Future Sports Journalist

The advice from some on here to major in something other than journalism may sound cynical but it is actually pretty sound advice. The writing part of the job will come naturally if you are a good communicator. Use your time (and tuition money) to gain other skills such as the technical side of production or how to write code. One of the best columnists I know was actually a history major in college. While you are doing that keep building a clip file through stringer gigs or try and hook on as an agate clerk at your local paper. The more rounded you can make yourself, the better off you wi be.

 

For the record, I did not mean "Don't major in journalism" as a deterrent for working in the industry. I wouldn't trade my time in newspapers for anything, even though it wasn't ultimately right for me or what I wanted out of life. And I enjoyed (and draw my name from) my j-school classes.

But nobody who hired me was that excited that I had a journalism degree. They were excited I had A degree, and looked at my clips and references. I don't think I ever submitted a GPA for a j-job, though this may be different now for new grads.

But if I had it to do all over again, I'd take advantage of the opportunity in college to study something else I was interested in but would've have as much of a chance to pursue professionally (history or poli-sci for me, maybe education just so getting a teaching credential would be simple if I ever wanted to pursue it). I just never found the media to be an industry where your specific major was that important, so you might as well take the opportunity to study something you're intellectually stimulated by, and get the practical experience that matters elsewhere while you're doing it.

 

Save yourself a bunch of time and money, and just go work at Target.

 

+1

 

I appreciate everyone's responses! I do understand what I am getting myself into as far as competitiveness and lack of jobs goes. But, like mentioned before hard work can get you places and that is what I plan on doing.

Like many pointed out a degree in journalism can limit one. I'm not sure how many of you actually had the chance to major in Sports Journalism and not just journalism in general, but I figure it will help me somewhat down the line. But, I do plan on having a minor in the buisness field. I am trying to figure if I will have the time to double major where I can have two degrees and hopefully only have to use the business degree as a fall back option. I am not extensively worried about wasting my tuition money for the reason mention in the sentence before and that I am going to school essentially free because of scholarships.

I really appreciate everyone who posted their advice and helpful tips about getting started and making it in the business.

 

And I appreciate your optimism. I do. But you also have to understand, in a very real way, that all the hard work in the world isn't guaranteed to get you anything in this business. There are some GREAT sportswriters who aren't drawing paychecks right now despite doing everything right.

 

Take 5 years instead of 4, or take summer classes, to get that double major. Make sure one of your internships is business related.

 

Amen ... read that statement, then read it again, and again, and again. We work for businesses that need to make money to survive. When they lose money, they cut people loose. Period.

And I would reconsider a sports-specific journalism major. It will limit you, especially if you ever want or need to look for a job doing something else. And you'll almost certainly need to.

Nobody is saying don't try, but don't pigeonhole yourself with something like that. Think broadly.

 

Always promised myself I wouldn't make a jaded give-up-on-your-dreams post, but majoring in sports journalism doesn't sound like a good idea at all. Just about all my experience in journalism has been strictly sports – and in newspapers. Now that I've decided I'd like a job that I don't have to work 2-12 every day and sacrifice weekends, the transition is damn near impossible.

As others have said, not telling you to not get into the business. But definitely consider keeping as many options open as possible. I assumed I'd want to cover sports for a living forever five years ago and thought people telling me otherwise were dicks. I feel a lot differently after a few years of experience in the industry.

 

Is it possible to do the Sports Journalism thing as a minor? It does sound potentially limiting, and unfortunately a lot of media jobs don't take sports folks as seriously as general assignment news folks.

 

I look at it this way. If you can't, absolutely can't, picture your life without doing this for the rest of your life, then chase your dreams man and good luck to you.

But if you any doubts, any thoughts that someday you're going to want to be doing something other than trekking 45 minutes to a high school football game on a Friday night that you have all of 20 minutes to write for unappreciative bosses who look at you as nothing more than a disposable source of words that they'll never read and the first person to cut when the company profit margin dips below 33 percent, then you need to have a back-up plan.

Chasing this as a life means a couple of things. First, you will NEVER have a social life. Sure, you might go out for a beer with friends every now and again but it will only be if your schedule allows it. You will never get to plan your work around your life. Accept that now.

Also, I hate to say this but you are about 96 percent more likely to fail at pursuing this than you are to succeed. If your goal is working at a small paper covering preps, then that's fine but if you see yourself going to some large newspaper or some large media empire like ESPN, don't count on it. The world is full of smarter, faster, better writers than you'll likely ever be and to make it, you've not only got to be incredible with your words but you've got to be incredibly lucky. At this point in your life you can rely on neither.

Lastly, be prepared for a life of living unappreciated. Your bosses won't care how great your story is, you'll always be the sports guy. Your readers will only comment when they want to complain about what you wrote or when they're angling for a positive spin on the next story. The only satisfaction you'll get in this industry is from yourself, from that look in the mirror that says "I did a good job today!"

If you can live with that, go for it man. But, for god's sake, don't bet all your chips on this industry man. Because that's a gamble where the odds are not in your favor. At all.

 

If I could go back and do the whole college degree thing over again, then I would've doubled up to have options. There's my advice.