Are you interested in sports? Are you passionate about writing?
Writing about sports is a potential career for those who are interested in writing and have a passion for the field. A career in sports writing can offer excellent monetary returns if you stay dedicated to the work. A career in sports writing is an artistic work, and a person who aspires to be a good sports writer should have good creative and language skills matched with a passion for sports. This requires a lot of research and hard work. This leads us to the next important question:
What does a sportswriter do?
Sportswriters report on all news that occurs in the sports world, providing content for newspapers, magazines and online platforms. And thus, keeping their readers updated with different stories. The writers need to be very knowledgeable in their preferred area of sports entertainment in order to provide effective analysis. With televisions providing immediate covering, an in-depth analysis is expected from the sportswriters. They not only write what happened in the game but also specify the reasons for the same. Besides game coverage, sportswriters cover team news, like player transactions and coaching changes. They write feature stories on players and coaches and provide insight on the news that they cover. While everyone in the stadium is having a leisure time, the sportswriter is expected to be ready with the next writeup by the end of the match.
In pic: the work of a sportswriter summed up in a picture
Employment opportunities:
Sportswriters are required in numerous agencies and companies. Candidates can get jobs in the following fields:
Newspapers
Websites
Book publishing agencies (sports-related)
Freelancing
Editors
Media houses
Job prospects and the type of roles sportswriters:
With the internet providing more sorts of media outlets than ever before, today's sportswriters have numerous opportunities. Twenty years ago, sportswriters worked primarily for newspapers, or perhaps magazines, but the field has changed drastically. Today, sportswriters still work for traditional outlets, but they also may be employed by sports websites, or work remotely on their own blog. Many sportswriters also provide streaming video coverage. The opportunities are varied in this field. But the key to all these is concisely giving information in an entertaining and creative fashion.
Here is the list of the popular job designations available for a sports writer:
Article writers:
They are the most popular type of sportswriters and are very well known among the romantics of the game. They write on varied topics particularly for newspapers, magazines, and sports websites.
Content writers / online writers:
These writers typically work from home and hold relatively less responsibility than sophisticated writers. They mostly work on the online platform only.
Freelancers:
These writers work on a contractual basis and can take up different projects in various media houses at the same time. They are a sort of quick-fix for the media houses.
Technical writers:
They are the writers who can translate or explain the technical terms of a sport in simple language for an understanding of the common people.
Best colleges for a career in sports writing:
Here is the list of best colleges for sports writing in India along with its location, fees and the average salary that it offers:
Christ College
Location: Bangalore
Fees: 3.05 lakhs
Average package: 3-4 LPA
School of Communication
Location: Manipal
Fees: 5.40 lakhs
Average package: 4-5 LPA
Delhi College of Arts and Commerce
Location: New Delhi
Fees: 35.50 thousand
Average package: 2-3 LPA
Kishinchand Chellaram College
Location: Mumbai
Fees: 24 thousand
Average package: 2-3 LPA
Kamala Nehru College
Location: New Delhi
Fees: 29.10 thousand
Average package: 2-3 LPA
Indraprastha College for Women
Location: New Delhi
Fees: 2.3 lakhs
Average package: 3-4 LPA
In pic: This is what the workplace of a sportswriter looks like
What is the workplace of a sportswriter like?
Sportswriters employed by a newspaper or a magazine typically work in an office. But because of the fact that writing can be done from anywhere, some companies allow their writers to telecommute. Freelance writers often have a home office used exclusively for their job. Whether employed at a large corporation or working independently, one key requirement as a sports writer is travel. They need to physically attend sporting events. Due to the amount of travel and flexibility inherent in their jobs, almost all writers have flexible schedules. They often reach the office in the afternoon, when they typically take time to meet with publishers and editors to receive the next assignment.
It's future in India:
Although sportswriters are not in great demand, competition in this field is relatively less than many other profiles. In a country like India, if you present some quality stuff to your audience, you can easily earn a fortune in this field. And with the government pumping in money, it's clear that the country is heading towards being a sports superpower and the demand can only go up.
If you see a spectator watching a live match with a pen and paper, it's either the manager or the sportswriter. They typically enjoy what they are doing. And that's what a career should be all about!
Note: the average packages mentioned above are tentative and is as per the current scenario.
