“Fenway Park Press Box” by Jeramey Jannene licensed under CC BY 2.0
Ever since I was of a young age, I have always had a passionate interest in the world of sports and dreamed of becoming a sports journalist. In my opinion, they are just as important as the players we have come to know and love.
Sports writers have a very important job: they are tasked with covering the latest events and trends in the world of sports.
Sports is a major industry, with events occurring during the course of the entire calendar year, providing entertainment for hundreds of millions of people all around the world. According to Statista, 98 million people around the world tuned in to watch the 2020 NFL Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers.
Sports are very important in our society today and is a very profitable business. According to Business Insider, the sports market is projected to reach a value of $614 billion by 2022.
Sports writers must be very knowledgeable about the leagues or teams that they are covering. It’s important to stay current and up-to-date, as things are constantly changing within this field. There is unlimited content to be reported on in the world of sports, such as game results, trade acquisitions, free agent signings, suspensions, rumors and much more.
Sports writers need to be creative in their writing. Readers have short attention spans, and if they are not sucked in to the content early on, they are likely to move on to the next piece. They need to stay on topic and give the audience what they want to hear.
It is important for writers to be able to work long hours in a fast-paced environment. As previously mentioned, the sports industry is constantly changing, and it is important to get the information out there as soon as possible. At the same time, it is important to check your work and make sure you are publishing factual information. Publishing false or incorrect information can lead to your writing being discredited or overlooked. All it takes is one incorrect article and people will turn away from you and lose trust in your ability to speak the truth.
Good communication skills are important for sports writers. Sports reporters are often tasked with interviewing athletes, staff members and fans about a variety of topics. It is important to have a list of questions and make sure that these questions are relevant and worthy of a story.
Getting real-world experience prior to pursuing a career in sports journalism is important and strongly recommended. This includes getting a bachelor’s degree in media and cultures or communications, minoring in journalism, internships with writing publications and writing for a college publication. Putting this on a resume will make you more applicable and help you stand out to potential employers. Some people even go as far as to get a master’s degree to get into this field. While this is not required, it will give you an edge over candidates who just get a bachelor’s degree.
The job outlook for sports writers appears to be very strong. According to Career Explorer, there are 11,700 sports writers in the United States, and this number is expected to grow 3.4% by the year 2026.
In the age of social media and technology, sports journalists are more important than ever and will have a strong impact as long as sports remain relevant in our world.
Erick Klambara is a second-year student majoring in media and cultures. EK924666@wcupa.edu