Local sports folks think their segments could go away

Posted by Steve Safran on August 18, 2006

A survey of sports departments in the top 50 markets shows little optimism for sports segments in the local news. The Center for Sports Journalism at Penn State conducted a phone survey of sports directors, anchors and reporters at local television stations in the top 50 markets. The survey found sporties have plenty of pessimism about their future. In a marketplace with ESPN and real-time scores on the web, it’s not hard to see the competitive forces. I strongly believe there is still room for local sports – it’s just not in trying to cover the major leagues. Go out and cover the great local sports stories in your community. If you are going to look at a major league team – do it with a critical and investigative eye and not as a rooter (think Barry Bonds). Highlights are dead. You can cover local news better than ESPN. Do it and you’ll appeal not only to sports fans but a wider audience as well. Do I really need another locker room post-game interview with a cliche-spouting ballplayer telling me nothing?

Rocker

…and of all the people at a TV station that should be embracing generating content for the web…articles, columns, digital photos, streaming video (ie; interviews), message boards, blogs, etc., wouldn’t you think “sporties” would be at the top of the list? Yet in my experience, they’re dead last at most stations when it comes to internet involvement. The smart/good ones could start to encroach on the space occupied not only by other sources online, but also sports/talk radio, and build themselves into real franchises that would be a lot more unlikely to be yanked off the air.

I guess they’re “too busy”.
W

Amen to that – they’re always bitching when their time’s being cut on air, but when you bring them new ideas involving the website they’ll dig their heels in.

“I’m too busy” is the direct quote I was given.

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http://www.lostremote.com Cory

So true… local sports is one of the top drivers for local websites, but it’s one of the most neglected areas on TV sites. In fact, if you did a survey, I bet we’re approaching the 50-50 ratio for sports news consumption online and TV.
Allen

Not all sports departments are ignoring the web. I know many CBS O&O’s are putting a lot of content on there. Look at WCBS’s site and you’ll see a ton of raw, uncut interviews that you can’t get anywhere else.

I’ve made it a point to start putting in more sports stories and interviews on our site. One problem all stations have is all of the restrictions the professional sports leagues put on video on the web. Just ask the NFL how they feel about it.
http://www.lostremote.com Steve Safran

The restrictions the pro leagues are putting on online content present another argument for switching the sports model away from covering the major leagues. Sports departments are busy because they have to spend their evenings watching and logging games. That’s an enormous time committment and it has to be done under the current model. If they change the model, then they will have time to come up with creative local content.
Chris

Steve is right about the leagues. They recognize that this is their opportunity to control their message and they are making it impossible to have any decent coverage on the web — especially the NFL this season.
http://www.kristv.com Jason Crundwell

I am so happy that my sports guys get it. They keep pro sports to a minimum and focus on what the ESPNs of the world can’t cover … local sports.

Because of that I have put together a very good sports page. We have lots of high school sports coverage, and we’ve partnered with the local minor league teams and the local colleges to allow us to publish their media releases on our site. We then attach our game highlights to the teamâ€™s press releases.

And the plan has paid off. Our sports content is always in the top 5 of site traffic, and during football season (We’re in Texas) our sports coverage will rank higher than weather.
Allen

So do you ignore the pro sports teams in your own town? I don’t think so. While people may be able to get highlights of the game on ESPN there are other things with the teams that need to be covered, not to mention features.

We’ve been good about not showing the games of other pro teams in other markets.
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Sportscasters should begin to look for different jobs. Idealistically, it would be great for newscasters to cover local sporting events. Unfortunately, local coverage will require a significant amount of money and effort. I believe news executives will allow their sports segments to be cut before they spend more money and effort to concentrate on the local minor league team. Additionally, it is much harder to produce a fan base for local sport teams. People already have their favorite teams and are unlikely to focus their attention to another team. In the fall it is hard enough for me to pay attention to the scores and news of the Trojans, the Patriots and the Red Sox. I have no interest in adding the Lancaster Jethawks to this list. Soccer moms may enjoy hearing about the results of high school success stories while they are making dinner at 5 oâ€™clock, but for the common sport fan, sports coverage on local news is quickly becoming unnecessary.
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