Exactly How Fun Is It To Be a Sports Journalist?

Yeah, I'll agree with that. A boss with a long, angry memory can make work pretty miserable.

 

Re: Hours

This is a fun graphic ...

http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2014/08/27/343415569/whos-in-the-office-the-american-workday-in-one-graph

 

Good grief, yes.

Emergency personnel the only ones working at "odd" hours? Get real. When you're filing from a McDonald's parking lot at midnight, is it closed?

Point being?

To add to the list of non-emergency, "odd hours" jobs: restaurant staff, retail employees, shipping services.

Both my brothers-in-law work federal jobs and work different shifts. (NASA and FCI) One of the sisters worked second or third shift at a NASA contractor. The other sister is a pro barrel racer and horse trainer. Not 9-to-5.

From the NPR story:

"Still, Americans work more night and weekend hours than people in other advanced economies, according to Dan Hamermesh and Elena Stancanelli's . They found that about 27 percent of Americans have worked between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. at least once a week, compared with 19 percent in the U.K. and 13 percent in Germany."

 

Although there were times after some great games that I'd go, "Now, that was fun," I wouldn't say that I ever viewed my sports reporting and writing career as "fun," exactly.

That just wasn't the reason I did it. I was always cognizant of being a reporter, of working, and of it being my job. It was a job I loved, but it was always my job, my work, my career. I took it seriously and I didn't do it because it was "fun," per se.

Oh, I often enjoyed interviewing people, and I loved the work of reporting thoroughly and fairly. I treasured the times when I knew I'd truly gained valuable trust and a genuine rapport. I liked the productiveness of seeing hard work show up in hard copy, and I liked seeing my byline on things as much as anybody.

But I did it, and kept going for more than 25 years, because I felt privileged when I got to know people, at least a little bit, and was honored when they shared something personal. I felt fortunate when I got to see something amazing, and I felt privileged when I was a witness to some great, memorable games, and was a part of them and the history of them it in some small way.

I felt privileged and proud to have worked at the newspapers I did, particularly the major-metro I'd always hoped to reach, and I was privileged to have worked with many I always considered among the most intelligent, passionate and empathetic people I knew.

I didn't feel like it was fun. I felt like it was better than that. It was, maybe, almost addictive in that way. But then, as I said, that's why I did it.

Until I didn't, anymore, of course.

 

Screw my life. The decision to whether become a sports journalist is freaking hard

 

Sometimes I feel like it's the best job on the planet. I enjoy covering HS sports, as I've posted before. I love game coverage, especially come playoff or tournament time. And I'm fortunate enough to be in an area that puts out some of the nation's most premier athletes, so I get to cover quality teams and players.

Other times, there are a lot things impede my enjoyment.

 

This is where I fall, but damn some of you folks are old. Been doing this for 18 years, and I honestly know how I would adjust to a day job. I love being able to run errands, see the doctor/dentist, get my car fixed or whatever during the day. I am not a fan of working Thanksgiving or Christmas, but the other holidays are no biggie. And I am lucky enough to have most Sundays off, so I can mostly deal with the weekend aspect. There is a lot to be said for getting to read/write about sports and get paid for it. I don't what else I could do that I would really enjoy and make the same money. But the stress of the business itself (pay cut, furloughs, layoffs, doing more with less, etc) is really getting to me.

 

I was in that spot, then the siren song of marketing/public relations became too strong - right around the time corporate cut our staff from four to two (while still leaving seven on staff at our sister paper down the road that hasn't broken even in 12 years).

 

Do you have a job offer? That tends to be the hardest part.

 

I'd bet a pretty penny I'm not alone with this sentiment: I can't wait to get out of this biz. And yet, I can't believe how blessed I've been for this ride. I wouldn't trade those experiences and memories for anything.

 

Yep. I love the work itself. But it's getting very nearly time to go.

 

Very well said. The situation (both at work and in your personal life) also impacts things.
Worked for a boss for three years who was my greatest boss ever. We became close friends. It was a well-established small weekly in a town of 3,500 people. I was young and single, didn't mind the low pay because I had low expenses. Long hours? No big deal. I loved going to work every day.
A few years later, the opportunity comes up to work with that boss again so I jump at the chance. This time it's a start up weekly in a town of 60K, just as the economy takes a dive. Pay is a little better, but I'm married with child so expenses are higher. The long hours suck because now I have a family. Hate going to work every day, both because I can't stand the boss and because I know on any given day he's going to announce he's closing the doors. Boss should have been on meds based on how he treated everyone. I gutted it out for four awful years before getting out. I left there nearly two years ago and haven't spoken to that boss since, nor do I see any reason to.