Sports Media Spans the World

By Michael Dalton

Sports Media is a global powerhouse.  Since the beginning of sports, people have talked about sports events, which in essence was the beginning of sports media.  Sports media on a larger scale began with newspapers.  After sporting events, stories would be published informing the public of what had occurred.  From there, sports media began appearing on radios.  People often listened to sports live on the radio.  Even today, people still listen to live events, as well as sports radio talk shows. 

Television brought a whole new dimension of sports media.  People could now watch sporting events live.  Also sports networks and shows began to develop.  Networks such as ESPN provide sports media 24/7.    In the early 2000s, websites began to explode.   Now sports media can be found with one click onto the Internet.  Live up-to-the-minute news can be found there.  Also the newest form of sports media can be found through social media and smart phone applications.  Now sports fans have unlimited access to the world of sports right on their phones.  News can be broke in a variety of ways such as on twitter, espn.com, tv, etc. 

Sports media is found in every corner of the globe for almost every sport, and impacts sports fans’ everyday lives.  Sports media has evolved over the years to what it is today.  It has gradually provided more professions and opportunities for sports analysts, journalists, and other types of experts as well as the fans. Up to the minute stats for sports can even be accessed through various sites and applications.  This is utilized through the increasingly popular Fantasy sports, which has brought sports media to a whole new level.

Sports media will continue to evolve and expand as technological advancements are continued to be made.  Unfortunately for many athletes, any misstep is captured by some form of sports media.

I regularly watch a wide range of sports.  I constantly follow ESPN.COM, and watch the ESPN sports network any chance I get.  I also follow Irish sports media.  I monitor their sports network, RTE sports, as well as watch their sports news by streaming it online.  I also participate in the new up and coming form of sports media, Fantasy Sports. 

For the last three years, I have participated in Fantasy Football.  My friends and I created a 12 team league through the site Yahoo.com/fantasyfootball.  Yahoo allows us to draft our teams, monitor weekly match ups, and feature a playoff system.  This past year I won my first Fantasy Football Championship.  This is a big deal, in that many of my friends consider themselves very knowledgeable on fantasy football and because there was a fairly big winnings.  To enter our league it is $20 a person and winner takes all.  

Football stadiums around the nation are beginning to adapt their facilities to accommodate the increasingly popular fantasy football.  They provide fantasy numbers across their score boards, and some facilities even open up fantasy football areas for fans to check their teams.  Fantasy sports has opened the door to a new form of sports media.

Sports media will continue to adapt over time.  In its history, it has gone from word of mouth to newspapers and now to smart phone devices, and is available at the click of a button.  Sports media is one of the biggest forms of media in the world, and is constantly expanding.   ESPN, in particular, seems to be dominating the sports media world but other networks will continue to compete.  The future of sports media is bright.


Michael Dalton is a senior at St. Thomas Aquinas College, intending on graduating this May.  “I am a history major, with a minor in marketing.  After college, I intend to work full time as a Construction Estimator for Bluehill Construction, Inc.  I have a strong interest in sports, including both Irish and American sports.  I also enjoy writing about sports, and have written up reports on Irish sporting events in the past.”