Blog Updated on December 5, 2025.

The reach and expectations of sports journalism have expanded in recent years. Previous generations expected box scores and highlights from their newspapers, radio shows, and TV stations. Sports reporting now tells stories at the intersection of society and athletics using a wide variety of media.

Adrian Wojnarowski, a St. Bonaventure University journalism alumnus and a retired ESPN NBA insider, has seen sports journalism go through significant changes during his decades-long career.

The popular host of “The Woj Pod” explains what separates successful writers and editors from the competition in today’s competitive landscape.  

“For young reporters, especially in this age and into the future, the ability to give people information they can’t get anywhere else, to give something that’s unique and different, that’s what will separate you. I don’t know that there’s anything more important than that right now.”

The first step to becoming a sports journalist is understanding the media landscape, including digital media in sports, evolving consumer habits, and how journalism has changed with technology. 

 

Where Did Today’s Sports Journalism Come From?

Long before fans could track any major sporting event in real time from a smartphone, sports reporting was a slow process, with box scores printed in newspapers as the lone data source for fans. The 24-hour news cycle helps today’s fans learn about breaking news, highlights, and game results in an instant. ESPN’s first broadcast in 1979 facilitated this evolution.

“SportsCenter,” ESPN’s signature program, went beyond the scores with human interest stories and colorful commentary. Hosts such as Chris Berman, Dan Patrick, and Stuart Scott infused their personalities into nightly highlights. The network grew into a giant in the 1990s due to this innovative approach to sports reporting.

Competitors such as Turner Sports in 1990 and CNN/SI in 1996 followed the ESPN template as cable became an important venue for sports. Regional sports networks soon followed and provided localized coverage for diehard fans. The growing accessibility of the internet created more direct connections between fans and sports writers. 

 

How Do Fans Consume Sports Reporting?

Sports journalists must meet fans where they are. Traditional nontelevision media such as magazines, newspapers, and radio still have audiences but have been supplemented by social media, livestreaming platforms, mobile apps, and other digital media offering real-time coverage.

According to data from YouGov Global Fan Profiles, the majority of U.S. adults still largely consume sports media via live television. Social media and televised repeats or highlights are roughly tied for second place, followed by online livestreams or highlights and mobile apps. The lowest-ranking media are all traditional, including radio, out-of-home media, newspapers, and magazines.

When looking at YouGov’s demographic data, it’s clear that older fans prefer traditional media, while those aged 44 or younger gravitate toward digital channels. Although traditional media channels are hanging on, the future of journalism is digital.

 

Digital Media in Sports: The Future of Journalism

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to sports journalism. Fans use multiple media outlets for specific purposes rather than committing to a single source of coverage. Website bookmarks and social media accounts allow for easy access to dozens of voices, and journalists have new tools to help them analyze the sports they cover. Below are examples of how journalism has changed with technology to keep up with changing consumer behavior.

 

Social Media Channels

Social media channels such as X/Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and emerging networks serve as platforms for short‑form updates, highlights, and audience-driven content delivered in real time. In sports journalism, these channels act as primary distribution points for breaking news and instant score updates, allow journalists to build personal brands and engage directly with fans, and enable crowdsourced reporting. 

 

Livestreaming

Livestreamed video broadcasts via YouTube Live, Twitch, Facebook Live, and proprietary sports apps allow sports journalists to cover press conferences, provide behind‑the‑scenes access, host real‑time commentary, and produce interactive coverage without traditional broadcast infrastructure. Livestreams encourage viewer participation through chat, polls, and Q&A features, helping keep fans engaged.

 

Augmented Reality

Augmented reality (AR) overlays digital graphics, statistics, and 3D models onto real‑world views using smartphones, tablets, or AR‑enabled broadcasts. In sports journalism, AR enhances storytelling by visualizing statistics, player tracking, and tactical breakdowns in ways that simplify complex concepts for viewers. 

 

Mobile Applications

Mobile apps developed by publishers, leagues, and teams deliver scores, notifications, multimedia content, and personalized experiences directly to users’ phones. These apps play a critical role in sports journalism by providing push notifications for breaking news, offering native features such as interactive timelines and offline reading, and increasing user retention through tailored feeds. They also enable data collection, which helps outlets refine content strategies and develop subscription or in‑app revenue models.

 

Data Analytics and Advanced Stats

Data analytics and advanced statistics leverage large datasets to reveal insights beyond traditional box scores. In the sports journalism world, these tools fuel analytical stories, predictive models, and visualizations that explain performance, strategy, and player value with greater precision. With sports betting becoming more mainstream through apps such as FanDuel, journalists who can turn raw data into a track record of accurate predictions can quickly grow their following.

 

Interactive Visualizations and Graphics

Interactive visualizations include dynamic charts, shot maps, and timeline tools embedded in digital articles that let readers explore data and replays at their own pace. These graphics turn complex statistical and tactical information into accessible experiences that deepen reader engagement and comprehension. By allowing users to filter, compare, and personalize the view, interactive graphics enhance the explanatory power of journalism while raising production demands and time investment.

 

Podcasts and Long‑Form Audio

Podcasts and long-form audio programs range from daily rundowns to serialized investigative series and detailed interviews. They provide a complementary medium for sports journalism in which hosts and guests can deliver nuanced analysis, extended conversations, and narrative storytelling that don’t fit short‑form digital formats. Podcasts build loyal audiences through familiar voices and serialized content, creating opportunities for sponsorship, subscriptions, and cross‑promotion with other digital assets.

 

AI‑Generated Content and Automation

AI can draft recaps, generate highlight captions, transcribe interviews, create metadata, and automate routine workflows. In sports journalism, AI speeds up repetitive tasks such as score recaps and statistical summaries. This frees up journalists to focus on analysis, investigation, and creative storytelling. 

 

Over‑the‑Top and Subscription Platforms

Direct‑to‑consumer streaming services offered by leagues, teams, or media companies provide premium video and exclusive content. They shift monetization toward subscriptions, prompting outlets to produce premium documentaries, ad‑free shows, and deep‑dive series that appeal to paying audiences. For journalists, over-the-top requires cross‑platform thinking, as they must craft content that serves both free social channels and paid audiences.

 

What Are Essential Skills in the Sports Journalism Field?

The competition for sports fans’ attention is fierce, and technology has changed how journalism can disseminate information. Low barriers to entry mean that amateur bloggers and social media experts can drown out run-of-the-mill sports reporting. However, leading journalists have dynamic skills that translate across sports leagues and media types.

The foundations of sports journalism are interviewing, reporting, and writing skills. Writers and editors must apply journalistic ethics and standards as their compasses in this changing field. These evergreen attributes are found in the most successful journalists and outlets in the sports world.

Cutting through the noise of digital sports media requires a unique voice. Sports journalism doesn’t require a playing career or certain connections; it needs writers who connect with new readers. 

Digital media outlets often look for exceptional writers from diverse geographical, racial, and cultural backgrounds. Fluency in sports language and previously unexpressed perspectives add something unique to stories about long-popular sports. 

 

What Is the Job Outlook for Sports Journalism?

Newcomers to sports journalism jobs can earn above-average salaries from the start. The median salary for sports journalists was about $51,360 as of October 2025, according to Payscale, with the top 10% making more than $143,000.

The future of sports reporting depends as much on promising start-ups as on major broadcasters or corporate giants. National sports networks have the resources to provide in-depth coverage for popular sports and cutting-edge broadcasting techniques. Writers and editors in these jobs are often given latitude to pursue stories that capture the current cultural moment.

Enterprising sports journalists can turn their unique voices and social media followings into new ventures. For example, the subscription platform Patreon offers a means for writers to reach devoted audiences while being compensated. Writers and editors can build the next The Ringer or The Athletic by demonstrating the high value of their work over time. 

 

Become a Sports Journalist

Breaking into sports journalism requires a unique voice, a passion for sports, and a modern skill set. It also requires an understanding of how technology will change journalism as it continues to advance. A graduate degree in journalism hones those attributes and prepares writers and editors for the future of the journalism field. St. Bonaventure University Online’s Master of Arts in Sports Journalism combines the convenience of online education with advanced skill-building.

The program curriculum was designed in consultation with an alumni board of notable journalists. Program candidates learn how to write compelling stories in courses such as:

• Art of the Sports Interview
• Sports Journalism Today
• Journalism Ethics
• Business of Sports Media

Emerging writers and editors compete in the sports journalism field by learning from the best. St. Bonaventure University ranks at the top of the national rankings every year. In the U.S. News & World Report 2026 rankings, the university ranked:

• No. 25 in Best Value Schools (Regional Universities North)
• No. 10 in Best Undergraduate Teaching (Regional Universities North)
• No. 25 in Regional Universities North

St. Bonaventure graduates stand apart from competitors thanks to value-based education. The university’s Franciscan roots are infused through every course and interaction. Sports journalism graduates leave the university with a strong sense of moral and ethical responsibility to the public.

Learn more about our program and how it can support your career in sports journalism.