Sports news is a genre of journalism that covers the events, people and issues surrounding sport. It can be a difficult genre to master, but one that can be highly rewarding for the skilled writer. In order to write successful Sports news, it is important to understand the audience you are writing for and the level of detail required.
The simplest form of sports writing is the straight-lead game story, which summarizes the main points of a sporting event. This includes who won or lost, the final score and the most memorable moments of the game. A good game story will capture the energy of the game, using vivid descriptions and avoiding cliche quotes. It is also important for a sports writer to be knowledgeable about the sport they are covering, and to be able to explain complex rules and strategies in an easy-to-understand way.
In recent years, investigative journalism has become a major feature of sports writing. Journalists such as Paul Kimmage have exposed doping scandals in international athletics, and bribery in professional boxing and horse racing. This type of reporting requires the view of an outsider who is not compromised by day-to-day dealings with sportsmen and officials, as is the case for beat journalists.
For more in-depth coverage, a Sports news article may turn to a feature story. These stories focus on human interest and personal experiences, and use the strategies of news feature writing to make them compelling to readers. They often focus on an athlete or a coach, highlighting their emotions during a game, their history in the sport and their hopes or goals for the future.