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Sports can elicit a range of emotions in us, from the joy of winning a championship to the feelings that come with change; those who write with a sports journalism degree often write about more than just a scoreline.
What are some of the big moments that have influenced sporting journalism – for better and for worse? Let’s explore six sporting moments that have defined sporting journalism – from highlighting player movements to redefining how we talk about illness within our communities, let’s discover the moments that have shaped sporting media across America.
Lebron’s Big Move
Lebron James has always been a player making history. Whether it’s being the first male basketballer to be a flag-bearer for the United States at an Olympic Games to his decades of work across the NBA, Lebron’s never been one to shy away at an opportunity.
In 2010, Lebron had a decision to make – as a free agent, he could join a new team during the 2010-2011 NBA season. In a 75-minute special for ESPN, The Decision chronicled his decision to move to the Miami Heat. At the time, a documentary dedicated to a single player’s decision was practically unheard of – and it rewrote the narrative for the next generation of NBA players.
Unrepentant: Lance Armstrong
One of the most surprising places that sports journalism took center stage was in an interview between professional cyclist Lance Armstrong and talk show host Oprah Winfrey in early 2013.
The interview had a simple purpose – Lance was coming clean about his history of banned substance use, something that he had fiercely, bitterly denied for more than a decade. It was, in part, an attempt to rehabilitate Lance Armstrong before the public, as investigations by USADA had stripped him of his Tour de France championships less than a year earlier.
Ironically, this flagrant attempt to misuse the media backfired – Lance was widely criticized for appearing unrepentant, something he described himself as less than two years later. A decade of cheating, highlighted by the dedicated work of sports journalists across America and Europe.
The Secret Life of A Golfing Professional
How well do we know our professional golfers? In 2009, Tiger Woods’s party-going lifestyle shocked many Americans, with journalists at the National Enquirer revealing that the champion golfer had an affair. Less than a month later, the billion-dollar golfer’s wife chased him out of his own home, wielding a golf club—they’d divorce in the years after.
The following months saw an increasing number of women come out and reveal that they, too, had affairs with Tiger – shattering the perception that he was a loving father and demonstrating that perhaps he was a mere mortal, like the rest of us. Sports journalism sometimes portrays titans – and sometimes, they can be brought down just like the rest of us.
The Retirement of Magic Johnson
In the early 1990s, many Americans knew little about HIV – with many perceiving the condition as an illness that only gay, white people can get. November 7, 1991, saw prominent African-American basketballer Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson set the news cycle, announcing his retirement – having contracted HIV himself.
The press conference would be a game-changer – as one of the first sports stars to reveal his HIV status, Magic Johnson set the standard for how we talk about HIV. In particular, his courageous steps changed the conversation – to remind us all that HIV is a condition that can affect everyone – truly an era-defining moment in sports journalism.
End of an Era – The Demise of Vince McMahon
For nearly a century, the McMahon family was a multi-generational family of wrestling promoters. The most well-known member of the family was Vincent Kennedy McMahon, chairman and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment for 40+ years.
Throughout 2022, Vince McMahon found himself dogged by a series of scandals, with reports emerging of hush money payments used to cover up sexual harassment cases with several women formerly involved with WWE.
Over a period of eighteen months, Vince left the business and re-emerged in early 2024. However, accusations of sex trafficking by former staffer Janel Grant are widely considered the final straw that ended Vince McMahon’s near half-century career with the wrestling brand.
The McMahon family is still involved with wrestling – with Vince’s son-in-law, Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque, leading the charge as WWE’s Chief Content Officer. For Vince, however, his time with the brand he built from the ground up is long gone – showing just how investigative sports journalism can make or break even the most powerful players in the game.
The Kansas City Swifties
Who can mention big sports journalism moments without mentioning the budding romance between pop superstar Taylor Swift and NFL tight end Travis Kelce? When their relationship kicked off in late 2023, sports journalism became enthralled with the economic effect that this supercouple has had on the NFL.
While the numbers are disputed, Taylor and Travis’ relationship has highlighted that sometimes, sports journalism is about more than just the game that’s played. Sometimes, simply put – it’s all about the people.
There you have it – six moments that defined sporting journalism. From the challenges of choice to the demise of giants and budding romance, sports journalism can truly capture the hearts and minds of readers across America. What do you think will be the next article that shakes the world of sports journalism to its core?
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