Unit 2 Draft

Technology has become ever present in our lives. Everyone in my generation grew up around computers, smartphones, and the internet from a young age, and it has undoubtedly had a massive effect on all of us. As a sports fan, it has been easy to see how the sports landscape has changed with new technologies. While SportsCenter and ESPN were revolutionary when they were first launched, they have almost been made obsolete by highlights coming in instantaneously on social media, news breaks on Twitter, and games are being streamed more than watched on television. I think the way journalism as a whole, but specifically relating to sports, is very interesting, and I wanted to look more into it. I believe that as sports journalism has moved into a more digital space, it is in a better place than ever before. There have been plenty of stories about newspapers dying, and my house has always received the newspaper, and I grew up reading the sports section of the New York Daily News, so I appreciate reading sports articles. I still read a lot of sports content, but it has moved online, with website like ESPN, The Ringer, SBNation, and The Athletic putting out more content a day than a newspaper could in a week. Not only do they have regionalized coverage specific to teams that a fan would want, but that fan now has access to stories that they never would have 10 years ago. For instance, ESPN recently put out a story on the Phoenix Sun's front office. Prior to the digital age, this sort of article wouldn't have reached people outside of Arizona. However, the internet has connected the world of sports in ways that people couldn't have imagined when local newspapers dominated the scene. The sports consumer is now better informed than ever, since if Syracuse is going to play Clemson in basketball like they do on Saturday, I can read game recaps on Clemson from ESPN, look at local online newspapers in South Carolina for injury updates and stories about the team, and read fan blogs for what my counterparts think about the Tigers. This stands in stark contrast to the days of newspapers, where all I would've gotten is a preview in the Daily Orange on Saturday morning. I also think that Twitter has made a huge and positive impact on the world of sports journalism. Look at Adam Schefter, a reporter on the NFL for ESPN. He breaks almost all of his scoops on Twitter, and the same can be said for every other major sports reporter at every company. The news is getting to everyone in a way which it hasn't previously, as almost instantaneously, people can learn about trades, free agent signings, and anything else you could want to know from these reporters as stories are breaking. I think the genius of Twitter and sports media is the way they can spread their thoughts and interact with normal people as a story is happening. If Schefter tweets out that a player on the Detroit Lions is getting traded, a Lions beat writer can immediately offer his thoughts on the deal and how it affects the team and interact with the fans sharing their thoughts in real time. It gives people who previously never really had a voice, the fans, an avenue to share what they are thinking with the professionals. I think that dynamic is adding a realness to the people who previously you only got to know through their writing, and it adds authenticity to what they are saying.