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Arena Football Beat Writers

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by sportsnut, Jan 24, 2008.

  1. sportsnut

    sportsnut Member

    I was thinking of going taking this gig to be the Avengers beat writer for this website/publication dedicated to one of the teams. I am still not sure if I should but it would be a part time gig.

    I guess I wanted to see if anyone here had done it before and what I would expect being a reporter compare to someone that paid the $30 to see a game.
     
  2. HejiraHenry

    HejiraHenry Well-Known Member

    Our arena-style team returns in mid-March.

    I could not be more excited.
     
  3. shotglass

    shotglass Guest

    I think Arena coverage is between a rock and a hard place for the writer.

    If it's the AFL, most of the franchises are in large cities, and the newspapers generally will not give them full-beat coverage.

    If it's anything below the AFL, there is absolutely no name recognition and thus exists solely as a niche, small-city novelty.
     
  4. GB-Hack

    GB-Hack Active Member

    We have an AFL team in town, and a beat writer who follows them during the week. He covers home games, and we get stringers to cover on the road.

    I have in the past covered teams coming into town for games. There may be a couple of writers who travel with their teams on the road, but I'm pretty sure they're in the minority.
     
  5. sportsnut

    sportsnut Member

    They don't offer the chance to do away games, but you have 8 regular season home games and a few not to far from LA in regards to driving so I may take a trip with a photographer or go with one of the fan buses that take fans to Arizona, San Jose etc. I was thinking why not do two stories at once? The story on the fans and the game coverage..

    I don't know since the major metro's don't really give a dam about the AFL specially not in LA. I don't know how the coverage is in Arizona, San Jose, NY etc but everyone at SportsJournalists.com may be able to tell me.

    Also I know this may be strange but since someone said it was like a division 2 college beat to cover an AFL team would you say it could be a stepping stone to bigger and better beats? Maybe i.e. UCLA or even a Major sports beat?
     
  6. shotglass

    shotglass Guest

    If you're at a daily newspaper, what makes you think they're going to let you go cover them on the road, even if it's on your own dime?
     
  7. sportsnut

    sportsnut Member

    Because the paper wants all the coverage they can that they don't have to pay to get done. But the gig I am talking about is for a website that is dedicated to the AFL.
     
  8. Screwball

    Screwball Active Member

    Could be, depending on what you do with it. If you cover games and write features, no. If you break news and produce some solid enterprise stories, sure.
     
  9. Rex Harrison

    Rex Harrison Member

    Give the AFL this much credit: They've lasted longer than the XFL and some other startup leagues.
     
  10. sportsnut

    sportsnut Member

    I actually enjoyed the season that I spent with the team and would be more then happy to go back and cover the team for this season if my job actually sign's off on me getting it.

    The AFL I think it's a great place for reporter's to get there feet wet covering something else except college ball.
     
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