Readers Choice
by RaptorsHQ - Franchise on Sep 24, 2009 8:17 AM EDT
7 comments
Is "live-from-the-game" coverage important anymore?
It's a question that has bandied about a lot recently, from the print pages of the New York Times to the online pages of ESPN's Sportsguy's World.
With the influx of social media and video integration, many feel that a traditional beat reporter simply isn't as relevant as he/she was at one point in time. And with massive cuts to many traditional newspapers' sports' departments, it seems that many editors would agree.
But isn't a mix really the ideal option?
There's a reason why Doug Smith's Raptors blog at theStar.com is one of the most trafficked out there; he can offer insight and inside information that most simply don't have access to. Local beat writers also forge a certain rapport with players and coaches, again something that your typical blogger just can't do from in front of his tv or computer.
And believe me, this does make a difference.
At one point early last season I stuck around with the beat reporters from The Star, Globe, Post and Sun and was witness to some classic Sam Mitchellisms as he preached on everything from Jalen Rose to Hoffa. That's stuff you just can't find on Youtube or Twitter.
That being said, is it necessary to attend every game?
As Mr. Smith has pointed out ad nauseam, most of the time players give you the same tired quotes and sound bytes ("we played hard," "the other team wanted it more," etc, etc) over and over and only on a few occasions do you end up with something really juicy to write about.
Last year the Toronto Raptors began to give us access to games but this off-season we began to debate - did we even want to be able to attend every game even if we could? Often last season we found that our best articles were written in front of an HD TV, not from 50 feet up in the Foster Hewitt Gondola.
So here at the HQ we got thinking.
What about attending a game or two a month, and letting the readers vote on which match-ups they'd most like to see inside coverage of? After all, we've always done this site for the fans, so why not have a big Raptorsnation discussion on the games they want the most coverage of?
So that's what we're going to do once each month.
Below is a poll listing our top 4 October game options. Yes, pre-season, (we've all bought tickets to the home-opener vs the Cavs so that one's out) but some interesting early tests none-the-less. We'll be on Twitter and other sites as well getting other Raptors' blogs and opponent fan sites involved, and hopefully the result will be a very interesting, all-encompassing media package.
Let's rock the vote...
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For the most part, you can do game coverage at home just as well as you can at the games. Since raptors.com posts most of the postgame interviews online, there’s not much added value to you going to the games unless you ask really interesting questions during the post game interviews or you tell us about the stuff that we don’t get to see on tv. ie Who’s not paying attention on the bench, do the players appear dialed in to the coaches during time outs. Any interesting anecdotes that take place in the lockerroom.
Totally agree – at this point with media and the fact that Raptors.com has gone so “social,” I think the anecdotes and examples you pointed out are what would make the access valuable to fans and readers.
by RaptorsHQ - Franchise on Sep 25, 2009 7:49 AM EDT up reply actions
I voted for the Washington game
although Boston wouldn’t be bad either, it would be nice to see how the Raps stack up against what’s likely to be one of the best teams in the conference, but the Wizards are more an unknown, I’d prefer feedback on the Arenas and whether the Wizards are going to be for real this year.
Nothing really of value for being at every game. Maybe once a week would suffice assuring you get coverage for the bigger games. Or unless you get special access to the bench or locker room.
We’d have access to the locker rooms for sure so that’s what would be interesting about both Washington and Boston I think. And this is something we’d do each month, so while the preseason games don’t mean much, hopefully as the season progresses we’ll get to take in some very interesting matchups.
by RaptorsHQ - Franchise on Sep 25, 2009 7:50 AM EDT up reply actions
Houston
I would love to see the raps play houston…what will be a very scrappy hard working team. I want to know if the raptors are going to get out worked by ‘role players’ and undersized forwards who just want it more! It could be very telling
I think part of the problem is the boring-ass questions most reporters ask. And I’m not saying go all Feschuk on them, but maybe attempt to tap into the player or coaches inner fan a little rather than always trying to find out ‘why they lost’, ‘why they won’ and all the questions that are so standard, they’ve had to come up with standard answers for them.
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