The Future of Sports Journalism Sports have been a staple in American society for well over a century now. To the avid fan, they give us that ‘kid on Christmas morning’ type feeling on game day. Sports help us get through tough days and tough times. They even have a strange way of lifting us up in times of despair. The excitement of sports is something that will never change, sort of like the everlasting history of sports that spark our ongoing arguments. The unpredictability that sporting events carry will forever keep sports enthusiasts, fans and writers full of debate and endless discussions. For many years, sports conversation was simple. Fans showed up to the game, the results were printed in the paper, and everyone in town discussed it at the barbershop and diner. Popularity grew with the likes of radio and television developing into the primary outlets. In recent years, the progress of social media, and the internet itself for that matter, have curved the way we view and discuss sports more than we could ever imagine. Although the enjoyment of sports will never change, the sports themselves take part in a perpetual evolution. Every year there are new players, reformed rules and even varying styles of play. The alterations in certain aspects of sports over the years have given sports journalists an endless amount of storylines to craft their work.
Through the years, sports have obviously changed, but the field of sports journalism has remained somewhat consistent. Sports writers attend their assigned event, take their notes and interview coaches and athletes so they can generate their story. Thirty years ago (and still at a limited rate to this day), their article would simply be given to the editors before being printed in the paper for the following morning. With heavy advancements in technology over the past two or three decades, the way games are covered and stories are produced have gone through a more drastic evolution then any sport ever has. “Sports journalism has evolved because it now requires a more technological approach, with the use of smart phones and social media growing everyday”, said Scott Chappelear, a long time sports writer for the South Jersey Times. “It’s much different than when I first started, and it will continue to revolve around this technologically advancing world”. In this technologically advancing world, one can simply type a story on their phone and send it in, even accompanied by a few game photos.
The sports journalist’s routine hasn’t varied too much, nor have the varieties of stories they write, with game, profile, preview and columns remaining as the categories of articles they produce. However, journalist’s routines and the way their stories are written have taken on new elements. Sports writers can just whip out their smart phones and take pictures and videos, and immediately post them to their Twitter or Instagram account. They can rely on these videos by re-watching them to enhance the image of an incredible catch or buzzer beating shot when typing their story. The social media and online aspect of covering sports has taken it to another level, one that is much more demanding than before.
In today’s world, it’s almost impossible to not have internet access. Whether it be on a smart phone, laptop or even an outdated desktop, the internet is loaded with different outlets to post and discover new sporting material. I’m sure a numerous amount of people out there have wondered how much coverage sports truly require. If it’s anything sports, Americans will read it, so clearly it necessitates as much exposure as possible. Almost every major television network (CBS, NBC, ABC, etc.) have websites with links to their own sports page. Not only does ESPN have their own website, but they’ve created websites connected with major U.S. cities such as Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles to have an even more in depth means of coverage. Just about every professional sports team has their own Instagram and twitter accounts created by their public relations staff to go along with their team sites as well.
The online world has taken over print material at a rapid pace. Very few newspaper companies generate a daily paper, and if they do the price of their paper has increased quite a bit. Most newspapers are produced bi-weekly or simply once a week, which is usually just a Sunday paper. There are still plenty of people who would rather have their newspaper, but the majority of those individuals either grew up before this technological progression, or they haven’t converted to the much preferred online news template. “Online has practically taken over print material anymore,” Mark Berkey-Gerard says, a journalism professor at Rowan University. “As a journalism professor, I’m constantly upgrading lesson plans to keep them fresh, and most importantly up to date”.
Print material still has some perks, even with the endless advantages the internet has to offer. It’s much easier to save sentimental newspaper clippings than printing out an article that’s full of advertisements and other pointless things you find within the margins. Keeping that smart phone in your pocket while sitting down to read the paper can be nice from time to time. The paper also gives a reader a larger viewing area compared to any computer or cell phone screen. The convenience of online news, however, is just so much more convenient than buying the paper at the local corner store or Wawa. Even if the newspaper is delivered to your front door, you still have to wait for it, compared to receiving the same information within seconds using a quick Google search or smart phone app.
Even though newspapers are pretty much a thing of the past already, one question still remains; how long will it be until newspaper companies are strictly producing online content? As of now there isn’t an answer, but the lifespan of print material is dwindling. “One thing is for sure, print is simply old-fashioned,” said Matt Lombardo, a writer for New Jersey advance media at NJ.com. “It’s only a matter of time before print media becomes completely irrelevant with the younger generations growing up surrounded with technology.” And that’s just it, we are all surrounded by technology already, and technology never stops growing. There’s always a better way to do something; reporting and covering sports with different outlets and platforms is no exception.
Online news is the “new and improved” print material, and it has been for a while now. I personally don’t think newspapers will be completely done within my lifetime, but with social media and other internet resources growing at staggering rates, I could be totally wrong. Either way, the future of sports journalism isn’t in the near or far future, it’s already here. Now it’s only a matter of time before someone develops a new way of delivering sporting news, headlines and stats to our ever evolving world.