Venturing into the pros... Now what?

A question for all you sports editors or otherwise in-the-know folks out there.

I am starting a new sports reporting job in which I'll have the opportunity to cover the NFL, NBA and MLB. Though the job will be mostly preps and recreational stuff I should be able to get enough good pro clips for my next job. What would sports editors look for in this case? Game stories? Features? Notebooks? Advances? I'm sure one broadly correct answer is a combination of the all of them, but I'm curious to know if features are as big a deal for pro and major college beats.

Thank you in advance for any help.

 

Play by play gamers are your best bet for advancement.

 

Solid reporting - breaking news and enterprise - on your primary beat. Meaning preps and recreational stuff. Some occasional enterprise off the pro beats.

 

When large papers fill a pro beat, they want someone who can break news. It's unlikely you're going to breaking much news while covering the team sporadically, and it's unlikely they're going to be all that impressed by the mere fact that you got to cover a pro team every once in a while. Your best bet would be to try to come up with a few original enterprise ideas per year and focus on that because that's probably the only way you're going to get much immediate benefit from this opportunity.

 

you're being sarcastic, right? i hope so.

 

;D

 

firejimtressel.com mainly runs preps and recs? this names-and-faces shit is getting out of hand

 

Here's another tip: The pros are a very relaxed atmosphere. Flip-flops and tank tops should give you a real rapport with the players. Not to mention the front office staff.

 

Sleeping with the players is always recommended. That's how the top beat writers get all their sources.

 

I would suggest talking down to people. It shows them you're serious.

 

a lot of pissing in the wheaties today?

 

Do yourself a favor and try to do your best work on preps and recs.