Everybody loves watching sports. And because of this, players become stars and role models for many. The thing you will remember most if you get a chance to handshake a star player is certainly the camera. And because of that passion, people pay to watch sports events and cheer for their team. Sports entertain. But what’s it for sports for sports journalists? Here are my thoughts.
Why people think sports journalists are lucky people?
Because they get free entry and prime seats to watch the matches.
Because they personally know many players other will love to handshake with.
Because they get paid for doing something that other had to pay for.
Because for sports journalists, working is entertaining.
Do sports journalists love all this?
Generally yes. Because:
they get into it because of their passion for sports (some exception here).
they have a kind of friendly relation with star players or at least they can meet them if they want. (Exceptions applies)
they love to watch matches.
But, is sports journalism that good or easy?
Generally no. Because:
we can’t enjoy the matches as others (we don’t cheer)
we have a burden of noting down eveything that’s happening (and that disturbs the pleasure)
we have to labour for a date with players (if they are good ones)
we have to watch the matches although we don’t want to (who would like to watch when weaker teams are playing?)
AND we still had a lot of works left after the match completed
Two Interesting Events:
1. During Youth Asia Cup 2001, I was reporting for Nepal Samacharpatra, a Nepali daily. Nepal won the final amidst a never before crowd that the losing team Malaysia’s manager cited as a factor for losing. After the completion of match, every spectators at the TU Ground was happy and were returning home grinning.
I thought: ‘I came early in the morning before the match started. I watched each and everyball noting down something regularly without even chatting with my friends. I am as happy as others for Nepal’s victory and I want to enjoy the evening.’
But the evening that was awaiting me as a hectic one. I had to watch the prize distribution ceremony, then catch up with the team captains, managers and coaches for short chat. When I was leaving the ground, it was already empty. Then I went to the office, took a headache-remedy pill and had to think half-an-hour for a nice start for the story. I wrote the story consulting my own notes and it took me around two hours. Then looking at the photos and planning the page.
When I was finally finished the work, I was already very tired. And there was no energy for any celebrations.
2. This is not about me but one of my friends. Same event but not the final but in the league phase. He was stationed at the other ground to watch the match that two weaker nations were playing. Tracking all the events while Nepal was playing in the other ground. He wanted to be at the other ground but there was no way.
Sports journalism is certainly entertaining but not as much as people tend to think.
