The sports media industry is where passion and skill intersect. It’s where you can do what you love, while also playing up to your professional strengths – whether those strengths rest in communication, organization, presentation, graphic design, video editing, or something else.
There’s a reason sports media has become such a popular industry. It’s because of this fine balance. And while the barrier to entry is relatively high when it comes to pay and stability, the door is always open for passionate individuals to try their hand at content creation. To that end, the rise of influencers shows that anyone has the potential to turn a passion into profit.
All this being said, the idealized version of sports media success you see in your favorite influencers contrasts the hard reality that many in the industry often face. So if you’re looking to pursue a sports media career or pivot from an existing path, here’s what you should know.
4 Necessary Steps to Take Before Committing to Sports Media
1) Understand That the Sports Media World is Changing
The first thing you should know before you pivot to the sports media industry is this: The sports media world is changing, and it’s changing fast. The days of purely audience-driven content, navigated by SEO tools, may ultimately be behind us. Optimized written content has gone by the wayside with the rise of AI and Google summaries, and influencer voices are beginning to take precedence.
The ways that previously worked in the sports media industry don’t necessarily work anymore, so relying on past paradigms to guide you forward. Don’t look to copy or emulate past examples. Instead, analyze the present conditions and the forward trajectory, and use those evaluations to discern your strategy and brand direction.
2) Recognize the Many Variables Beyond Your Control
Once you decide sports media is the path you want to pursue, and once you analyze the current conditions of the industry, there’s another truth you’ll have to come to terms with: Many variables are beyond your control, and will remain beyond your control. This falls in line with the market disruptions that have impacted many.
For written content producers, search algorithm changes and volatile audience interests can make the market precarious. For video producers, the tricky YouTube algorithm, oversaturation, and audience-building attrition can be overwhelming. And on social media, trends can be difficult to anticipate and capitalize on.
Content creators can’t hope to control all of the variables in the sports media industry. It’s very much akin to the “raft in the ocean” analogy. The creator’s best chance is to navigate and weather the waves with proper planning and execution.
3) Gain Security Through Versatility
The conditions of the sports media industry are inherently volatile. By extension, the industry is known for being unforgiving at times. A job today does not necessarily mean a job tomorrow, and in times of industry-wide strife, it can be difficult to find one’s footing again.
If you’ve been in the sports media industry for a while, you likely already know this. If you’re an aspiring new entrant, then it’s important knowledge to have. The next logical question that exists is: How can you counter this uncertainty? Is there a way to do so? The best answer is: Versatility brings security.
If you’re a writer, write across disciplines, learn proper editing practices, and see if you can gain experience managing a team. If you’re a video producer, learn storytelling, graphic design, and audio editing skills. If you’re a writer, learn how to produce on video. If you’re a video producer, learn how to write content. Be versatile, adopt the ability to wear different hats, and you’ll become more valuable wherever you go.
4) Do Hard Work and Smart Work All at Once
Poll any ten sports media professionals who’ve been in the industry for a while, and they’ll all tell you that hard work is a requirement. Sometimes it’s working overtime, on weekends, into the night. Hard work matters here more than most places if you want to separate yourself. At the same time, however, hard work can’t supersede smart work.
The sports media industry is such that, if your strategy or brand vision isn’t sound, you can easily get drowned out in the market’s oversaturation. And if you don’t make the necessary fixes, all of your hard work could go to waste.
You’ve heard that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again. That’s no less the case in the sports media industry. When you’re hit with market disruptions, or natural trend and interest fluctuations, sheer will and hard work alone won’t cut it. You have to direct your hard work in the right place.
Playbook:
- Understand that the sports media world is changing
- Recognize the many variables beyond your control
- Gain security through versatility
- Do hard work and smart work all at once
