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How Many People Still Read What Sports Columnists Write?

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by LanceyHoward, Sep 20, 2019.

  1. LanceyHoward

    LanceyHoward Well-Known Member

    I am conducting an informal survey related to the thread about bad sports columnists.

    How many hits does the columnist at your paper receive in comparison to other beats. If you could mention the size of your paper in general terms that would be helpful.
     
  2. How many people still have a newspaper subscriptions?
    Our local paper concentrates on local sports, none of which I follow. I don't read them at all.

    I used to read: Royko, Grizzard, and several local columnists. ... I used to read Ed Bouchette at the PG. He's no longer there and he's become a hardened, if not bitter, NFL beat writer.
    Does Peter King count? If not, I don't read any columnists.
    I am to point I detest talking heads and people who's job it is to only talk about sports/news etc .... Report the news/sports, and that's it.
     
  3. Oggiedoggie

    Oggiedoggie Well-Known Member

    I’m pretty sure that most sports columnists are read by fewer editors.
     
  4. wicked

    wicked Well-Known Member

    At The Boston Globe, Dan Shaughnessy is definitely a hit. Look at their most-read stories bar and his latest is on it. Of course he’s been in the market forever and knows how to twist the knife at the right angle.
     
    gingerbread likes this.
  5. swingline

    swingline Well-Known Member

    I read Mellinger and Vahe at the K.C. Star and Frederickson and Hochman at the Post-Dispatch. Sometimes I'll read one in the NY Times, but I don't regularly follow sports there.

    I'm very much regional these days, although in earlier years I'd read the guys in Orlando, Green and Bianchi. And I'd hit the Chicago papers for Tellander and a few others. Maybe another paper or two.

    This place is my biggest time suck.
     
  6. ChrisLong

    ChrisLong Well-Known Member

    I read Whicker every day unless he writes about boxing.
    One bad column, which is all that most of you remember, shouldn't taint a brilliant career.
    If you let that one bad column dictate your feelings toward him as a columnist, you're missing out.
    No, I am not Mark Whicker.
     
    gravehunter likes this.
  7. Bronco77

    Bronco77 Well-Known Member

    As a former South Floridian, I'll read Dave Hyde and Greg Cote when I get a chance because they generally have some interesting takes on what's going on down there.
     
    Fran Curci likes this.
  8. Patchen

    Patchen Well-Known Member

    If there is a big game or an interesting issue, I will often seek out the local columnist. The good ones are better than the national ones in their area.
     
  9. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    How many columnists raise a bigger stir on Twitter, the radio or on a local cable show (or national) than they do in print? Better to use the column for what is really a short feature - the more heartfelt the better - about an old fan, a young sick kid, a longtime team employee.
     
    Jesus_Muscatel likes this.
  10. MTM

    MTM Well-Known Member

    Bill Plaschke still shines on those types.

    I don't read most of his other columns because they are mostly reactionary: Dodgers are great, Dodgers suck, based on the day..
     
    Old Time Hockey and bpoindexter like this.
  11. Small Town Guy

    Small Town Guy Well-Known Member

    Reusse at the Strib remains a must-read for me and simply my all-time favorite. I think he's the best in the biz.

    And yeah I still read Sid. Figure he's only got 15 years or so left so wanna read the tidbits while I can.

    And as a group I think the Star Tribune columnists probably remain about as big a draws for a paper's sports section as any group of writers at any other papers.
     
  12. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    Gregg Doyel is the face of the IndyStar sports section if not the whole paper.
     
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