Preferred Beats

I've seen a lot of people on here complain about the beats they covered (college football, NFL etc.) and I was wondering what beats people actually LIKED covering.

And has anyone here covered the NBA. I'm one of the last 100 or so huge NBA fans and covering the NBA is one of the reasons I want to get in the business. How exhausting do all the games and travel get?

 

You can complain about it and still like it, right? I don't think the two things are mutually exclusive.

 

I would recommend you never teach developing minds.
You're the "dream crusher."

But, you're right about this one. It will "beat" it right out of you.

 

I don't know. Can you say that Sam Smith isn't an NBA fan? That John Clayton isn't an NFL fan? Should Peter Gammons have covered the NHL instead?

I understand that these are exceptions that prove the rule, and I get what you're getting at Moddy. But I think you can love the sport and cover it and still do a credible job, so long as you "get" that your job is to report, not fawn.

 

What Moderator1 said!!!!
I have to add, though, that I pretty much enjoyed covering the NHL, except for the travel, which eventually got real old, as I did.

 

College basketball is a lot of fun, especially if your paper can afford to send you to the Final Four. The people are pretty accessible, there are lots of stories to break or niches to explore and live basketball is a blast to cover.

 

Hmm...Never thought about it like that.

 

You think Sam has ever bought a pair of tickets to take a friend to a game?
Just to watch? Just to sit down, have a beer, and watch the game?

 

If you want to be an NBA beat writer, you better get to one of the markets where the NBA doesn't get overshadowed by NFL, MLB or both. In most of those places, the sports editors pay attention to the 800 lb. gorillas first, and you become associated with something secondary (or third-ary?), no matter how crisp your copy or timely your scoops.

Also, for future reference, NBA is a beat where it's easier to pull off the road than NFL or MLB, if that's where your paper's budget is headed. Skip a game here, a game there, stay in touch with coach or PR guy by phone, you're basically covered. NFL travels so seldom, paper wouldn't miss a road game. MLB stays in one place three days at a time, so more efficiency in staffing road games.

 

100 percent right. The only sporting event that is immune to this is the NCAA Tournament...