Why we gotta know how to cover sports

 Sports are the typically the most-viewed events on television: 111 million tuned for 2011 Super Bowl

 Second most-popular section of newspapers

 Sports are the typically the most-viewed events on television: 111 million tuned for 2011 Super Bowl  Second most-popular section of newspapers  What are the five most popular spectator sports in the U.S.?

 Sports are the typically the most-viewed events on television: 111 million tuned for 2011 Super Bowl  Second most-popular section of newspapers  What are the five most popular spectator sports in the U.S.? Football, NASCAR, baseball, basketball, hockey

 Sports are the typically the most-viewed events on television: 111 million tuned for 2011 Super Bowl  Second most-popular section of newspapers  What are the five most popular spectator sports in the U.S.? Football, NASCAR, baseball, basketball, hockey  Most popular internationally?

 Sports are the typically the most-viewed events on television: 111 million tuned for 2011 Super Bowl  Second most-popular section of newspapers  What are the five most popular spectator sports in the U.S.? Football, NASCAR, baseball, basketball, hockey  Most popular internationally? Soccer, cricket, field hockey, tennis, volleyball

 Most popular participant sport in U.S.?

 Most popular participant sport in U.S.? Bowling, fitness walking, tennis, golf, aerobics

 It’s big business: consumer spending on sports likely tops $50 billion in U.S.

 Most popular participant sport in U.S.? Bowling, fitness walking, tennis, golf, aerobics  It’s big business: consumer spending on sports likely tops $50 billion in U.S.  Most valuable sports team in world?

 Most popular participant sport in U.S.? Bowling, fitness walking, tennis, golf, aerobics  It’s big business: consumer spending on sports likely tops $50 billion in U.S.  Most valuable sports team in world? Manchester United, worth $1.8 billion

 Most of what you’ll write are game stories: West Florida Christian vs Miami Heat, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Riverview, Sarasota Scullers regatta, Eddie Herr tennis tournament, FHSAA golf tournament, spring training games

 Game stories are news reports about who won and how the action unfolded

 Most of what you’ll write are game stories: West Florida Christian vs Miami Heat, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Riverview, Sarasota Scullers regatta, Eddie Herr tennis tournament, FHSAA golf tournament, spring training games  Game stories are news reports about who won and how the action unfolded  Ideally, the reporter is on hand

 You’ll witness game, interview participants, note crowd reactions, compile statistics

 Typically use a summary, inverted pyramid lede

 You’ll witness game, interview participants, note crowd reactions, compile statistics  Typically use a summary, inverted pyramid lede  “West Florida Christian, led by the Irvin brothers, thumped the Orlando Magic on Monday night ”

 You’ll witness game, interview participants, note crowd reactions, compile statistics  Typically use a summary, inverted pyramid lede  “West Florida Christian, led by the Irvin brothers, thumped the Orlando Magic on Monday night ”  Thousands of variations of game day stories... from simple IP to more feature like

 Final score

 Team names and type of sport if not obvious

 Final score  Team names and type of sport if not obvious  Where and when

 Final score  Team names and type of sport if not obvious  Where and when  Key players and plays

 Final score  Team names and type of sport if not obvious  Where and when  Key players and plays  Quotes

 Final score  Team names and type of sport if not obvious  Where and when  Key players and plays  Quotes  Strategies that affected outcome

 Final score  Team names and type of sport if not obvious  Where and when  Key players and plays  Quotes  Strategies that affected outcome  Stats

 Injuries

 Records

 Injuries  Records  What game means

 Injuries  Records  What game means  Color: weather, crowd size and demeanor, celebs in attendance

 Story written in advance of a big game... e.g., Super Bowl

 Significance of game, history, key players, records and momentum, quotes, strategies, injuries, who’s favored, time and tix info

 Can write features on just about any aspect of sports

 Most common are personality profiles

 You are paid to be opinionated... and to get fans riled up

 Read and study pages of Inside Reporting