Dream Job

My ideal occupation would be working for the Sports Business Journal. This weekly newspaper is my "target publication", because it provides great analysis and reporting of happenings in the sports world. Unlike other sports media outlets, like ESPN or Sports Illustrated, the SBJ provides in-depth coverage of sports from a business standpoint. The publication's target audience is for those employed within professional and collegiate sports organizations and to provide them with breaking news and trends within the industry.

The first story I would publish as editor of the Sports Business Journal would be their feature article from this week's issue, "He's all in". The article profiles Michael Jordan's in his new role as Owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. It is an interesting story since you get to see the day-to-day agenda of a NBA owner. It also profiles a important public figure/celebrity, who people are interested in. This story allows for people to get an idea of how he interacts with others within the Bobcats organization.

The second story I would publish is this story from the SBJ about the American Airlines Center in Dallas opening an after hours club for fans to attend after home games and other events at the arena. This article is important because it informs readers about new trends in the sports industry and what owners are doing to maximize profits.

In addition to providing coverage of the developing trends within the sports industry, I would also publish articles concerning news among the organizations. This article about ESPN calling meetings with Chase about low tv ratings for NASCAR coverage is an example of up to date news coverage. The article is much like one would you find in a business section of a newspaper, but instead directly applies to the sports world.

In addition to these SBJ articles, I would also provides columnists. The purpose of their stories would be to publish commentary to draw reader interest. One example would be from ESPN columnist Rick Reilly. He is known for his distinct writing style and establishes a personality
for the publication. A writer with a personality has the ability to draw a loyal audience and increase readership and awareness for the publication.

I would also use columns to provide commentary on polarizing issues within the industry. For example, this article by ESPN's Pat Forde discusses the topic of a college football playoff and elimination of the computer-based BCS ranking system. This is a popular subject that most sports fans have an opinion on, but Forde goes on to outline a new formating of teams in division-I college football that calls for the elimination of conferences. His story creates a unique idea, but one that would also stir up controversy. Articles like these stir up lots of readers comments/discussion, and thus, driving more traffic to the web page and/or publication.