Writer for Buccaneers.com

[Norman Stansfield]

The NFL team I cover has gone through one of these website writers just about every season. Sure, it sounds glamorous because you're employed by the team and likely go on the road (this team's writer does), but the pay vs. workload is just atrocious. Hence the turnover.

Norm are you an AFC or NFC guy and when you say travel with the team, does that mean literally. I'm def. not applying, but just curious to hear some of the things that go on with a team (not a beat writer, but the actual team guy) writer.

I'm speaking of an NFC team that sends its main web guy on the road with the team to each game, pre- and regular season. Travels on the charter and everything. He writes gamer/notes, but just as important grabs audio from the locker room afterward, then posts it online in the multimedia section.

From an access standpoint working for the team obviously is everything you'd want and the players are cooperative because it's the party line. But you are only spouting the company line and always forced to put a positive spin on even the biggest bull**** that's going down.

 

[Weekly writer]

For the experience that they ask for though, it doesn't appear that they will be asking that much of this person.!?

 

[printdust]

Any idea what this kind of job would pay?

(From Buccaneers.com, under the employment tab)

Writer
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization seeks to hire a talented and experienced sports Writer to support our Public Relations and Web Site departments.

The position is responsible to prepare written content for the team’s official web site and game program.

The ideal candidate has a Bachelor’s Degree, 2 to 4 years experience writing sports related material for publication and experience providing content for a web site (experience may be gained while in college). Candidate must have excellent writing skills and attention to detail, an understanding of football and the NFL and the ability to thrive in a time-sensitive environment.

Due to the volume of resumes received, candidates should not mail or fax resumes. No phone calls, please.
 
Contact us about this position (attach resume in MS Word or PDF format)

Translation: A cheap college hire who has illusions of grandeur and a fasttrack attitude to the big time will be the pick.

 

[andyouare?]

I actually saw this opening on Monster.com and the job level said "entry level". So, that should answer most of the salary-type questions. Still a cool job for a youngster, but I don't know how much a newspaper editor would like/dislike the experience if you applied for a regular sports writer job.

 

[Tiger16]

Yes, you probably do ho-hum company line stuff more than you don't.

But I think the experience you gain on the beat, around the beat writers, the league and the players would be invaluable. I would think a forward-thinking sports editor would see that.

 

[Ace]

Yes, you probably do ho-hum company line stuff more than you don't.

But I think the experience you gain on the beat, around the beat writers, the league and the players would be invaluable. I would think a forward-thinking sports editor would see that.

When you see a forward-thinking sports editor, give a shout, Tiger.

 

[BYH]

Yes, you probably do ho-hum company line stuff more than you don't.

But I think the experience you gain on the beat, around the beat writers, the league and the players would be invaluable. I would think a forward-thinking sports editor would see that. 

When you see a forward-thinking sports editor, give a shout, Tiger.

Damn, beat me to it.

Writing for the Net? What's that? Any fanboy looser can do that! Don't bother sending him a thanks for applying letter.

 

[lantaur]

Poor kid who takes this gig will probably spend all his salary at Mons Venus.

 

[PressRowHack]

Poor kid who takes this gig will probably spend all his salary at Mons Venus.

Or any other dirt bag place along that strip in Tampa.....actually did Mons for spring break a couple of years ago, and Ybor City was a lotta fun too. But you're probably right. Heck half of the Bucs probably blow their salary there too! ;D

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

Two words: Tax deduction.

 

[Tiger16]

Yes, you probably do ho-hum company line stuff more than you don't.

But I think the experience you gain on the beat, around the beat writers, the league and the players would be invaluable. I would think a forward-thinking sports editor would see that. 

When you see a forward-thinking sports editor, give a shout, Tiger.

I apologize for believing any sports editor would be forward-thinking, whatever that means.

I don't think this job is going to make you ready to go to the New York Times as the Giants' beat writer in 2 years, but whatever young effing stud gets the job will certainly get some incredibly valuable experience for a young writer and certainly, I would think, take steps toward a bigger and better job covering football, should the young stud so choose.

 

[PEteacher]

Then again, I've heard it's hard to go from PR to newspapers, and this is more or less a PR job. I'd stay away.

 

[Pops]

This actually would be a great gig if your goal is to get into pro sports media relations ... a lot better than being an intern for two years near minimum wage and waiting for someone to outgrow their PR assistant position. (One such intern for an NFL team I covered actually left to take a job painting the building and mowing the practice fields ... with a significant raise.)

As far as using it as a springboard to newspaper though, PE is right on. I have no clue what all the "young stud" stuff is about. Any potential employer that spends more time looking at your cover letter than your clips probably isn't going to be a stop on the fast track. I know one of the Ohio teams (I think the Bengals) actually hired away a beat writer from the local newspaper a couple years back, but that's a far different situation than using an on-the-payroll job to try to get into the business. Do you think the team is going to let you break a story on the franchise's sagging finances? Or the star RB's positive drug test? Or even some third-string rookie QB's injury?

If half this job is writing for the game program, chances are the "reporting" begins and ends with press conference transcriptions and open locker room sessions. No disrespect to anyone who applies, but I sincerely doubt any SE will say this experience qualifies you for anything more than an entry-level preps job a couple years down the road.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

As a newbie, you certainly wouldn't know what the "young effing stud" stuff is all about. Fetch me a damn beer!

Whoever gets this job might well be able to parlay it into a job covering the NFL. Remember, most of covering a pro sports beat is not
showing up at games and writing stories --- it's knowing how a professional franchise operates ... the ebb and flow, so to speak ... along with having usable contacts in the sport you're covering.

Hold this job for a few years and, if your newspaper credentials were strong enough beforehand, you'll have several steps up on the sundry Johnny Prepwriters trying to get their feet in the door of a professional or major college beat.

 

[Tiger16]

As a newbie, you certainly wouldn't know what the "young effing stud" stuff is all about. Fetch me a damn beer!

Whoever gets this job might well be able to parlay it into a job covering the NFL. Remember, most of covering a pro sports beat is not
showing up at games and writing stories --- it's knowing how a professional franchise operates ... the ebb and flow, so to speak ... along with having usable contacts in the sport you're covering.

Hold this job for a few years and, if your newspaper credentials were strong enough beforehand, you'll have several steps up on the sundry Johnny Prepwriters trying to get their feet in the door of a professional or major college beat.

Thanks, 2much. That's pretty much what I was trying to say, but you said it much better than I did.

 

[Pops]

As a newbie, you certainly wouldn't know what the "young effing stud" stuff is all about. Fetch me a damn beer!

Whoever gets this job might well be able to parlay it into a job covering the NFL. Remember, most of covering a pro sports beat is not
showing up at games and writing stories --- it's knowing how a professional franchise operates ... the ebb and flow, so to speak ... along with having usable contacts in the sport you're covering.

Hold this job for a few years and, if your newspaper credentials were strong enough beforehand, you'll have several steps up on the sundry Johnny Prepwriters trying to get their feet in the door of a professional or major college beat.

That's the key right there. What I meant was I think people vastly overestimate how much newspaper experience can be made up for with a job like this. Accordingly, if you already have 2+ years of newspaper experience, are you really moving to Tampa for 24K?

 

[Pops]

actually i take that back. there is more than enough desperation among guys at small dailies right now for someone to do it.

 

[playthrough]

actually i take that back. there is more than enough desperation among guys at small dailies right now for someone to do it.

I'm sure you're right. Hell, I once worked at two small dailies within a few hours of Tampa and would have gladly walked away from either for this job. And 24k would have been a raise

 

[jambalaya]

This thing isn't going to a stud. Even effin' studs, though still green about the business, are smart enough to stay away from this gig.

No sports editor who runs a deptartment with actual NFL reporters would hire the dolt who takes this job. Did you read the ad? It says you'll work with the PR side of the franchise. Now that's impartial!

You can kiss your journalism career goodbye.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

actually i take that back. there is more than enough desperation among guys at small dailies right now for someone to do it.

I'm sure you're right. Hell, I once worked at two small dailies within a few hours of Tampa and would have gladly walked away from either for this job. And 24k would have been a raise

24k would have been a raise at my first couple of jobs, as well. And I know more than a few people who have gone from journalism to PR and back, jambalaya --- when it comes right down to it, if you have the credentials and references to prove you can be an impartial, hardworking, skeptical and fair journalist, the fact that you "lowered" yourself to a PR job won't be held against you.