As the popularity of sports content increases, conventional sports journalism is declining.

For sports enthusiasts, we are currently residing in a golden era of sports content. Various sports talk shows have set new viewing records, according to reports from ESPN. Athletes are using podcasts and documentaries to give fans a more intimate insight into their lives, while a Deloitte survey indicates that close to half of sports fans from Gen Z are harnessing the power of social media to broaden their viewer communities during live events.

Despite the influx of new content, there’s a paradox occurring as conventional sports journalism seems to be gradually subsiding. The New York Times has disbanded its sports desk, a considerable host of sports reporters were handed redundancy notices by the Los Angeles Times, halting day-to-day coverage. Even the future of Sports Illustrated has been flung into uncertainty following the announcement of extensive layoffs.

Keith O’Brien, a well-noted sports journalist and author currently preparing for the release of his new book titled, “Charlie Hustle: The Rise and Fall of Pete Rose, and the Last Glory Days of Baseball,” deplored the current depreciation of comprehensive sports reporting in The Atlantic. He labeled the present-day sports media environment as contradictory and disconcerting.

O’Brien had a candid conversation with “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal about the irreplaceable value that in-depth sports reporting provides to sports fans. The interaction between the duo was enlightening, with Ryssdal pointing out the dichotomy between the hundreds of billions of dollars circulating in global sports and the fiscal tightening faced by sports journalism.

The discussion touched on ESPN considering allowing the NFL to acquire a stake in it and the consequential journalistic dilemmas this poses. They talked about the disproportionate power dynamics between the teams and newspapers and how teams nowadays have all the control, with the media left with what seems to be remnants of authority.

Reflecting on the changes that have occurred over recent years, O’Brien mentioned that sports journalists had closer access to athletes in the past, making it easier to obtain breaking news, feature stories and conduct investigations. The absence of reporters in locker rooms, clubhouses or fields is leading to the loss of critical information.

Finally, while speculating on the future of sports journalism, O’Brien expressed concern over the ominous trajectory it seems to be following. He cited an example where a widespread story about the suspension of a revered football coach due to undisclosed hazing details was unearthed by student journalists – indicative of the dwindling interest of professional journalists in such stories.

The development and state of sports journalism, despite its challenges, continue to provoke heated intellectual conversation among scholars.