APSE - Is it worth joining?

I am thinking about joining the Associated Press Sports Editors' group. Is it worth joining? If so, why?

 

It’s the best professional organization I’ve ever been a part of, by far. I urge you to join.

Reasons:

1. Professional development — at the summer conference, winter judging and regional meetings that take place around the country, APSE puts on workshops where sports editors and sports writers from shops large and small around the country share their experience, wisdom and best practices on topics both timely and timeless. I’ve never walked out of one of these without some new ideas that I could adapt in our department.

2. Networking — You will meet other sports editors and get to know them, bounce ideas off of them and pick their brains. I’ve never had an APSE member turn me down if I had questions or wanted samples of how they do things. And probably more importantly, I’ve seen numerous sports writers and sports editors get hired through relationships that began in APSE: most people are more comfortable hiring someone they have gotten to know better in non-interview settings. I met my current prep writer a few years before I had an opening at an APSE function, we sat down for 30 minutes or an hour. When we had an opening and she applied, I remembered her. I’ve seen people (writers and editors) rise from small shops to major metros through contacts made in the organization. There’s a lot to be gained from actually knowing a hiring manager that you want to get in front of when your dream job opens.

3. Access — If you can make it to NYC in April, every year APSE has a two-day event where editors meet with commissioners of the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS, NASCAR and others, lately also including the NCAA head. Depending on your situation, this can be extremely valuable.

4. Crisis help — You usually don’t hear about it, but APSE intervenes several times a year when member organizations run into issues with the institutions they cover (colleges, pro franchises, etc.) to help settle credentialing or access issues. APSE can’t make Nick Saban let you talk to freshmen but there have been cases where a particular writer or organization has credeials pulled over some spat or situation and APSE has helped get it resolved. Even if you don’t want APSE to step in, there are people in the organization who can offer advice and even give you an idea of where you stand legally.

5. Olympic Access — If you want to send a writer (or writers) to the Summer or Winter Games any given year, APSE works with the U.S. Olympic Committee year-round to aid its members in getting credentialed, as well as to line up housing and such, wherever the Olympics are taking place. You stand a much better chance of getting credentialed working through APSE than if you go it on your own. (APSE also works with the NCAA on credentialing for the men’s basketball tournament, and has an on-site person at each regional to help trouble-shoot any issues.)

6. Contest — This is the best and most important contest in sports journalism. Your work is judged against that produced by others in shops of similar size and resources. Those who do well in this get noticed. And if you participate in judging (which can also be done remotely if you aren’t able to be there in person), you’ll see great work and get a lot of ideas of kinds of stories that may be waiting to be told in your own backyard that you hadn’t considered.

7. Diversity Fellowship — APSE has a program that allows a group (generally four to six per year) to get training and development over several months to prepare participants to become sports editors. The program has a great track record of fellows being promoted or hired by bigger shops, and all costs are absorbed by APSE.

I’m a past president, so I’m biased, but without question joining APSE was the single best decision I’ve ever made professionally.

 

I would argue that the contest has become to a large degree irrelevant. In the "big-paper" writing categories, you have daily operations with print deadlines competing against websites in which the writer can post a story several hours after a game (as opposed to on a tight deadline). Or papers with 12 writers competing against websites with dozens of writers and unlimited space. In the section categories, most sports editors now are at the mercy of shared-services copy desks. If you have your own copy desk, it's a huge advantage.

 

Yes. And attend the winter judging.

 

It's definitely worth joining from a networking perspective and some of the reasons Tommy listed above.

I also agree the contest is an ongoing issue. It's not reflective of where things are in 2018. There are contests outside of sports that would be worth looking at and pulling some examples.

It would be good to see a committee explore other contests and provide recommendations for making a truly good contest. I know that was done to some degree a few years ago.

 

In addition, since your username is Writer, I'll specify it's possible to become a writer member -- and still attend most of the aforementioned events and get the benefits thereof. (It also costs less for writers, who can sign up independent of their media outlets.)

Become an APSE member | APSE - Associated Press Sports Editors

 

With the words Sports Editors in the name of the organization, I have to ask.....is it mainly recommended for editors or can all sports writers benefit from joining the APSE?

 

@PaperDoll - I was told as recently as two years ago that individual writers were not allowed to sign up for APSE, participate in events or submit for awards. Has that changed?

 

The APSE Writers' Wing existed two years ago, and still does today. Individual writers are invited to many APSE events. However, I don't think writers can enter the contest independently.

 

Can you join if you're a freelancer who isn't employed full-time by an outlet?

 

For our four-man, 20K circulation staff, the $110 entry fee is probably worth it for the contest alone. However, for us, that's also where the benefit ends.

The summer convention is not free for members to attend, plus you also have to pay travel and lodging if it isn't held nearby. Last year, sending one person to a convention within driving distance would have probably cost $800-1,000. That has become an expense our shop can't (or won't) cover. Some of the smaller papers who could benefit most can't actually take advantage, though we do pay a reduced annual membership fee.

Rates are even lower for the writer's wing, but then you're presumably paying all of the costs yourself.