Gambling on a sport/event you cover

He liked Hy Schneider.

 

I think it could -- emphasis on the could -- lead to a conflict of interest, but only in the rarest of circumstances. For the vast majority of mere mortals, the only information that could truly be of value is going to get to the "market" whether the journalist reports it or not. For those rare few, who might actually have enough influence to shape the line, there definitely is a conflict of interest.

 

No. My impression was that we were talking about "real" gambling, with a bookie and whatnot. That should be totally out of bounds for any sportswriter, from my perspective.

 

I'm a bit surprised at the general direction of this thread. We come down with absolutes on cheering in the press box, but have no trouble with a writer gambling on games involving the team he covers? Wouldn't you think that could very easily creep into the tone and/or content of his stories and the direction of his coverage?

Let me put it this way. We cast a disapproving glance at aspects of the coverage provided by MLB.com, NFL.com, etc. We don't want them voting for the Hall of Fame or judging the APSE contest. Why? Because they have a financial stake in the team that could color their opinion and therefore their work. So if you're betting for (or against) the team you cover, isn't that a financal stake also? Couldn't that easily color coverage? What's the difference?

Remember the uproar over John Canzano covering the Blazers while taking a check from a radio station owned by the team's owner? What if he had won or lost tons of money based on how they played? Why would that have been OK?

I've seen people here rationalize this by saying this issue should be considered on a case-by-case basis, that it's easy to separate the gambler from the writer, that there are no absolutes. But ethically, you can't separate the gambler from the writer, and there must be absolutes. When Canzano said he would never let his relationship with the team affect his work, the overwhelming response was that we believed him, but it didn't matter, because it might affect the next guy. It's ethics, isn't it? You don't do ethics on a case-by-case basis.

I'm with Hejira to a point. I'd discipline any writer I caught gambling on the sport he covers.

 

I get your point, but I think it's apples and oranges because in the case of the Hall of Fame and APSE instances, the conflict of interest lies with allegiance or at least association with specific teams, whereas in the gambling scenario, the allegiance is with your own wallet.

I whole-heartedly agree that you don't do ethics on a case-by-case basis, and knew that it was ony a matter of time before somebody used the "R" word, rationalization. I Googled Canzano, since I'm not up on how he's relevant to this topic, other than that he wrote a column in the wake of the Donaghy mess. Forgive my ignorance and laziness, but was he suspected of some sort of conflict of interest?

I don't expect this to be a satisfactory response to this whole issue, but the question I want to ask is: Have you ever seen or heard of anyone ever letting their reporting or writing be affected, even in the slightest, by some bet that they made? And I'm talking about anybody who still has a job in the business.

 

A few years back I had to go cover a local high school team playing at the biggest inner city school in this part of the state. It was a big game with the winner advancing to the state tournament. The big school won, but it was close. Radio guy and myself stop at McDonald's across the street after the game. Several gun shots ring out from somewhere very near by as I was in line. I kinda let out a "What the hell?"

Counter guy, without pause or laugh, says "I guess (big school) didn't cover the spread."

 

Does anyone here want a writer who just loss $500 or $1000 on a game to write the gamer?

You don't think that would slant the story?

 

Who in this biz earns enough money to piss it away on gambling?

Just askin'

 

That's moot. It's not the millionaires buying the lottery tickets.

 

Putting aside ethics, if you work in a sports department and you know people you work with like to gamble on sports, just keep an eye on them. Gambling can be powerfully addictive and it's easy to cross the line and do some real damage to your life.

 

What about picking games against the spread, which happens in thousands of publications? Is that unethical? After all, you are affecting people's bets.

(Only sport I bet on is horse racing, which I don't cover.)