Sports Writing

The Means and Ends of Sports Reporting

Sports writing
 It is a special form of journalistic writing that deals with
topics of sports and events related to it.
How does a sports article look like?
The News Structure

LEAD

SUPPORTING
DETAILS

LEAST IMPORTANT
DETAILS
WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT FROM A
NEWS ARTICLE?
Writing the story
The lead
1. Who won?
2. How did they win?
3. Against whom?
4. By what score?
5. Where?
6. When?
The Lead
Summary Lead
Background Information Lead
The Lead
 Summary lead
Conventional summary lead gives
emphasis on the WHO won the game
against WHO, HOW and BY WHAT
SCORE.
The Lead
 Summary Lead
The Lead
 Background information lead
It makes use of INSIDER INFORMATION regarding the
team or the player(s).
The Lead
 Background information lead
The Lead
 Other means:
 Key play
 Outstanding player
 Analytical approach
 Reaction
 Record
Getting to the details…
The body
  Team and/or individual standing 
 if a particular event is part of a series of games, team or
individual standings should be included in the story
  Decisive plays 
– the play that gives a team or individual the winning
margin
The body
 Best scores for the day 
– the top scorer for the event, especially in a team game
 Play-by-play 
– a condensed description of the pivotal moments in the
game
 Quotations 
– afterthoughts from the outstanding player, coach, etc.
Doing it well
Tips on doing it well
 Know the sport well
 –Rules
 –Strategy
 –Team Records
 –Player Records
Tips on doing it well
 Spend time talking to coaches and players
before game days
–What parts of the game is the team
working on?
Tips on doing it well
 Attend games:
 –It’s not enough to get info second
hand from coaches, players,
spectators
Tips on doing it well
 Understand that playing and winning are
not the only stories: look for stories of
perseverance
Tips on doing it well
Accuracy is crucial
Tips on doing it well
 Observe the game and take notes
Tips on doing it well
 Befair and unbiased even though you
have a favorite team or player
Tips on doing it well
Avoid the use of “WE”
Tips on doing it well
Support all opinions with facts or
with quotes from sources
NOTA BENE

Write for your readers, not for yourself.

Journalism is not about you. It is about the
truth and how it affects the people.