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How to cover the NFL for a smaller newspaper

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Anonymous135, Jul 26, 2017.

  1. Anonymous135

    Anonymous135 Member

    What suggestions do people have for someone looking for ways to stand out on an NFL beat that has daily beat reporters from ESPN & major metros? How do I draw in readers that already have their go-to outlets? As it stands, my Twitter following is modest (less than 1,000).

    I'll only be driving to practices, home games and two road games (possibly the playoffs) because of budgeting. Getting a quality return on mileage investment is already a stretch.

    I've started a corresponding blog coded to our website as a place to generate as much extra content as possible. I'm planning to write up nuanced film reviews once preseason action starts in addition to all of my gamers, features, notebooks, etc. Also going to work my tail off to build internal sources, obviously, for breaking news.

    Any tips on types of content to generate?
     
  2. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    If you're a small paper, why are you covering the NFL as a beat? Isn't there stuff in your area that the larger media outlets aren't covering?
     
  3. Elliotte Friedman

    Elliotte Friedman Moderator Staff Member

    Baron, answers like yours are just awful. Guy wants advice on how to do his job properly and you shit on it? Come on.

    Anonymous, and I'll have some ideas for you later tonight.
     
    Blackburnr, dixiehack and QYFW like this.
  4. Elliotte Friedman

    Elliotte Friedman Moderator Staff Member

    I don't know how old you are, so apologies if you are a veteran. Couple of notes for someone who might be younger:

    1) Learn the lay of the land. When are availabilities? When is the room open? Who talks when? What can you do at practice? These are all-important things.

    2) At the beginning, use your eyes and ears. Don't feel you need to "prove" yourself to anyone. The quality of your work will do that. Be there every day, ask what you need to ask, do it professionally. Dress well. That's a tough one, because it can be expensive. So I would say dress as well as you can afford, and I mean that in a positive way.

    As for the beat:

    I am really intrigued by your blog idea. I think it's excellent. My primary sport is hockey, and there is a growing demand for more "Why does this happen on the ice?" Xs-and-Os types of stories. Here's a Twitter account to follow: Chris B. Brown (@smartfootball) | Twitter

    Chris is really good at explaining plays...and he does a phenomenal job of linking ideas across the sport. Last year, he showed a play the Patriots ran and found an NCAA school (I think Texas Tech) they stole it from. If I remember correctly, he also found a Belichick quote referencing the college play.

    I'd also follow Greg Bedard, and consider buying a membership to his Boston sports site. Greg is also atop his field in breaking down plays and explaining why things happen. Peter King is a gigantic douchebag, and letting go of Bedard means I never have to look at King's site again -- which makes me pretty happy.

    Those two guys will give you a lot of good ideas on how to present things. Don't be afraid to try stuff.

    Don't forget the big stories. Sometimes, men and women are so determined to be different that they forget the big picture. Audiences won't. But compare how you covered them to how others do.

    Good luck.
     
    FileNotFound and lcjjdnh like this.
  5. Preacher Roe

    Preacher Roe New Member

    There are always going to be the big stories and angles that you have to cover like everyone else, but get the lay of the land and find out what your niche can be based on what you think the beat is missing. In most cities, that has something to do with the down roster players. Players Nos. 41-53 don't usually get a lot of attention, but they can be the next man up in the blink of an eye.

    In addition to explaining why things happened on the field, you can also look to explain why things happen in regards to the roster. Why did they waive that sixth receiver and add a fifth safety? Stuff like that often falls through the cracks.
     
  6. LanceyHoward

    LanceyHoward Well-Known Member

    This is spoken as a reader, not someone who has ever worked on an NFL beat. I would think that X and O's may be to technical for a small paper (I think that works better as supplementary coverage in a big daily with multiple guys on the beat). But try to report as a scout or GM would.

    For example, I am a Broncos fan. The Broncos two years ago tried to go to a power running game. But they really did not invest in a good offensive line. I think there is a story there. Can you move to a power running game with an offensive line that was acquired on the cheap? I don't see much of that kind of reporting. I don't think it has to be commentary. It is a question you can build a feature around.

    Also, make sure that you get Pro Football Focus or something that tries to rank the players. Are these services worth a damn? I don't know. But if you go and as politely as possible ask if the the problems with the offense stem from having the worse last tackle in the league, as ranked by Pro Football Focus, the answer you get might be interesting. Or it can work the other way. If Pro Football Focus says a defensive tackle is the best run-stopper in the league there might be a feature there.
     
  7. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    With all due respect, I don't mean to shit on the guy asking. But I think it's a fair question.

    I'm not talking about covering an occasional game, or writing an occasional feature on a player in addition to other local coverage as a change of pace. The OP is talking about covering the team as a beat.

    NFL fans are already getting plenty of content from the national outlets and major metros. Small papers have limited resources as is, as the OP has indicated himself. Would he be doing his publication's relatively small amount of readers a service by writing NFL beat stuff that will mostly be found on the major outlets, with an occasional scoop that will last an hour, at best, until "ESPN learns" of it? Or will he be better serving his readers by focusing more on local stories that the larger outlets would ignore?
     
    SFIND likes this.
  8. Shelbyville Manhattan

    Shelbyville Manhattan Well-Known Member

    I did freelance work and independent publishing covering an NFL team and built up a solid social-media following and steady traffic in a not-too-distant previous life, so I know that what you're pushing for can be done.

    Definitely use Pro Football Focus. Although some of their rankings can be hit or miss, particularly on offensive linemen (because they don't necessarily know what the lineman's assignment is on a play), the raw numbers they compile for pass rushers, defensive backs, wide receivers and other positions are particularly valuable.

    Beyond what you do on the beat, don't be afraid to promote yourself and build your brand. This may sound tawdry, but it is part of the game. During downtime, reach out to local TV/radio types, particularly those with large audiences or social-media followings. You can parlay these into appearances. Go on radio or TV at every opportunity that fits your schedule (years from now, if you've built yourself up, you can be picky).

    And don't be shy about reaching out to fan-run blogs, such as the SB Nation one for your team (if that is the one that has the most traffic). You may be able to build a relationship and gain traction on social media, as well as traffic for your stories, by reaching out to them ... and if you create enough of these connection, you may actually get them to become supporters of your work, and not just the team. That gives you a chance to jump to a spot on the same beat with a larger circulation.

    Fans are not wedded to their hometown paper for content about their team in the way they used to be; if there's a better product, more interaction and a better experience from the coverage at the Exurban Examiner, they'll start going there. (By the way, your idea about pushing film review is terrific; there is a growing market for the detailed examinations of film of the ilk of Bob McGinn. If no one in your market is doing this, learn this skill and jump on it.)

    And in your headline writing on the blog, SEO the heck out of your headlines. Full names and the team name in the headline at every opportunity. You have to play the game that Bleacher Report played. Fortunately, you can do so with original content, not aggregated crap. If this helps generate traffic, perhaps this can open the eyes of your management to more opportunities with the beat.

    Best of luck!
     
  9. Elliotte Friedman

    Elliotte Friedman Moderator Staff Member

    No, it's not a fair question -- for him or her. It's a question for the editors.

    If he/she has been assigned the beat, what do you expect? Them to march to the bosses and say, "I solicited some info on a message board and the first guy thinks you are wrong to assign me. Could you please switch me to something local?"

    Let's be useful
     
  10. Baron Scicluna

    Baron Scicluna Well-Known Member

    I agree. It's up to the editors. Whether or not they're making the best decision for their paper is on them. It sounds like, since the OP said mileage is even a concern, that they're making a poor decision by having the OP cover it as a beat.

    But that's just my 1 1/2 cents.
     
  11. Jake_Taylor

    Jake_Taylor Well-Known Member

    The pro sports stories are almost always going to be more widely read than the local high school volleyball gamer. The question becomes whether the money spent to give it staff coverage is worth the cost over wire coverage.
     
  12. GBNF

    GBNF Well-Known Member

    Focus more on proprietary items - 1-on-1 interviews, feature stories, outside-the-box angles, multimedia - than on things like breaking news and roster management. Your goal shouldn't be to own the scene with 10 doubles a week. Hit a home run once a week, and make the rest bunt singles. Good luck.
     
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