Covering high school sports has evolved
Above: National networks are broadcasting high school football games. (Charity Beck for The New York Times)
About three years ago I wrote for the Oakland Tribune and covered the De La Salle-Mission Viejo football showdown.
The game was in Orange County, both teams were nationally ranked and the game was televised on Fox Sports Net.
The Orange County Register sent several reporters, a columnist and a photographer. I was there for the Oakland Tribune and the Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle and Contra Costa Times also sent reporters.
It was an 8 p.m. start and before the first whistle there was already a TV timeout. "You gotta be kidding me" was the reaction from most of the reporters in the press box.
That was just a few years ago and in just that short time, covering high school sports (football specifically) has evolved drastically.
What used to be a treasured pastime has become about which players are getting Division I offers, who might turn pro and even ratings.
Mater Dei opens the season against City Section powerhouse Carson, a game that'll be nationally televised on ESPN.
It used to be that one reporter got the job done. Now there are bloggers, scouting services, radio and local television broadcasts and photographers who now carry video equipment, shooting and editing the action.
Above: ESPN broadcast a game between two Florida schools. (Charity Beck for The New York Times)
MaxPreps.com and CalPreps.com have grown popular because of the the high demand for the latest recruiting information.
ESPN.com just a few years ago hired its first full-time high school sportswriter and Sports Illustrated just recently expanded its high school sports coverage.
Fox 11 and KCAL-9 here in Los Angeles sends a crew on Friday nights to check out some of the best high school football action in town. About three years ago a few reporters at The Register, including myself, made weekly appearances on ESPN Radio 710 for quick snippets about the high school football games we covered that night.
Here's a story about high school football being covered by major networks, published two years ago in The New York Times and an excerpt:
What has been the stuff of hometown legends, high school football has suddenly become high-definition, low-cost programming for national broadcasters and marketers eager to woo men 18 to 34. This year, 13 games will be shown on ESPN networks, and 8 on Fox Sports Net.
This sudden attention has not only given coaches and administrators one of the biggest rushes of their lives, but has also put them in potentially dangerous territory. How do you take advantage of the exposure that often builds school and community pride without exploiting teenagers? How do you square business with education?
So how did we get here? Who is to blame?
The media? The internet?
There used to be a time when fans couldn't wait to wake up and read the story in the sports pages. Now many of them logon to blogs like this one within minutes after the game concludes to discuss the outcome.
I'm not oblivious or naive to the notion that newspapers are trying to survive in this day and age where readers have more and quicker options to find the latest information.
But has the evolving of covering high school sports become a good or bad thing? Therein lies the debate.
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About this blog
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Melendez worked as a correspondent for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune for three years and later landed a job as a freelance writer at the Los Angeles Times before accepting an offer at The Orange County Register covering high schools. Melendez covered Major League Soccer at The Register for three years before being promoted to report on the Lakers, Angels and Dodgers for the Web. Melendez also worked for the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Fresno Bee, Oakland Tribune and The Boston Globe. E-mail opinions, suggestions and tips to miguel.melendez@sgvn.com. |
William Hernandez #24 Franklin Los Angeles again has been unstoppable both in the air and on the ground Avg. 150+ Recieving ,150+ Rushing, leading team in all . He is D1 MATERIAL a certified on and off the field prospect that needs your help in recognizing Hispanic talent playing since Pop Warner and holds records in almost every position . Had his # retired from Organization ..great story behind the lines.. Hope you get blessed and find yourself @ Franklin High School Los Angeles playoffs are thursday agaist Canoga Park Thanks,
Money. Just money.
Money. Just money.
Do high schools benefit from having Fox Sports or ESPN televising hs football games???? and if so, where the does the sponsor monies go?
In my opinion, the monies should go to the high school's Athletic program and Scholarships. There are many SGV schools who need it more than others.