If you’re a sports journo that doesn’t love the sport you’re covering in 2020, I think your chance of failing to get/stay employed incrementally increases.

The argument that you should not be a fan of the sport to ensure balanced coverage of said sport ignores the fact that the readership will know you’re a spoofing casual immediately and disregard everything you write.

The usual path after that is to become a critic of the sport itself to appeal to non-fans and that always ends the same way - bitching and moaning about how the sport done you wrong before you slope away to do something you actually like.

The second you forget that sport is entertainment and it’s supposed to be fun, you’re losing.

Trying to make it deadly serious so you can feel like a “real” journalist is usually a sign of deep insecurity, both in your actual ability and in your career choice as a whole.

It just feels like there’s a big crunch coming in trad media - accelerated by C19 - but always on the cards.

Ad revenue is dipping, sub market is getting crowded and print sales are declining.

For new people getting in I would say this; learn how to do everything.

That means; learn how to podcast, learn how to make & edit video, learn how to make your own graphics, learn how to promote yourself and then go DEEP on your sport/team.

Niche is still niche now, but in three years it’ll be the norm - tilted coverage for specific markets.

There’s a big market for whoever can promote and market Leinster rugby tilted coverage be it a current media outlet, someone going on their own or Leinster themselves.

It’ll be the same for GAA intercounty sides and even English soccer teams with an Irish twist.