Sports Journalism In America:
Early Beginnings:
- Sports journalism was present in America before the Revolutionary War with articles being written about boxing (although it was not considered a sport yet).
- It did gain prominence until the 1850s with as baseball became more popular. Journalists were primarily statisticians back then.
- Sports got their own section in newspapers starting with Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World. Pulitzer also hired the first sports editor (1883).
- By the early 1890s, every major newspaper had a sports editor
- Creation of basketball in 1891 and American Bowling Congress helped establish sports journalism as well
- Golden Age of Sports – 1920s
- Called the Age of the Spectator, sports journalism really began to take off thanks to the exploits of the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame, Jack Dempsey and Babe Ruth.
The 1st Successful Sports Magazine:
- Started in 1954 by Time’s Henry Luce
- Goal: Not a sports magazine, but the sports magazine
- Magazine took off once Andre Laguerre became managing editor
- Swimsuit edition started in 1964
- Known for its colorful photography, in-depth reporting and scouting reports
The 1st Successful sports network:
- ESPN: The World-Wide Leader in Sports
- Created in 1979
- 1st broadcast network centered only on sports
- Sportscenter has now had over 50,000 shows
- Popular but also criticized
