By Jorge Rojas
APSE president
You’re going to want to attend the summer conference in Las Vegas.
That is my message to APSE members, friends and past stalwarts as we prepare to celebrate our 50th year on July 9-12 at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino.
I’m dedicating most of this “President’s Report” to the conference because there is a lot of information to share. It promises to be a great event.
The highlights
— We are expecting close to 25 past presidents in attendance (we’re at a tentative 22) to commemorate our half-century of success, including Dave Smith, our founding father who was the first president of APSE from 1974-76 (and the only two-year Prez), plus other Red Smith Award-winning presidents Bill Dwyre and Henry Freeman. We also are hopeful several other Red Smith winners, such as Leon Carter and George Solomon, will attend.
— There will be several Don’t Miss occasions: Claire Smith accepting this year’s Red Smith Award; a special APSE at 50 general session; a keynote conversation with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver; a fun opening night at the Mob Museum; and a festive awards banquet. There are also plenty of sessions planned that will address key aspects of our business: Coverage strategies for Gambling and Women’s Sports; What Reporters Now Need in Their Toolbox; the Changing Landscape of College Sports; Professional Development and Self Investment; and How We Did It (celebrating great work). The latter three will feature “stations,” so attendees can choose which areas of specialty they want to explore.
— Our sponsorships are going well. Major League Soccer is our title sponsor (thank you MLS for stepping up once again) and many of our desired slots are filled. AP, Showtime Boxing, ESPN, The Athletic, NHL, Professional Bull Riders, NASCAR, Philadelphia Inquirer, Temple University, National Football Foundation, MLB, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Los Angeles Times, Seattle Times and APSE Foundation are all on board! This is in large part thanks to the hard work of APSE fundraising guru Tommy Deas.
A key for us is to persuade members, former members, writers, old friends, relatives, students, bystanders and Elvis impersonators to join the jubilee AND … to stay at the Flamingo at a rate of less than $100/night (tax included, and we have negotiated renovated rooms). The hotel reservation deadline is June 6, so act fast! There is a firm deadline of June 30 to register for the conference.
Here’s some background and a presidential plea: In the aftermath of COVID-19, APSE has successfully extricated itself from room-shortage penalties (thanks greatly to conference coordinator Glen Crevier) from our past three conferences, and now we have a big chance here to pull even. We have a great schedule on tap, so hopefully you will see that this year’s conference is worth your participation. The Flamingo has a great location and you can’t beat the price. It should be a great opportunity to catch up with old friends, learn about your business, network with colleagues, have fun, and be part of this milestone moment in the history of our great organization.
So come one, come all, and let’s have a ball.
Here’s where to register and book your hotel (the hotel link is on the top right):
As for the rest of my report, let’s condense it. Still on the docket before the end of my term: 1) Address the immediate future of our regions, which have stagnated in the wake of the pandemic; 2) Ensure that the TIDES diversity questionnaire is distributed to all of our members; 3) Send out our third survey, this one on APSE’s membership/contest dues structures, in hopes of determining a more modern and fair dividing line for our members’ circulation/readership figures and the sizes of publications (this is a tough one); 4) Get the APSE newsletter back up and running (they’ve been on hiatus). 5) Continue to work with Naila-Jean Meyers on student chapters, with a goal of adding more at the beginning of the school year in the fall; and 6) Raise money. Many of you will recall that we added a donation button on the navigation bar of the APSE website home page (apsportseditors.com). I asked members to consider donating $22 in 2022 or $23 in 2023. If you haven’t donated, now is a great time. I’ll explain in the final President’s Report and maybe at the conference why a successful, thriving APSE Foundation is what’s best for APSE in the long run. For now, I’ll just say every little bit helps and donations to the Foundation are tax-deductible. Any deep-pocketed individuals wishing to donate directly to APSE can always contact executive director Bill Eichenberger at billapse707@gmail.com or mail APSE at P.O. Box 699, Huntington, N.Y., 11743.
Thank you for hearing me out, and I’m looking forward to seeing you in Las Vegas!
Along with the dignitaries listed above, we are in the process of locking in speakers, moderators and panelists. A finalized schedule will be published and distributed soon.
Tentative APSE Summer Conference Schedule
Sunday schedule (July 9)
3 p.m.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE/GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
Presiding: Jorge Rojas, APSE president
6 p.m.-10 p.m.
OPENING RECEPTION
Where: The Mob Museum (300 Stewart Ave. Las Vegas)
Transportation: Buses leave at 6 p.m. and return at 10 p.m.
Monday’s schedule (July 10)
WORKSHOP
9 a.m.-10:15 a.m.
A REPORTER’S TOOLBOX: HOW TO PRIORITIZE AND MANAGE WORKLOADS
We all want to expose the big scandal, write the in-depth investigation or the heartstring-pulling feature. But how many times have those pieces not generated the page views or subscriptions you thought or hoped for? And then there is the 5 things to know or “listicle” you threw together and it goes analytics gangbusters?
Both types of reporting need to be in a journalist’s toolbox to give your readers the meat and dessert and to keep fresh content on your digital platforms during the season and the offseason. So how do reporters maximize their time and accomplish both? How do you balance working on bigger pieces with having to produce 5 things to know, what we learned and other page-view candy? And how do we incorporate social media into the mix? We’ll discuss what some have found works, what doesn’t, and how you juggle it all.
WORKSHOP
9 a.m.-10:15 a.m.
BOOM OR BUST: COVERING SPORTS BUSINESS
It’s really all about the money. But how can you convey those dollars to your readers without boring them to death? Las Vegas leads this era of the “booming sports town,” and the new arenas and stadiums that come with it. Even at the minor-league and high-school level, new facilities are popping up everywhere. What are some effective ways to research and report on this growth process — and the likely public money that’s involved — without being dry?
GENERAL SESSION
10:30 a.m.-Noon
BEATING THE ODDS
How can we cover sports betting without losing our shirts … or our way? Sports betting is here. It is not going away. It can no longer be ignored if your coverage is to maintain relevance. We take a look at what news organizations are doing and should be doing when it comes to gambling. How much is too much .., or not enough? Why should we treat legal gambling any differently than any other element of the game? How is it changing the way fans watch games?
LUNCH / GENERAL SESSION
12:15 p.m.-2 p.m.
THE RISE OF WOMEN’S SPORTS
The numbers show audiences have been captivated by the most compelling stories in women’s sports. The Women’s Final Four games were arguably better than the men’s and drew huge TV ratings. Soon, the popular U.S. women’s national soccer team will be on center stage again at the World Cup. Whether it’s LSU and Angel Reese handing a loss to Iowa and Caitlin Clark, or Brittney Griner’s troubles in Russia, or Mikaela Shiffrin’s struggles and triumphs, people are watching with great interest. Is the media rising to the occasion or falling behind?
WORKSHOP (REPEAT FROM MORNING SESSION)
2:15 p.m.-3:15 p.m.
BOOM OR BUST: COVERING SPORTS BUSINESS
It’s really all about the money. But how can you convey those dollars to your readers without boring them to death? Las Vegas leads this era of the “booming sports town,” and the new arenas and stadiums that come with it. Even at the minor-league and high-school level, new facilities are popping up everywhere. What are some effective ways to research and report on this growth process — and the likely public money that’s involved — without being dry?
WORKSHOP
2:15-3:15 p.m.
AVOIDING TUNNEL VISION: PLANNING ADVICE FOR EDITORS OF ALL SIZES
It doesn’t take much for editors in small shops (or shrinking bigger ones) to get caught up in the day-to-day. Advance planning has really taken a step backward. Are you getting caught with events sneaking up on you that you could have had in the forefront? Have you become more of an event planner than a coverage planner? Here are some tips on how to be a better planner and how to incorporate planning into your busy workloads.
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
3:30-4:15 p.m.
A CONVERSATION WITH NBA COMMISSIONER ADAM SILVER
It has been another interesting year for the NBA. With LeBron James setting the all-time scoring record, a new collective bargaining agreement and the recent issues involving young star Ja Morant, there’s a lot to talk about. Commissioner Silver will sit down with ESPN NBA reporter Kendra Andrews for a one-on-one interview, and he’ll take questions afterward.
THE LATEST ON AP’s EVOLVING, EASY-TO-USE COVERAGE
4:30 p.m.-5:45 p.m.
Location I and II
Learn how The Associated Press is evolving its coverage and making it easier to use its content. Also, the latest scoop on the AP Sports team’s planned coverage for the Women’s World Cup, the Ryder Cup, the Summer Olympics in Paris and upcoming major sports seasons.
PANELISTS: Oscar Dixon, AP deputy global sports editor, Atlanta; Jake Seiner, AP assistant sports editor; Barry Bedlan, AP global product director, Dallas.
6 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
AP WELCOME RECEPTION
Location: Garden View Terrace
Tuesday’s schedule (July 11)
GENERAL SESSION
9:30 a.m.-Noon
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SELF INVESTMENT
Things are moving quickly in the sports media business. Are you prepared to pivot to your next job? Have you been asked to switch to a new role in your newsroom? Or just reassigned? We’ll spend the morning discussing topics such as work environments, networking, managing up, and investing in yourself. From internships to interviews to career decisions, our interactive stations will feature managers and specialists who can help you navigate any rough seas and get the training you need to ride a wave of success.
RED SMITH AWARD LUNCH
12:15 p.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday
Presenter: Jon Pessah
Honoree: Claire Smith
ABOUT CLAIRE SMITH
In April, Claire Smith was voted the winner of the 2023 Red Smith Award, regarded as the highest sports journalism honor in the United States. She is the first African American woman to win the award, given annually by APSE to a writer or editor who has made major contributions to sports journalism. Smith is the sixth woman and fourth Black journalist to win the award.
Her accomplishments are too many to list. Here are just a few. In 1990, Smith became The New York Times’ first national baseball columnist and the second national baseball columnist in the country, holding that position for eight years. She moved to the Philadelphia Inquirer in 1998, where she served as an assistant sports editor and columnist until 2007. She then worked at ESPN from 2007 to 2021. A graduate of Temple University, Smith returned to her alma mater in July 2021 as an assistant professor with the Klein School of Media and Communications and the Claire Smith Center for Sports Media.
In July 2017, Smith received the BBWAA Career Excellence Award for her “meritorious contributions to baseball writing,” considered the highest honor in baseball writing.
GENERAL SESSION / APSE AT 50
2:15 p.m.-3:45 p.m.
GOLDEN YEARS: THE BACK STORIES AND PIVOTAL MOMENTS THAT LED APSE TO GREATNESS
As APSE celebrates its 50th year, we look back at some of the pivotal moments and great stories that shaped our organization. It hasn’t been all fun and games, but expect some comical myths and truths to be revealed about such legends as Dave Smith, Ed Storin, Bill Dwyre, George Solomon, Van McKenzie, Sandy Rosenbush and Garry D. Howard. Could all the tales we’ve heard be accurate or were they embellished over the years? We’ll stroll down memory lane, decade by decade.
GENERAL SESSION
4 p.m.-5:30 p.m.
THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF COLLEGE SPORTS
While the games still matter, covering a college sports beat has changed dramatically in the past decade, and that change has accelerated to breakneck speed since the COVID-19 pandemic started three years ago. Not only must your reporters be able to analyze what happened on the field, but they’d also better be well-versed in recruiting, know who to talk to about the transfer portal in all sports; engage in broadening Name, Image and Likeness discussions; and be able to decipher how the university is balancing budgets that are soaring into nine figures.
What are the best practices in hitting these topics? Where can you find this information in the quickest, most efficient way? And what kinds of stories are readers responding to most? This session will include a presentation of the Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database that shows where the public Division I schools are spending ever-increasing revenues. Journalists will learn how they can analyze it across schools and conferences, and leave with examples of story ideas they could pitch in their newsrooms.
Wednesday’s schedule (July 12)
GENERAL SESSION
10 a.m. – Noon
HOW WE DID IT: EXAMINING THE BEST WORK OF 2022
While we’re doing all this celebrating, why not celebrate excellence from the 2022 APSE contest? We’ll bring in some of the winners to discuss their impactful stories, columns, projects and investigative pieces and what made them stand out. Was it developing sources, dogged reporting, perfect timing or something else? A closer look at some success stories (and videos) and why they rose to the top.
CLOSING EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
2 p.m.
Presiding: Naila-Jean Meyers, incoming APSE president
AWARDS BANQUET
6 p.m.
RECEPTION
7 p.m.
DINNER and AWARDS PROGRAM
9:30 p.m.-11 p.m.
CLOSING RECEPTION
