Sports Travel. Seriously.

[Joe Williams]

Aren't newspapers at the point, fiscally and in size of staff, where they ought to seriously think twice or three times about sending beat people all over the country to cover games?

They pay for flights, hotels, rental cars, meals, incidentals, in order to cover events that the wires handle just fine, in most cases. They also have the cost of the reporter's salary, and even if they don't compensate him or her for travel time and down time on the road, you know that it is a factor eventually (a reporter who has finished a three-game NHL or NBA trip comes home and someone else on staff covers that first practice or game because the beat person is dragging).

It isn't like sending your own person gets you all that much special coverage of your team on most game nights. If that was the real issue, the paper could hire a freelancer for $200 to "cover" your team in its road games, and then that person would be handling the beat stuff anyway, hitting the proper deadlines, covering the visitors locker room and so on. There are enough hungry writers in every market that finding the freelancers would be no big problem. The beat person could be told (or maybe wouldn't even have to be told, if he is conscientious) to watch the game on TV to alert the desk to any news or tidbits.

The newspapers could even put together a partnership where they send two writers to each home game -- one to cover its own team and one to cover the visiting club. So when the Tigers or Lions or Bears go on the road, a paper in that town does the same thing. All the cooperating papers save travel money, none of them has to even pay the freelancing fees and they cover each others' butts by assigning staff -- which suddenly has lots of time freed up by not traveling much.

Columnists? Few travel regularly now. And many virtually write off TV already.

This might not be appealing on NFL games, since the travel is relatively limited and many papers send multiple writers to those events. But hiring a freelancer or swapping out staff coverage for single NBA or NHL games, or even a three-day MLB series, would seem to be attractive, compared to funding the airfares, hotel rates and everything else.

Since so few papers nowadays use their time in a different city to generate features or enterprise stories, and since basic advances or off-day pieces could be done either by the partner-paper's writer on site or even the beat person via phone from back in the original city, it doesn't seem like a game or three is reason enough to spend the money involved.

If I were a managing editor, before I axed another 10 local reporters or copy editors in a layoff or buyout situation, I would seriously cut back on the sports travel. All of these newspapers bleeding money and they're still jetting sportswriters from coast to coast to cover games that are already being covered, are available on television or could be handled by writers-for-hire in the other cities.

I'll bet some managing editor could get himself or herself a nice bonus pushing this idea to the publisher.

 

[DGRollins]

This is a new one. Someone on SportsJournalists.com advocating for less editorial content.

 

[Joe Williams]

This is a new one. Someone on SportsJournalists.com advocating for less editorial content.

Just trying to be realistic. If someone has another 25-35 years to go in this business, he might as well see where it's headed.

Besides, some of us like sleeping in our own beds and would happily cover the Flyers when they come to our town if it meant skipping another trip to Philadelphia (just an example, nothing against brotherly love).

 

[Some Guy]

Here's the thing: Skipping too many road trips with your beat person begins to affect your coverage at home.

If a beat guy is essentially only covering half the games personally, he really has no idea what the hell is going on with his team. Watching on TV -- assuming that's an option for every game, sometimes it's not -- can only tell you so much.

I can't tell you how many times I've come out of a post-game locker room with a kernel for a story idea down the road. Also, in this era of limited access (game day is one of only two times I'm allowed to talk to my coach each week), I can't afford to give any access up.

Quite frankly, I think if you are a beat guy producing the same stuff as a freelancer hired to parachute in on the road, then you are probably a terrible beat guy. Your stuff should be better, more thorough.

I can understand how this might look like a good idea for some bean-counting ME with no knowledge of what it takes to properly cover a beat. But the editorial content will suffer -- and not just the road gamers. All of it.

 

[Ghost Rider]

It's not just about road gamers. It shouldn't be about gamers at all. Yes, you could hire any schlub freelancer to produce game content. It's not that hard. But say, as a hypothetical, that the Cubs Zambrano-Barrett incident had happened in Denver and not in Chicago, and the Sun-Times wasn't staffing the team on the road. Do you really want your beat writer to miss what was the story of the season at that point with the team? No way. Your reporting loses credibility when you're not there. We say all the time that we're better than the average couch potato blogger because we have access that they don't.

They watch it on TV. We watch it from the venue and then have access to the parties involved to ask smart questions afterward. And the people you cover tend to trust you more when you're there every day, whether it's college basketball, baseball, football, whatever. The coverage is more thorough, and yes, you may have an opportunity to generate enterprise ideas and work on them from the road.

And these companies aren't bleeding money. They're not getting their usual 27 percent profit margins, so they're crying.

 

[steveu]

Sports travel is a MUST when you're dealing with a pro beat. Don't give the bean-counters any ideas.

 

[SixToe]

Your reporting loses credibility when you're not there.

Ding.

It makes a difference to you, your reporting, the team and management, sources and the reader.

 

[Eagleboy]

I do this on a small scale for several teams that come in the area, and I must say, while it's not necessarily the most difficult thing to do, trying to adopt a team for a couple weekends a summer greatly hurts the amount of coverage you can do, and I can tell it also hampers the beat writer's ability to do his job just as well.

Sure, I'll call back to let him know about what's going on, and he'll call me to let me know some of the storylines, but those conversations and studying the stats are no substitution for being around the team all year. It just doesn't work that well. Granted, I do my best to watch and observe and read about the team, given the assignment, but I'm much more unable to pick up on things such as defensive alignments, pitching styles, etc. than the regular guy. You just can't get that outside the park.

 

[Moderator1]

Here's the thing: Skipping too many road trips with your beat person begins to affect your coverage at home.

If a beat guy is essentially only covering half the games personally, he really has no idea what the hell is going on with his team. Watching on TV -- assuming that's an option for every game, sometimes it's not -- can only tell you so much.

I can't tell you how many times I've come out of a post-game locker room with a kernel for a story idea down the road. Also, in this era of limited access (game day is one of only two times I'm allowed to talk to my coach each week), I can't afford to give any access up.

Quite frankly, I think if you are a beat guy producing the same stuff as a freelancer hired to parachute in on the road, then you are probably a terrible beat guy. Your stuff should be better, more thorough.

I can understand how this might look like a good idea for some bean-counting ME with no knowledge of what it takes to properly cover a beat. But the editorial content will suffer -- and not just the road gamers. All of it.

Allowed? Christ. When's the other one?
You need a new coach.

 

[Angola!]

Sports travel is a MUST when you're dealing with a pro beat. Don't give the bean-counters any ideas.

I'd go so far to say sports travel is a must when dealing with any beat. Even at the high school level, it is important to drive the couple of hours for road games if you are covering one of the main city schools.

Also, it has been my experience that most young freelance writers aren't really that good.

 

[boots]

Sports travel is a MUST when you're dealing with a pro beat. Don't give the bean-counters any ideas.

True it's needed but last take a team like the Nationals or the Devil Rays or the Orioles or the Royals. Their season is over. We know it. They know it. If I needed to save some pennies, there would be some trips those beat writers wouldn't make. I'd rather do that, then tell a guy to hit the bricks.

 

[Some Guy]

Here's the thing: Skipping too many road trips with your beat person begins to affect your coverage at home.

If a beat guy is essentially only covering half the games personally, he really has no idea what the hell is going on with his team. Watching on TV -- assuming that's an option for every game, sometimes it's not -- can only tell you so much.

I can't tell you how many times I've come out of a post-game locker room with a kernel for a story idea down the road. Also, in this era of limited access (game day is one of only two times I'm allowed to talk to my coach each week), I can't afford to give any access up.

Quite frankly, I think if you are a beat guy producing the same stuff as a freelancer hired to parachute in on the road, then you are probably a terrible beat guy. Your stuff should be better, more thorough.

I can understand how this might look like a good idea for some bean-counting ME with no knowledge of what it takes to properly cover a beat. But the editorial content will suffer -- and not just the road gamers. All of it.

Allowed? Christ. When's the other one?
You need a new coach.

Actually, we need a new SID staff, I think.

I kind of fudged it a little, in that my coach is actually available three times a week. One, however, is on a Wednesday post-practice when he convienently has a radio show to do at 8 o'clock. So three questions in it's SID flak going, "Last question for Coach Jockstrap. He's got a radio show to do."

The other two times we can talk to him a week are Monday during the weekly press luncheon and after a game.

Also, each player is only available once a week outside of postgame. So if I'm not traveling, I'm missing half my time with the starting quarterback and whatnot.

 

[Some Guy]

Sports travel is a MUST when you're dealing with a pro beat. Don't give the bean-counters any ideas.

True it's needed but last take a team like the Nationals or the Devil Rays or the Orioles or the Royals. Their season is over. We know it. They know it. If I needed to save some pennies, there would be some trips those beat writers wouldn't make. I'd rather do that, then tell a guy to hit the bricks.

Even though I'd hate it as a beat writer, I can buy the logic here.

When I went back and re-read the original poster's post, it seems he's talking about "cutting back" on travel, not cutting it out altogether. I think every paper is cutting back in some form or fashion. I know we're covering less than we used to on the road. Most of the major beats remain unfooled around with, as it were. But some of peripheral stuff we used to do with some regularity is now out of the question.

 

[expendable]

Sports travel is a MUST when you're dealing with a pro beat. Don't give the bean-counters any ideas.

I'd go so far to say sports travel is a must when dealing with any beat. Even at the high school level, it is important to drive the couple of hours for road games if you are covering one of the main city schools.

Also, it has been my experience that most young freelance writers aren't really that good.

A good high school beat reporter will follow teams on the road. Good local shops recognize this and encourage it. The same should be said on up the line.

 

[Moderator1]

You definitely need a new SID. Or something. That blows.
I said it before, I'll say it again: I've been spoiled by access my entire career. Every team I've ever covered has offered excellent access. More than I needed.
I feel for those who have to deal with the other side.

One hoops season years ago, some personal circumstances prevented me from making a trip I'd ordinarily make. I explained it to the coach and SID and they said they'd do what they could to help. SID said he'd get 2-3 players on the phone if I listened on radio. I may have to settle for tape of postgame for the coach, he had to do his radio and then had to get to the airport. More than fair enough.

Well, reception blows in the house so on a bitter cold night I go outside with my portable and walk up the street (I live eight miles below sea level it seems). Game ends and the phone is ringing as I walk in the house. These kids can't even be in the locker room yet. I got all I needed from three players. SID says, OK, here's Coach. I'm thinking it is a tape so I wait and wait and *** the coach says, "You gonna ask a ****ing question or not?" I explained the tape scene and he said he was holding off postgame until he got 2-3 minutes with me.
Can't ask for better service than that. No byline on the story of course but who cares unless they're counting so you can hit a quota. My boss said, "****, why do I ever send you on the road?"

 

[expendable]

You definitely need a new SID. Or something. That blows.
I said it before, I'll say it again: I've been spoiled by access my entire career. Every team I've ever covered has offered excellent access. More than I needed.
I feel for those who have to deal with the other side.

One hoops season years ago, some personal circumstances prevented me from making a trip I'd ordinarily make. I explained it to the coach and SID and they said they'd do what they could to help. SID said he'd get 2-3 players on the phone if I listened on radio. I may have to settle for tape of postgame for the coach, he had to do his radio and then had to get to the airport. More than fair enough.

Well, reception blows in the house so on a bitter cold night I go outside with my portable and walk up the street (I live eight miles below sea level it seems). Game ends and the phone is ringing as I walk in the house. These kids can't even be in the locker room yet. I got all I needed from three players. SID says, OK, here's Coach. I'm thinking it is a tape so I wait and wait and *** the coach says, "You gonna ask a ****ing question or not?" I explained the tape scene and he said he was holding off postgame until he got 2-3 minutes with me.
Can't ask for better service than that. No byline on the story of course but who cares unless they're counting so you can hit a quota. My boss said, "****, why do I ever send you on the road?"

Then he thought a second and realized he answered his own question I'm sure. He sends you on the road for these very instances.

 

[clutchcargo]

Cutting back on travel makes a lot of sense in penny-pinching times. Deadlines are creeping up earlier all the time, and covering road games at night seems a waste because whatever is filed anyway is no better than what AP does.

Saying that there is intrinsic value in still having your beat writer's byline on a story has less and less meaning to readers these days. Like it or not, the day is coming where more sidebar writers, if not beat writers and columnists, will be writing off of TV coverage from their Lazy-boys, inserting quotes that get emailed to them by the one staffer sent or, yes, even a media flack. I have rarely, if ever, seen a story of any significance broken from a writer on a roadtrip that other media, including AP, already onsite didn't also know about within minutes.

Gripe all you want about corporate, beancounters, stockholders, etc., but ask yourself---if your ME came to you and said, "OK, Joe, we'll let you make the trip, but here's the deal. You make your own travel arrangements and foot the ball, and we'll pay you back if you come up with a breaking story worthy of section front that no one else has. If you do, we'll refund all your expenses and pay you $100 on top of it."

Would you take the deal? If not, quit griping about why and how budget deceisions get made the way they do.

 

[Moderator1]

Exactly, expendable. He was being facetious. That team knew we were there unless the circumstances were extreme (which they were in this instance). So it worked with us.
But I did get stuff at least as good and got it quicker.


We had another writer not go on the road with a different team a few years later. Did the whole phone thing and wrote a fine story. No byline.
The next day I take a call from an astute reader. She said that story sure sounded like the beat writer. It was, I said. Why no name? I explained and she said, "So what? He wrote it. His name should be on it." Well, we don't want to give the impression we are there if we are not. "So add a note that says that."

Woman had a point. Guy did the work. Wrote a fine story. Editor's note, yea or nay?

 

[DGRollins]

Woman had a point. Guy did the work. Wrote a fine story. Editor's note, yea or nay?

To me the byline does not imply that the writer was in a specific location--that's what the dateline is for.

I believe that if a story contains a quote that was obtained by the reporter it should be bylined--the byline, after all, is about taking responsibility, not credit.

But what do I know...

 

[expendable]

Woman had a point. Guy did the work. Wrote a fine story. Editor's note, yea or nay?

To me the byline does not imply that the writer was in a specific location--that's what the dateline is for.

I believe that if a story contains a quote that was obtained by the reporter it should be bylined--the byline, after all, is about taking responsibility, not credit.

But what do I know...

Yea on the byline. At least at the bottom of the story. Our readers need to know who generated the story, whether it be the beat reporter, the AP, a random stringer, or in the case of a chain, another reporter within the chain.