Lupica is laid off

At least he can afford to be laid off.

 

Apropos of nothing, but Bondy's book about the Pine Tar Game was excellent.

 

Here's a take on Lupica's layoff and the changing nature of sports media.

From the piece:

In a way, too, Lupica being laid off is symbolic of the evolution of newspaper sports journalism. It's one of my pet theories that digital and social media is changing the hierarchy of sports journalists. Lupica represents the era when columnists were kings, the stars of the paper, the ones in ads on the sides of busses. They were the superstars.

Digital media is changing that. Now, opinions are less valuable to newspapers because of blogs and social media. Opinions are like noses. Everyone has one. So when a columnist isn't at a game reporting but instead writing an opinion-based hot take off TV - something Lupica often did - it stands out as being lazy and less valuable than it once was.

Think of who the stars are in sports journalism now. Peter King. Adam Schefter. Jay Glazer. Woj. You may not be fans of their work, but they are the big names. And they're not columnists. They're reporters. They trade in scoops and information and tidbits and nuggets. Everyone has an opinion, but not everyone has access to information. That's not to say columnists aren't important or don't play a huge role, only that their status within the field seems to be diminishing a bit.

Agree?

(The biggest star is sports journalism, Bill Simmons, is no reporter.)

​

 

Kind of sad that when a sportswriter takes a guess at the largest salary he could imagine, and comes up with $200,000.

Unless he's taken multiple pay cuts, there no way he was making less than $500,000.

He's a mercenary, that worked for the Post, Newsday, and the News over the years (and the National too, right?). He was the highest paid columnist in NYC.

 

That's true. I didn't think of that. Also, I'm sure ESPN wouldn't mind giving him a column. They love him over there.

 

From 1995:

Mike Lupica, Newsday's $675,000-a-year sports columnist, was one of those who tried to get the newspaper to reverse its decision.

Editor & Publisher - Racial Strife At Newsday? p. 14

Even if they're off, they're probably in the ballpark.

The New York City newspaper wars back them were fierce. People forget how popular Lupica was in the nations biggest, most competitive, and highest paying market.

 

He'll be fine. Those books bring in so much cash, too.

 

Just saw they laid off Wayne Coffey, too. That. is. crazy.

 

Is he on twitter. Just so I can remember when mom and dad's anniversary is and to be comforted by knowing they still hold hands. Also so I can remember when his sons' birthdays are and also the little guy's anniversary.

 

Wow. This is a very insightful comment. Thanks for sharing this. And, for the record, I agree. Columnists are a dime a dozen. It's the reporters that work the beat, develop the sources and get the big stories that are more valuable than anything now.

 

So how close to the full list:

Thompson
Lupica
Bondy
Madden
Gola
Coffey
Rubin

That's what, 10 percent of the department? 15?