Career Research on Sports Journalism

The journalism field has always interested me. I have always had a knack for writing, and I see it as a gift; a gift that shouldn't be wasted. I also have a deep love for competitive sports, and the love and determination that goes into it. It's the opportunity for constant improvement, the freedom of speech aspect of the job, and of course the wide range of salary to be acquired that draw me in as well. I believe in "Living the Dream" so to speak. The American Dream is doing something that you love, no matter what the pay. It is waking up every day, eager to complete your tasks for the day. This is why I chose to research the career of Sports Journalism.

The Sports Journalism is not an easy industry to get into. Not everyone has the talent required to accomplish a consumer-friendly article. This is why there are tough criteria to even be noticed in the business. First, Sports Journalism is not a course often provided by many colleges. There are specific schools and programs that you need to attend to attain the proper skills in order to succeed in this field. One major college is The School of Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin. The Sports Journalism program at UT-Austin is especially difficult to get into, due to the limit of students admitted for the major of Sports Journalism. The limit of students admitted is eighteen. But once chosen for the course, students are given the privilege of working closely with the experts in sports journalism. (need a paraphrase format) Also, another institution that offers a Sports Journalism course is The School of Journalism and Broadcasting at Oklahoma State University at Stillwater. This school offers a course focused more on the media side of sports reporting. It prepares students for reporting sports via broadcasting.

The prerequisites for a career in sports journalism are somewhat extensive. A minimum of a two year degree is required for some sports journalism careers. Though one can get by with a two year degree, many positions in today's sports journalism industry requires a four year degree from a credible college. After college, a good way to get a "foot in the door" so to speak would be to take part in an internship. An internship provides a learning journalist with hands-on experience in the way things are done in a journalist's typical environment. Internship requires a student to be articulate, personable, and dependable. A basic knowledge of sports and a love for attending events is a big necessity for an internship.

A big factor in getting into a college that offers a Sports Journalism course is tuition. For example, tuition for The School of Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin ranges from $26,672, to $30,770 a year, just for flat-rate attendance fees. If you desire to stay on campus, and experience the full spectrum of college life and are a non-resident of Texas,, the total for a full year could amount to anything from $32,240 to $45,006. So, as one can see, the goal of becoming a sports journalist is difficult and trying from the get-go.

Once a potential sports journalist is finished his or her schooling and has done an internship to get used to the environment of the journalism field, the next step is finding a job. Sports writers typically work for newspapers, both local and national, magazines, and other periodicals. They also can opt for a job in the broadcasting industry, such as ESPN and like networks. A synopsis of how a typical day in the life of a sports journalist would be attending a sporting event and writing a detailed article summing up the sporting event attended. The goal of a sports writer is to keep the sports fans around the world well informed about scores, player statistics, and writing both routine stories and feature articles on sports.

Another attractive quality of the sports journalism industry would be the room for improvement and the fair advancement prospects. A few moves up that can be made in the field are becoming a chief editor of a local newspaper or magazine, or the movement from a typical newspaper to a more prestigious periodical, then becoming an editor of that. Don't be fooled, advancements in the industry of sports writing are not easy to attain, and require serious work and devotion. The higher the career level, the harder it becomes for advancement.

One of the best things about choosing a career in this industry would be the flexible hours. Though deadlines are meant to be met as a sports writer, you are free to manage your time as you so choose. If it is your choice to take a few days off, and cram an article in on the last few days left in your deadline time frame, then you can do it. Deadlines can make for a chaotic work environment at times. For example, many stories with four days in your deadline time frame can become a hassle and stressful. The beauty is, as a sports journalist, you can accept or deny stories you want after you reach a certain level of seniority. Vacation time is very difficult to determine in this field of work. It all depends on the newspaper or magazine you are working for, and their policy on vacation time, and whether or not it is paid vacation.

As stated above, the pay range as a sports journalist is wide. Salary can start as low as $19,000 a year, but can easily exceed $1,000,000 dollars a year, all depending on where you work, and how prestigious the reputation of the paper or magazine you work for. There is also the opportunity of freelance work. Freelance work consists of being payed per story written, without technically being employed, and it is how many journalists start out. Employment prospects are good for the career of a sports journalist. With almost every newspaper having a sports section, some even with an entire sports department, the prospect of obtaining a secure position in this commercial enterprise is good. And with the constant ability to be promoted leaves steady gaps that need to be filled with new and skilled journalists.

Another big question about working in the sports journalism environment is cost of living compared to money earned. This all really depends on where you choose to pursue your dream of being a sports writer. For example, being a resident of Villas, N.J. with plans of moving to New York City, N.Y to make a decent salary of $30,000 dollars a year, the cost of living would be 76% percent more expensive. But a sports writer does not have to write a huge newspaper at first, and chances are, he or she won't have that leisure.

Through my extensive research on the career of a sports journalist, I have thoroughly solidified my thoughts on pursuing a career of my own in the industry. Over time I have attained both the natural and learned skills of journalism and writing in general. I also possess the dedication required to learn as much as possible about the still needed mechanics of the job. I have also acquired over time the ability to adapt to my surroundings to make the best of any situation; a skill I believe is vital to the success of a sports journalist. So in short, my decision of following the dream of becoming a professional sports writer has not been swayed after researching the topic, and I hope to attend a world renown journalism college.