Best state to live in as a sports reporter?

To (seriously) answer the question: I don't think there really is a "best" state. I've worked in small towns and major markets, and there was plenty to cover in each area, whether it was small colleges and high schools or major leagues. People are always passionate about something, whether it's Podunk High or the Yankees. The bigger issue is whether you like living in a certain region.
I work in a major market now and love it, but I also think I could be happy in Hawaii, even though there are no major league teams there and I don't like golf.

 

I am stoned right now and I almost spit my Pepsi across the room when I read that

 

Texas has been pretty good to me. There are all the major pro sports, several D-I college events (the RRR, the Cotton Bowl, the Armed Forces Bowl) and a ton of top-notch preps. Also a variety of stuff to cover besides the usual bouncing-ball sports: NASCAR (twice a year), PGA Tour (twice a year in D/FW), etc.

And no state income tax.

 

Don't forget that in addition to Rutgers, that in central NJ you also get the opportunity to cover the Ivy League (Princeton). Plus if don't mind not covering a major college football program, there are at least 10 Division III schools you could cover.

With college basketball, there are plenty of opportunities throughout NJ - Big East (Seton Hall, Rutgers), MAAC (Rider), Ivy (Princeton), NEC (Monmouth, Fairleigh Dickinson), 10-12 Division III teams, plus some papers cover their local JUCO (Community College) team pretty big too.

 

At least Ohio can win at something

 

I do disagree, but to each his own. Some competition is good. But to me, the overwhelming number of people covering the bigger beats in that region (talking the D-I colleges and pros here), the go-go-go attitude you need to keep your edge and stay competitive, and the new emphasis on the web that's popping up and making people write immediately would make you basically live the job. Leaves little time to enjoy life in the rest of the world.
That's not for me. If it makes me a small-town hack for the rest of my life, so be it. At least I'll be a happy, stress-free, happily married small-town hack.

 

No offense, but I don't think I'd want to cover an Ivy League team, a juco team, a D-II or III team or any semipro team. I think I'd rather just cover preps. To me, all that other stuff is just a wasteland.

 

College hoops is great in New Jersey and there is a lot of intensity and feeling. Monmouth also had a D-1AA program, but the point is without college football, there is less opportunity.

 

For the ambitious, I would say Florida or Texas. Year-round sports weather begets year-round sports. Plus, there's a lot of D-1 college programs and NFL, MLB, and NBA teams in each. Also, there's NHL and golf.

For those of us like Batman, I second Rex's suggestion. Wyoming, the Dakotas, Montana -- hell, even Alaska -- would be a great place to kick back and let sportswriting be a job and not a lifestyle.

Bias: I have little knowledge Pacific Northwest or the Northeast, nor do I know anyone who writes or lives there.

 

I've never worked there, but I'd think California would be in the same boat as Texas and Florida in terms of number of pro teams, colleges, preps and other sporting events such as golf and NASCAR.

 

Drive from Hill Country to Big Bend National Park and then tell me about monotonous scenery.

 

Wanted to give this a bump for the sake of this question:

Regardless of the journalism aspect, what are some good places to live, period?

The lady friend and I were talking about (potential) next steps of where we could go and are going to sit down and come up with a list of what we think would be ideal.

What are some cities (medium to large) that have struck people's fancy?