down roots in a particular area. The varied nature of sports journalism means that you will be able to enjoy long periods at home as well as regular opportunities for travel.
How far you travel will depend on the sport and the level you are covering. You might be following a local team that travels to competitions throughout the state, or you may be covering one of the major football, baseball or ice hockey teams as they travel around the country and beyond. Many sports events also take place on an international level. Perhaps you will be following tennis stars to the Australian Open and Wimbledon or soccer stars at the next World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Future Olympics and Winter Olympics are to be held at such diverse locations as Paris, Milan, Los Angeles and Brisbane. Along with the sports stars, coaches and fans, there will be crowds of sports journalists reporting on the latest medals for fans at home.
See behind the scenes
When fans show up to watch a game or competition, it can be hard to grasp everything that has gone into making it all happen. Sports journalists get to see more, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in the entire experience. They arrive early, allowing them to see and meet all the people involved in the preparations for the event and those who are there for the aftermath.
As they build a rapport with athletes, coaches and managers, they may get even greater access to everything that happens behind the scenes. Away from the events themselves, sports journalists might be invited to training sessions to witness firsthand the phenomenal amount of physical and mental preparation that is needed to bring these elite sports stars to peak condition.
Meet the fans
A sports journalist generally has a genuine passion for sports, and when they attend sports events, they get to meet many like-minded individuals. Reporting on an event or team will involve speaking to the fans, listening to their opinions about their team’s performance, and finding out what their hopes and dreams are for their favorite players. As with so much of sports journalism, chatting with fellow sports enthusiasts is something many people would gladly do for fun, but sports journalists get paid to do it.
In addition to meeting fans at events, games and competitions, you might also meet them on social occasions or chat with them online via forums and social media. As a sports journalist, you will be considered an authority on the subject, with fans eager to hear your views on how a particular team or competitor is progressing and what predictions you have for the future.
An exciting career choice
Sports journalism is an exciting career choice for those who want to combine a journalism career with their love of sports. Although it is a challenging career that will require hard work and determination, it is also a highly rewarding one with opportunities that will appeal to any sports enthusiast.
From travel opportunities to meeting sports stars and chatting with fans, there is an endless variety of activities involved in sports journalism. Alongside the nail-biting waits at the side of pitches, there will also be quieter times spent writing or preparing reports to keep the public informed of all that is happening in the world of sports.
If this is a career that appeals to you, consider what training and experience you need to get your first sports journalism opportunity. With formal study at the bachelor’s and master’s levels, informal study as you keep up to date with the latest sporting developments, and internships or work experience, you can boost your chances of succeeding in your dream career.