Sports are making a comeback, but not without some restrictions and modifications. Athletes, coaches, owners, and all support staff have to adapt to the changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. But this is only one part of the evolution of sports, which has been changing over the last couple decades. Likewise, sports media is changing as well.
On this episode of One-on-One with Steve Adubato, show host Steve Adubato speaks with B.J. Schecter, an NJ-based sports expert. Schecter is the editor and publisher of Baseball America, as well as a Professional-in-Residence at Seton Hall University. As a result, he and Adubato take time to discuss the development of Seton Hall University’s Sports Media program. The two also talk about why sports media still matters now, and how it is constantly changing.
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How Sports Media is Evolving
On the subject of baseball, the 2020 Major League Baseball season is only half the typical length of a season. Despite the short season and safety protocols in place, Schecter is still skeptical they will get through the whole seaon.
“I think they’ll do their best to get started,” says Schecter. “But given where we are in the world right now, given the number of cases that we’re seeing… I think it’s going to be very, very tough to get through a complete season.”
Schecter also mentions how the pandemic is changing sports media in general. Outlets are still making changes to the way they cover and report sports during this time; and some changes will be permanent.
“[Sports media] is really a multi-faceted business,” Schecter explains. “To really understand and be successful in the business today… I tell my students all the time that the path that I took to get to the top of my field does not exist anymore.
“So you really have to understand not only how to create content on different platforms, but understand business plans; how to monetize content, how to raise money—everything.”
To learn more about the evolution of sports media, check out this edition of One-on-One with Steve Adubato.
After that, click here for more stories that impact New Jersey residents.
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