2026 Associated Press Sports Editors Contest Rules

November 6, 2026

APSE executive director Bill Eichenberger speaks at the Associated Press Sports Editors Conference awards ceremony at Crystal Gateway Marriot in Arlington, Virginia, on Saturday, July 18, 2026. (Photo by Austin DeSisto)

Here are the complete Associated Press Sports Editors rules for the 2026 contest, which recognizes excellence in sports journalism.

About the contest

The Associated Press Sports Editors Contest recognizes outstanding sports journalism across print, digital, writing, photography, audio and video.

The contest includes four circulation divisions — A, B, C and D — along with selected categories in which entries from all divisions compete together.

Recognition in the Print Portfolio, Digital, Event Coverage, and Project categories determines Triple Crown and Grand Slam honors.

These rules explain how to enter, what qualifies for each category, how entries will be evaluated and what restrictions apply.

Important dates

Eligible work: Published during calendar year 2026.
Entry deadline: 11:59 p.m. PT on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2027.
Required Print Portfolio dates: One is the week of Jan. 5-11, 2026; The second will be announced at the end of December.

Entries that do not comply with the contest rules may be disqualified.

1. Contest categories at a glance

This guide summarizes the limits and requirements for each category. Entrants should review the complete rules for their categories before submitting.

Category	Entries per organization	Materials per entry	Cover letter
Print Portfolio	1	5 publication days	No
Digital	1	5 publishing examples, plus live website judging	No
Investigative	1	1-10 items	Yes
National Beat Writing	2	4 items	Yes
Team/Locality Beat Writing	2	4 items	Yes
High School Beat Writing	1 in A/B; 2 in C/D	4 items	Yes
Breaking News	2	1 story	Yes
Columns	2	4 columns	No
Event Coverage	1	1-5 items within 24 hours	No
Explanatory	1	1 story	No
Long Feature	2	1 story	No
Short Feature	2	1 story	No
Excellence in Transgender Sports Coverage	2	2 stories in A/B; 1 story in C/D	No
Podcast and Video Analysis	1	1-3 selections	No
Projects	1	1-5 content elements, with a possible sixth print layout	No
Sports Photo Portfolio	2	4 photos	No

Important: The elimination of the standalone Special Sections category does not eliminate special sections from the contest. Eligible special sections may be submitted in Projects or included as part of a Print Portfolio, subject to the restrictions in those categories.

2. How to enter

2.1 Submission process

All contest entries must be submitted through the entry keys provided in each organization’s Google folder.

An entry key is the Google document used to identify and submit contest entries. It includes organization information, category selections, links to submitted work and other required details.

Each organization will receive entry keys for:

Writing and photography
Digital
Print Portfolio

A Google account is required to submit entries and to participate in judging, whether in person or remotely.

If an organization’s entry keys are missing or inaccessible, contact the contest administrator at apsecontest@gmail.com.

2.2 Completing the entry keys

Step 1: Mark your entry as in progress.

Change the status at the top of the entry key to In Progress before beginning. This prevents another entrant from using the same entry key.

Step 2: Complete the organization information.

Provide:

Organization name: Use the complete name exactly as it should appear on awards, plaques and announcements. For example, use “The Minnesota Star Tribune” rather than “Minnesota Star Tribune.”
Website access: Provide a working username and password if submitted content requires a subscription or login.
Circulation or audience information: Provide the information used to determine your contest division, as outlined in Section 3.

Step 3: Complete every field for each entry.

Each entry must include, as applicable:

Organization name
Author, photographer or contributor credits
Story headline or entry title
Direct link to each submitted item
Website login credentials, if necessary
Cover letter link, when permitted
Additional information required by the individual category, such as publication times, word counts or audio/video timestamps

If more than five contributors worked on an entry, use Staff as the contributor credit unless the category specifies otherwise.

Even if information appears elsewhere in the entry key, complete every required field. Entries may be copied into separate documents or judging materials.

Step 4: Check your links and access permissions.

Before submitting, verify that:

All links open the correct content.
Website usernames and passwords work.
Paywalled material is accessible to judges.
Google Docs and other files have the appropriate sharing permissions.
Required publication dates, word counts and timestamps are included.
All supplemental materials are clearly identified.

Access to submitted work must remain available throughout judging. Login credentials must remain valid through April 1, 2027.

Step 5: Mark the entry complete and notify APSE.

When all entries have been submitted:

Change the entry key status from In Progress to Completed.
Send a new email to apsecontest@gmail.com. Do not reply to an earlier email chain.
Use this subject line: [Organization Name] — ENTRY COMPLETE.
Include a link to the organization’s Google folder.

2.3 Cover letters

Cover letters are accepted only in the following categories:

Investigative
Beat Writing
Breaking News

Cover letters must be no longer than three paragraphs.

They should provide context that judges cannot reasonably determine from the submitted work itself.

Appropriate subjects include reporting circumstances, timing, the reporter’s responsibilities, sourcing challenges and the impact of the work.

Cover letters should not include promotional descriptions of a reporter’s talent, broad summaries of a year of work, or unsupported claims about the quality of an entry. Audience traffic and pageview statistics should not be used as promotional evidence.

Where a category requires specific information, follow that category’s instructions.

Create cover letters as Google Docs and include accessible links in the appropriate entry keys.

Suggested cover letter format

News organization:
Contest category:
Author(s):
Relevant context not apparent from the submitted work:

3. Circulation divisions

Most categories are judged in four divisions: A, B, C and D.

APSE will assign organizations to divisions based on circulation or audience data, with the goal of balancing participation and competition across divisions.

Information required

Organizations with print and digital operations must report their combined print and digital circulation using the contest’s prescribed measurement.

Online-only organizations must provide monthly unique visitors.

Substacks and other newsletter-based publications must provide subscriber counts.

Use the applicable year-end 2026 figures and reporting methodology announced by APSE.

An organization’s contest division may differ from the division used for membership dues.

Division announcements and appeals

Divisions will be determined based on membership as of Dec. 31, 2026, and announced before the contest.

Organizations may request to compete in a larger division either before the announcement or within 48 hours after divisions are announced.

Organizations may not move to a smaller division.

Some categories, including Investigative and National Beat Writing, are judged without circulation divisions. Those exceptions are identified in the category rules.

4. General rules

These rules apply across the contest unless an individual category expressly provides an exception.

4.1 Original work and eligibility

Submitted work must have been published between Jan. 1, 2026, and Dec. 31, 2026, and satisfy the eligibility requirements of the category in which it is entered.

Entries that violate the rules may be disqualified.

4.2 Entering the same work in multiple categories

The general rule: An individual article may not be entered in more than one writing category.

The following exceptions and restrictions apply:

Beat Writing: Articles entered in Beat Writing may also be submitted in another eligible writing category, except Event Coverage. One story from a Projects entry may also be used in Beat Writing.

Digital: Some overlap with writing categories is permitted, as specified in the Digital Contest rules. For most newsrooms, no more than one story entered in a writing category may also be used as a Digital publishing example.

Excellence in Transgender Sports Coverage: Work entered in this category may also be entered in another eligible contest category. This is an express exception to the general prohibition against duplicate writing entries.

Projects: Items submitted in Projects may not be entered in other writing categories, except for one story that may also appear in Beat Writing and work eligible for the transgender sports coverage exception.

Event Coverage: Items entered in Event Coverage may not be entered in another writing category, including Beat Writing, except as expressly permitted by the transgender sports coverage rules. Additional Digital restrictions apply, with a specific exception for one-person newsrooms.

Print Portfolio and Projects: A special section may appear in only one of these categories. If an organization enters a special section in Projects, that same section may not also be included in its Print Portfolio.

Podcast and Video Analysis: Audio or video material may also appear in a Digital entry when permitted by the applicable category rules.

Entrants are responsible for reviewing all category-specific restrictions before submitting the same content in more than one place.

4.3 Limits on individual writers and teams

Unless an individual category establishes a different rule:

A writer may appear in one entry per category.
A writer may appear in a second entry in the same category only when the second entry is a team entry involving at least two writers.
A writer may not appear in more than two entries in the same category.
The same reporting team may not submit multiple entries in the same category.

Breaking News has a stricter rule: A writer may appear in only one Breaking News entry per newsroom, including team entries.

For example, a reporter listed individually in one Breaking News entry cannot also be credited as part of a team in another entry.

The previous limit of two writers in Breaking News and Explanatory has been eliminated. Entries in those categories may now recognize larger reporting teams.

4.4 Work involving multiple publications

For chains and organizations that share reporting resources, APSE requires editors to identify which publication each reporter represents.

If a reporter regularly contributes to multiple publications within a chain, the responsible editor must assign that reporter to one publication for contest purposes.

When work includes bylined contributions from reporters representing publications in different circulation divisions, the work must be entered by the largest organization involved.

The same rule applies to a collaborative Project involving multiple publications.

For example, if reporters from a Division B publication and a Division C publication collaborate on a Project, the Project must be submitted by the Division B publication.

These rules concern credited bylines, not contributing taglines.

Editors must provide required reporter assignments by the entry deadline.

4.5 Supplemental materials

Some categories permit additional links, sidebars, graphics, multimedia or supporting documents.

Unless a category states otherwise, supplemental materials are optional and judges are not required to review them.

Supplemental materials cannot be used to circumvent a category’s entry limits or duplicate-entry restrictions.

5. Print Portfolio

Entries per organization: 1
Portfolio size: 5 publication days
Cover letter: Not permitted

5.1 Purpose

Print Portfolio recognizes the overall excellence of a newsroom’s sports coverage and presentation across multiple print editions.

Judges evaluate how effectively an organization serves its readers through news judgment, original reporting, writing, editing, photography, presentation and enterprise journalism.

5.2 Portfolio requirements

Each portfolio must include five publication days:

Two daily editions, including one mandatory selection
Two Sunday editions, including one mandatory selection
One wild-card edition, which may be a daily or Sunday edition

Organizations without a Sunday edition may substitute a Saturday edition.

Organizations without Saturday or Sunday print editions should contact the contest administrator for entry instructions.

5.3 Mandatory dates

Every portfolio must include selections from two mandatory weeks.

Mandatory week 1: Jan. 5-11, 2026
Mandatory week 2: [TO CONFIRM]

Organizations must select one daily edition and one Sunday edition from the two mandatory weeks, using opposite edition types.

For example, if an organization selects a Sunday edition from the first mandatory week, it must select a daily edition from the second mandatory week.

The remaining three selections must satisfy the full five-edition portfolio requirements.

5.4 Eligible content

A Print Portfolio may include:

Self-contained sports sections
Sports-related material published in other sections of the newspaper
Regularly scheduled sports supplements
Eligible special sections published as part of a full-day entry

Examples of regularly scheduled or live-oriented content include high school football wraps, college football game-day sections and quarterly outdoors sections.

New for 2026: Special sections may be incorporated into Print Portfolio entries as part of a complete publication day.

A special section cannot be submitted as a standalone Print Portfolio entry independent of the required full-day edition.

A special section included in a Print Portfolio cannot also be entered in Projects.

5.5 Submission requirements

Each of the five selected publication days must be submitted as a single PDF.

Organizations must identify their daily print deadlines on the entry key.

Judges may consider production deadlines when evaluating editorial decisions and execution.

A tutorial for preparing print sections as PDFs is available.

5.6 Judging criteria

Judges will evaluate portfolios for:

News judgment

Appropriate play and prominence of major stories
Strong staff-produced reporting
Coverage that reflects readers’ interests
Effective coordination of breaking news and major events
Efficient use of available space
Balance between local, regional and national sports coverage
Limited dependence on wire service material when original coverage is possible

Enterprise and originality

Investigative and enterprise reporting
Features, trends, analysis and scoops
Innovative recurring features
Original ideas that add value beyond routine coverage
Coverage that informs, explains and entertains

Breadth and relevance

A useful mix of news, features, opinion and event coverage
Appropriate scores, standings and results
Coverage of professional, college, high school and community sports relevant to the audience
Content that appeals to both dedicated and casual sports readers

Presentation

Strong editing and organization
Effective photography, graphics and design
Clear presentation of information
Visual coordination between stories and supporting elements

5.7 Selection of winners

Judges will select, but not rank, up to 10 winning portfolios in each division and may recognize up to 10 honorable mentions.

6. Digital Contest

Entries per organization: 1
Publishing examples per entry: 5
Additional evaluation: Live website judging
Cover letter: Not permitted

6.1 Purpose

The Digital Contest recognizes how effectively sports newsrooms use digital tools, platforms and storytelling techniques to inform and engage their audiences.

It evaluates both the newsroom’s strongest examples of digital journalism and the experience offered through its website.

Digital is part of APSE’s Triple Crown and Grand Slam awards. Organizations seeking those honors must enter the Digital Contest.

6.2 Judging components

The contest has two components:

Publishing examples: Recommended weight of 85%.
Live website judging: Recommended weight of 15%.

6.3 Publishing examples

Organizations must submit five examples demonstrating excellence in digital journalism.

Judges will consider how well the newsroom uses digital tools to tell stories, deliver information and engage readers.

Examples may include the following formats.

Digital storytelling

Individual stories that effectively combine reporting with photography, graphics, interactive elements, video, audio or other supporting features.

Judges should focus on how these elements improve the reader experience, rather than merely whether multimedia was included.

Video

Videos may stand alone or appear within larger stories.

Eligible examples include player profiles, analysis, live discussions, game highlights and other original editorial videos.

Videos must be produced by the entrant’s editorial department. Material produced by an affiliated television station is not eligible.

Reporter stand-ups, routine press conferences and locker-room interviews may be submitted, but are generally less competitive than videos demonstrating original storytelling and reporting.

Other multimedia

Examples include:

Original charts and graphics
Data visualizations
Game-film analysis with original reporting
Photo galleries
Podcasts

For a podcast publishing example, submit one episode and identify a 10-minute segment for judges to evaluate.

Interactive features

Examples include interactive graphics, reader quizzes, games and audience callouts.

Social media

Entrants may demonstrate how their newsroom uses social platforms to distribute journalism, reach new audiences and engage readers or sources.

Examples include Facebook groups, Instagram Live, TikTok videos, Reddit AMAs and social media threads.

Newsletters

Staff-written, staff-edited and staff-published newsletters are eligible.

Fully automated newsletters are not eligible.

6.4 Restrictions on duplicate entries

An organization may use no more than one story entered in a writing category as a Digital publishing example.

Exception: This limit does not apply to one-person newsrooms.

One-person newsrooms must identify themselves at the top of their Digital entry key.

Event Coverage has additional restrictions. For most newsrooms, items entered in Event Coverage cannot also appear in Digital.

One-person newsrooms may use the same material in Event Coverage and Digital, but cannot enter that material in a third writing category unless an express category exception applies.

6.5 Live website judging

Judges will evaluate the organization’s website, emphasizing the editorial experience rather than technical design features outside a sports editor’s control.

Judges should consider:

Variety and usefulness of content
Freshness and relevance of coverage
Effective story selection and placement
Strong, engaging headlines
Helpful related-content recommendations
Integration of photography, graphics, video and multimedia
Ease of finding important sports information
Whether the experience encourages readers to return

Mobile experience: Judges are encouraged to review digital entries on mobile devices. The weight given to the mobile experience remains at the judges’ discretion.

6.6 Video recognition

The separate Excellence in Video citations have been eliminated for 2026.

Video remains eligible as a Digital publishing example and in other categories that permit video.

Video will be evaluated as part of the overall Digital entry, rather than through a separate citation program.

7. Writing, Photography, Podcast and Projects Contest

Judging procedures

Unless otherwise specified in an individual category, entries will be evaluated through a two-stage judging process.

Preliminary judging

Judges select up to 10 finalists in each category and division.

A category may have its finalist group reduced to five if the number of entries does not justify a Top 10.

Preliminary judges independently rank the finalists on secret ballots, with 1 representing the strongest entry.

Final judging

The finalists advance to a second judging group, which independently ranks the entries.

The contest committee collects the judges’ ballots and calculates the results to determine final rankings.

Individual categories may have different judging arrangements, as noted in their rules.

7.1 Investigative

Entries per organization: 1
Items per entry: 1-10
Cover letter: Permitted
Divisions: None; all organizations compete together

What qualifies

Investigative entries must focus on one subject or issue and demonstrate significant original reporting that uncovers important facts or developments that otherwise might not have become public.

An entry cannot combine unrelated investigations.

Entry requirements

Submit up to 10 links, which may include articles, graphics, charts and multimedia.
Up to five contributors may be individually named. Use Staff if more than five people contributed.
Additional supporting links are permitted but are not required reading for judges.
A cover letter of no more than three paragraphs may be submitted.

Judging criteria

Judges will consider:

Originality and significance of the findings
Reporting initiative and enterprise
Quality of documentation
Resourcefulness and persistence
Verification and reliability of the reporting
Public impact and consequences of the investigation
Developments or reforms resulting from publication

Investigative reporting should be grounded in information discovered or independently verified by the journalists.

Articles for which payments were made in exchange for information are not eligible.

Cover letter requirements

A cover letter may explain:

Why publication occurred at a particular time
Significant challenges in obtaining information
Relevant sourcing or documentation issues
The broader context of the investigation
Impact on the community or people affected
Important developments following publication

The letter should not merely praise the reporting.

7.2 Beat Writing

Categories and entry limits

APSE recognizes three Beat Writing categories.

Category	Divisions	Entries per organization
National Beat Writing	All entries judged together	2
Team/Locality Beat Writing	A, B, C and D	2
High School Beat Writing	A and B	1
High School Beat Writing	C and D	2

National Beat Writing recognizes reporting on an entire league, sport or national subject, rather than a single franchise or locality.

Examples include national NFL coverage, the Olympics, a college athletic conference or national sports media.

Team/Locality Beat Writing recognizes coverage of a particular team, university, community or geographic sports beat.

Examples include an MLB franchise, a university athletic department or community sports coverage in a defined city or region.

High School Beat Writing recognizes sustained and authoritative coverage of high school sports.

Entry requirements

Each entry must represent the work of one author over the 2026 calendar year.

A Beat Writing entry consists of four items:

Breaking news: One story covering a significant news development on the beat.
Event or game coverage: One story about a game or event. This may be a column or sidebar.
Feature or enterprise: One story demonstrating depth, originality or reporting beyond routine coverage.
Wild card: One additional example that strengthens the portfolio. This may be another article, analysis or eligible multimedia.

Entries should demonstrate comprehensive, authoritative coverage across the year.

A collection focused overwhelmingly on a single event or tournament is not sufficient to establish yearlong beat excellence.

Eligible multimedia for the wild card

The fourth item may include:

A newsletter authored by the entrant
Game predictions, report cards or mailbags
Original charts or graphics researched and produced by the entrant
Video shot and scripted by the writer, with the writer serving as the primary voice
Social media content created, hosted or moderated by the entrant
One podcast episode featuring the entrant as host or primary contributor

Videos produced by affiliated television stations are not eligible.

Podcast episodes longer than 30 minutes may be submitted, but entrants risk judges not listening to the full episode. Entrants should identify particularly strong portions in their cover letters.

Multiple bylines

The breaking news component may include multiple bylines if:

The story concerns the entrant’s regular beat.
The entrant performed the primary reporting and writing.

The other components should demonstrate the work of the individual beat writer.

Cover letter requirements

A cover letter of no more than three paragraphs must provide:

A description of the scope and responsibilities of the reporter’s beat.
An explanation of how the four submissions demonstrate excellence across the beat.
Clarification of the entrant’s role when a breaking news story has additional bylines.
Clarification of responsibilities when a multimedia component involved other contributors.

Relevant indicators of the reporter’s authority or engagement may be included, but the letter should avoid promotional language.

Duplicate-entry exception

Beat Writing is an exception to the contest’s general rule against entering the same article in multiple writing categories.

Articles in a Beat Writing entry may also appear in another eligible writing category.

A single story from a Projects entry may also be used in Beat Writing.

No item entered in Event Coverage may also appear in Beat Writing.

7.3 Breaking News

Entries per organization: 2
Stories per entry: 1
Cover letter: Permitted
Divisions: A, B, C and D

What qualifies

Breaking News recognizes timely reporting on important sports developments during the most recent news cycle.

Examples include:

Trades and transactions
Hirings and firings
Franchise relocations
Major changes involving teams, athletes or organizations
Other significant sports developments requiring timely coverage

The organization does not have to be the first to report the news, although judges may consider whether it broke the story.

Entry requirements

Submit one article per entry.
No supplemental material is permitted.
A cover letter may be submitted.

Team reporting

New for 2026: The former two-writer maximum has been eliminated.

A Breaking News entry may include work produced by larger reporting teams.

The general rules governing multiple publications and credited contributors still apply.

Judging criteria

Judges should consider:

Timeliness of reporting
Newsworthiness and impact
Original information
Accuracy and completeness
Depth of sourcing
Clarity and quality of writing
Whether the organization broke the news or advanced the story

Cover letter requirements

A cover letter of no more than three paragraphs should explain:

Who from the organization broke the news, if applicable
When the information was obtained relative to publication
Relevant reporting circumstances not apparent from the story

7.4 Columns

Entries per organization: 2
Articles per entry: 4
Cover letter: Not permitted
Divisions: A, B, C and D

Entry requirements

Each entry must include four columns.

At least one of the four articles must be an opinion piece.

There are no restrictions on subject matter, and columns do not need to have appeared on a regular publishing schedule.

Judging criteria

Judges will consider:

Writing quality
Distinctive voice and style
Originality of ideas
Strength of perspective and analysis
Relevance to the readership
Ability to engage and hold the reader’s attention

Restrictions

A column entered in Columns cannot also be entered in Event Coverage.

The general restrictions on entering the same article in multiple writing categories also apply, unless an express exception permits reuse.

7.5 Event Coverage

Entries per organization: 1
Items per entry: 1-5
Entry window: 24 hours
Cover letter: Not permitted
Divisions: A, B, C and D

What qualifies

Event Coverage recognizes comprehensive, creative and timely journalism produced around a significant sports event.

The category emphasizes how a newsroom captures developments as they happen and responds to important moments.

The event’s importance to the publication’s audience matters more than its national prominence.

Eligible events might include a championship game, major tournament, significant community sporting event or another major sports-related occurrence.

Coverage of a prominent death also may qualify.

The 24-hour window

New for 2026: All submitted items must fall within one consecutive 24-hour period. The previous 48-hour window has been eliminated.

The entry window no longer must include both the beginning and end of the event.

An organization may select the 24-hour period that best demonstrates its coverage, provided all submitted items were published within that window.

The entry must remain focused on journalism produced around the event.

Reporting expectations

Most reporting should occur during the event coverage period.

Entries should not rely primarily on material researched and completed well before the event. For example, the entry should not rely on several deeply reported athlete profiles completed in advance. One profile being included as part of the entry is acceptable.

Entry requirements

Submit up to five items, which may include:

News stories
Game stories
Columns
Videos
Photo galleries
Charts and graphics
Podcasts
Social media posts
Other relevant journalism

Content may come from print or digital platforms.

Entrants must:

Identify the beginning and end of the selected 24-hour window.
List all submitted items in chronological order.
Include the exact publication time next to each item.
Include no more than five required judging items.

Additional supplemental links may be provided but are not required reading.

Special circumstances

A prewritten obituary may be included in coverage of a prominent death if the entry also contains live reaction or analysis.

Entries involving multiple publications must comply with the general rules on collaborative work and circulation divisions.

Contributor credits

Up to five contributors may be individually named. If more than five people are credited, use Staff.

Judging criteria

Judges will evaluate:

Timeliness and responsiveness
Breadth and completeness of coverage
Originality and enterprise
Reporting produced during the event
Creativity across platforms
Quality of writing, analysis and presentation
Relevance to the audience

Duplicate-entry restrictions

Items submitted in Event Coverage generally cannot be submitted in another writing category, including Beat Writing, or in Digital.

One-person newsrooms may use the same material in Event Coverage and Digital, but not in another writing category unless an express exception applies.

7.6 Explanatory

Entries per organization: 1
Stories per entry: 1
Cover letter: Not permitted
Divisions: A/B and C/D, subject to number of entries

What qualifies

Explanatory recognizes reporting that helps readers understand how and why important sports issues, trends and developments occur.

Strong explanatory journalism:

Illuminates complex subjects
Explores causes, consequences or underlying systems
Reveals new information or understanding
Combines thorough reporting with accessible writing
Goes beyond the immediate developments of a breaking news story

Explanatory entries may address original ideas, emerging trends or subjects already in the news.

Data reporting can be especially effective in this category.

Entry requirements

Submit one article per entry.
Accompanying sidebars, graphics, charts or multimedia may be included as supplemental material.
Judges are not required to review supplemental materials.
No cover letters are permitted.

Team reporting

New for 2026: The former two-writer maximum has been eliminated.

Larger reporting teams are eligible. Up to five contributors may be individually named. If more than five people are credited, use Staff.

Judging criteria

Judges should consider:

Clarity of explanation
Originality of reporting
Depth of research
Ability to make complex topics understandable
Strength of sourcing
Organization and writing quality
Value to readers

Explanatory reporting should provide greater context than a conventional breaking news or profile story without necessarily requiring the scale of a Projects entry.

7.7 Long Feature

Entries per organization: 2
Stories per entry: 1
Cover letter: Not permitted
Divisions: A, B, C and D

Length requirements

Divisions A and B: 1,401 words or more
Divisions C and D: 1,101 words or more

Shorter stories may be entered in Long Feature.

Entry requirements

Submit one article per entry.
No sidebars or supplemental materials are allowed.
Each writer may have only one individual entry, subject to the general team-entry rule.

How to calculate word counts

To determine the word count:

Copy the full article into a Google Doc.
Remove headlines, photo captions, summaries, subheads, advertisements, related links, pull quotes and other material that is not part of the article text.
Remove bylines and contributor taglines.
Count the remaining words in the article.

Judging criteria

Judges will evaluate:

Quality of writing
Depth and thoroughness of reporting
Originality
Narrative structure
Character development, when relevant
Reader interest and engagement

An article originally published as a column may be disqualified.

7.8 Short Feature

Entries per organization: 2
Stories per entry: 1
Cover letter: Not permitted
Divisions: A, B, C and D

Length requirements

Divisions A and B: 1,400 words or fewer
Divisions C and D: 1,100 words or fewer

Entry requirements

Submit one article per entry.
No sidebars or supplemental materials are allowed.
The editor must provide the word count.
Each writer may have only one individual entry, subject to the general team-entry rule.

How to calculate word counts

To determine the word count:

Copy the full article into a Google Doc.
Remove headlines, photo captions, summaries, subheads, advertisements, related links, pull quotes and other material that is not part of the article text.
Remove bylines and contributor taglines.
Count the remaining words in the article.

Entries exceeding the word limit

An entry exceeding the applicable maximum will be disqualified.

If a story does not qualify because of its length, an organization may move it into Long Feature or replace it with another eligible story, provided the change occurs no later than one week after the original entry deadline.

Judging criteria

Judges will evaluate:

Quality of writing
Thoroughness of reporting
Originality
Effective storytelling
Reader interest

An article originally published as a column may be disqualified.

7.9 Excellence in Transgender Sports Journalism

New category for 2026

Entries per organization: 2
Divisions: A, B, C and D
Eligible work: Breaking news, investigative reporting, features and commentary

Purpose

This category recognizes outstanding journalism about transgender people in sports, with an emphasis on reporting excellence, accuracy, fairness and adherence to established journalistic standards.

The award recognizes journalism that brings depth, context and humanity to coverage of transgender athletes and the broader transgender community in sports.

Eligible work may examine athletes’ experiences, policies governing participation, legal developments and other issues at the intersection of sports and gender identity.

Entry requirements

Organizations may submit up to two entries.

Divisions A and B

Each entry must contain two stories, with at least one author appearing on both pieces.

Divisions C and D

Each entry must contain one story.

Author and team restrictions

An organization’s two entries must represent different individual authors or reporting teams.

An author may appear as part of a team on one entry and as an individual author or member of a different reporting team on another entry. However, an organization may not submit two entries by the same individual author or the same reporting team.

News stories, features and columns are eligible.

Reporting and ethical standards

Entries are expected to demonstrate substantive adherence to the professional reporting and language guidance established by three journalism organizations:

Judging criteria

Judges will evaluate entries based on:

Accuracy and context: Whether reporting presents verified facts accurately, distinguishes facts from claims and provides appropriate context for scientific and statistical evidence.
Sourcing: The credibility, relevance and diversity of sources and the extent to which reporting supports its findings.
Fairness and representation: Whether transgender people are represented fairly, with appropriate attention to their experiences and perspectives.
Language and terminology: Appropriate use of names, pronouns and terminology consistent with established professional guidance.
Reporting quality: Depth, originality, editorial independence and sound journalistic judgment.

Entries should avoid misinformation, sensationalism and unsupported generalizations.

Judges should reward journalism that demonstrates rigorous reporting, editorial independence, sound judgment and respect for the people whose lives are covered.

Substantial departures from these standards may affect judging or result in disqualification.

Duplicate-entry exception

Work submitted in Excellence in Transgender Sports Journalism may also be entered in another eligible APSE contest category.

This exception takes precedence over the general prohibition against submitting the same work in more than one writing category.

All other applicable entry requirements must be satisfied.

7.10 Podcast and Video Analysis

Expanded category for 2026

Entries per organization: 1
Selections per entry: 1-3
Required judging material: 20 total minutes
Cover letter: Not permitted

Purpose

Podcast and Video Analysis recognizes excellence in sports journalism delivered through audio or video programming.

The category includes podcasts and video analysis, with an emphasis on reporting, insight, expertise, and effective presentation.

Entry requirements

Organizations may submit between one and three podcast or video selections as a single entry.

Entrants must provide direct links to the submitted work.

Selecting material for judging

Entrants may identify up to 20 total minutes across their submitted selections for judges to evaluate.

The 20-minute allotment applies to the complete entry, not separately to each episode or video.

For example, an organization submitting three selections could identify:

Selection 1: 8 minutes
Selection 2: 7 minutes
Selection 3: 5 minutes

Together, these excerpts would total 20 minutes.

Entrants should provide precise starting and ending timestamps for every selected segment.

If an entrant does not identify a 20-minute selection, judges will choose which portions to evaluate.

Judges may listen to or watch more than 20 minutes if they wish, but they are not required to do so.

Judging criteria

Judges will consider:

Quality and originality of analysis
Depth of knowledge and insight
Clarity of presentation
Reporting and factual accuracy
Professionalism
Quality of audio or video production
Effectiveness of the program format
Value delivered to the audience

Additional clarification

All selections must focus on the same topic or include the same journalist(s) in the podcast/video.

7.11 Projects

Entries per organization: 1
Content elements per entry: 1-5
Optional sixth element: Print layout of an eligible special section
Cover letter: Not permitted
Divisions: A, B, C and D

What qualifies

Projects recognizes ambitious, planned journalism conceived and executed as a larger body of work.

A Project must shed new light on important sports personalities, trends, issues or original ideas.

It should demonstrate a unified editorial purpose rather than simply assemble several stories covering the same subject.

A collection of routine or ongoing news coverage does not qualify merely because its stories share a topic.

Eligible content

A Project may include:

Written stories
Multimedia reporting
Video or audio series
Long-form documentaries
Podcasts
Data visualizations
Interactive journalism
Special sections
Other integrated forms of sports storytelling

Standard entry requirements

An organization may submit up to five content elements.

Each element should be provided as a direct link, and the materials should collectively demonstrate the Project’s scope and impact.

Additional links may be provided as supplemental material, but judges are not required to review them.

Special sections

New for 2026: The standalone Special Sections category has been eliminated. Eligible special sections may now be entered in Projects.

If an organization submits a special section:

It may include up to five stories or other content elements from the section.
If all five submitted elements were published on the same day as part of that special section, the entrant may submit the complete print layout as a sixth element.
The sixth element is intended to allow judges to evaluate how the entire section was presented.
The print layout does not count against the five-content-element limit when the above conditions are satisfied.

If the five content elements were not all published on the same day as part of the special section, the optional sixth-element allowance does not apply.

Special section eligibility

Special sections are unified, themed packages of coverage.

They may contain live news relevant to the section’s subject, but should not include unrelated material.

Content from sister publications

A special section may include material produced by network or sister publications.

However, judges should place greater weight on original local or staff-produced journalism and may consider how much the submitting newsroom contributed to the content and presentation.

Contributor credits

Up to five contributors may be individually named.

If more than five people worked on the Project, use Staff.

Judging criteria

Judges will evaluate:

Originality and ambition
Editorial coherence
Depth and quality of reporting
Significance and reader impact
Creativity and execution
Effective use of appropriate storytelling formats
Overall presentation

For special sections, judges also may consider:

Strength and consistency of the theme
Integration of writing, photography, graphics and design
Visual appeal and organization
Quality of editing
Usefulness and relevance of the content
Overall effectiveness of the package

Duplicate-entry restrictions

A special section cannot be entered in both Projects and Print Portfolio.

Material entered in Projects generally cannot be entered in another writing category.

Exceptions:

One story from a Project may also appear in Beat Writing.
Eligible work may also be entered in Excellence in Transgender Sports Coverage under that category’s explicit exception.

These restrictions also apply to optional supplemental material.

Violations may result in disqualification of the affected entries.

7.12 Sports Photo Portfolio

New category for 2026

Entries per organization: 2
Photographs per entry: 4
Cover letter: Not permitted

Purpose

Sports Photo Portfolio replaces the separate Action Photo and Feature Photo categories.

The category recognizes photographers who demonstrate outstanding sports photography across different kinds of assignments and visual storytelling.

Entry requirements

Each portfolio must include four photographs:

At least one action photograph
At least one feature photograph
Two additional photographs selected by the entrant

The remaining two images may be action or feature photographs, or a combination of both.

The portfolio should demonstrate the photographer’s skill, versatility and visual range.

Photograph submission

Each photograph must be submitted individually.

Photo galleries are not eligible as a substitute for individual photographs.

Entrants should download or otherwise prepare each individual image according to the instructions in the entry key.

Judging criteria

Judges should consider:

Visual impact
Composition
Timing
Storytelling
Technical execution
Originality
Range across the four submitted photographs
Overall strength and consistency of the portfolio

Photographer eligibility

Each photographer may only enter one portfolio.

8. Important restrictions and reminders

Before submitting, organizations should review these rules carefully.

Do not enter the same story twice unless an exception applies

Most writing categories prohibit duplicate submissions of the same material.

Review the general rules, along with the specific rules for Beat Writing, Digital, Event Coverage, Projects and Excellence in Transgender Sports Coverage.

Respect entry limits

Each category has a maximum number of entries per organization and a maximum number of items per entry.

Entries exceeding these limits may be disqualified.

Verify publication times in Event Coverage

All Event Coverage materials must fit within one consecutive 24-hour period.

Every item must be listed chronologically, with its publication time shown next to the entry number.

Verify feature word counts

Short Feature entries must meet the applicable maximum word count.

Long Feature uses a different length threshold, and shorter stories are allowed.

Exclude non-story material when calculating counts.

Verify photo portfolio composition

Every Sports Photo Portfolio must include four photographs, including at least one action image and at least one feature image.

Do not duplicate special sections

A special section may be included in Projects or Print Portfolio, but not both.

Identify audio and video timestamps

Podcast and Video Analysis entrants should specify up to 20 total minutes for judging.

If no selection is provided, judges will choose which portions to evaluate.

Keep all submitted content accessible

Broken links, expired credentials and restrictive sharing permissions can prevent judges from evaluating entries.

Check all access arrangements before submission.

9. Questions and contest assistance

Organizations with questions about entry eligibility, divisions, technical submissions or category requirements should contact the APSE Contest administrator.

Email: apsecontest@gmail.com

Entrants are encouraged to resolve eligibility questions before submitting by contacting Erik Hall.

10. Final submission checklist

Before notifying APSE that your entries are complete, confirm that:

All submitted work meets the applicable 2026 eligibility requirements.
The organization name is accurate and complete.
The correct circulation or audience information has been provided.
All entry limits have been followed.
Writer, photographer and team credits are accurate.
Cover letters appear only in permitted categories.
All links open and any necessary login credentials work.
Google files are shared with the appropriate permissions.
Every Short Feature entry includes a word count.
Event Coverage items include publication times and are in chronological order.
All Event Coverage items fall within one 24-hour period.
Podcast and Video Analysis entries include selected timestamps, if applicable.
Sports Photo Portfolios include four photographs and satisfy the action/feature requirements.
No special section appears in both Projects and Print Portfolio.
All duplicate-entry rules and exceptions have been reviewed.
Print Portfolio PDFs and publication deadlines have been provided.
The entry key status has been changed to Completed.
An ENTRY COMPLETE email containing the Google folder link has been sent to apsecontest@gmail.com.

The entry process is complete only after the organization has finished its entry keys and notified APSE.