As the sports editor at the Torch, it should be no surprise how important the world of sports and journalism is to me.
About a year ago, one of my close friends told me how “safe” sports journalism was since there will always be sports. Months later, I refuted their claim when the New York Times closed its sports department and moved all coverage to the Athletic. Shortly after the end of the department, the Athletic cut about 4%, or 20 journalists, from their newsroom, according to AP.
As someone who saw and still sees a possible career in sports journalism, this is alarming. It’s been no secret that journalism isn’t an incredibly lucrative field. According to CareerExplorer, a journalist in Michigan makes around $36,890 a year on average.
On top of this, sports journalism is ruthless in its turmoil. At the beginning of the year, Sports Illustrated announced massive layoffs, which created questions about whether the sports giant can continue its run.
Sports Illustrated held many issues before their layoffs. One of these issues includes a controversy where the publication used artificial intelligence to write articles, They credited the stories to fake journalists.
As these long-time publications struggle, they raise concerns about the future of any aspiring sports journalist. What reasons have we given for someone to want to enter this field? The conversation around sports journalism has changed exorbitantly in the past few years. A week ago, Louisiana State University’s women’s basketball coach, Kim Mulkey, threatened to sue the Washington Post and Kent Babb for a “false story” that had not been released at the time of her comments.
Mulkey’s threats, no matter how truthful they may be, are a reminder that sports journalism is much more than telling you what happened at a game. The Boston Globe’s reporting about Harvard women’s hockey coach Katey Stone revealed a toxic culture of humiliating activities and neglectful behavior. TSN’s Rick Westhead’s reporting has helped break open many hockey scandals from the NHL to national teams.
Another issue in sports journalism is still how much of a “boys’ club” it can be. Don’t get me wrong, women have come an incredibly long way in sports journalism. However, it still feels like the field falls short in terms of gender diversity alongside how women are treated in the field.
One fellow college sports journalist, Madi Warden of the State News, explained her experience as a woman in sports journalism.
“As a woman in sports, I have had my own fair share of feeling discriminated in my field of work,” Warden said. “It may be as simple as receiving a one-word answer from a coach that made my own confidence feel a little bruised … but it goes as far as being pushed off to the side while at a media availability for another man to get between me and the player being interviewed.”
Warden most certainly isn’t the only woman in sports journalism to experience some form of misogyny. While women attempt to break further in sports journalism, it’s important to allow the avenue for them to do so. Our sports section is included in this idea. We, like others, have our shortcomings too. Our section currently has zero women. This has always been something I loathe and still wish to fix.
With the field in turmoil, sports journalism is in as much trouble as the whole. What happens to sports writing is up in the air, as the landscape continues to change daily. One thing is clear to me, however. Just as the future needs journalism, it will also need sports journalism.
CE – AM