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August 26, 2025

The Fast-Paced World of the Modern Sports Journalist

The Fast-Paced World of the Modern Sports Journalist

In recent years, the public awareness of the modern sports journalist has grown significantly. 

40 million Instagram followers will tell you that a large part of this can be attributed to Fabrizio Romano, whose unique catchphrase and sponsored posts introduced the role of influencer journalist to the world.

But behind the mammoth social media following and focus on yt is a symbol of how the job has changed in modern times.

Toyosi Afolayan is a Nigerian sports journalist with multiple years of experience covering domestic and international football as a writer, presenter, and analyst, and this adaptability is a skill that he sees as vital in today’s multimedia industry.

“You need to be able to write, present, and use digital tools,” Toyosi told GIS.

If you’re an aspiring journalist, you may be curious about what a typical day in your future role might look like.

Well, that would be a trick question. “No two days look the same,” explains Toyosi, “and that’s what keeps it interesting.

“It’s about chasing stories and finding angles. Some days you’re pitching ideas, while on other days, you’re racing against the clock to meet deadlines.”

As for the content itself, Toyosi is constantly switching between writing longer-form features and covering breaking stories, the latter being the content that the digital-age favours.

There have been studies on Fabrizio Romano’s content that highlight his work as symbolic of contemporary sports journalism – he neither covers individual games nor focuses on controversial issues. This underlines the diversity of the modern sports journalist, and the many changing responsibilities that they have.

The same can be said all over the world. Working from Lagos, Toyosi went on to explain the opportunities and challenges that arise in the Nigerian media industry.

“The good part is the passion. Nigerians live and breathe sports, so there’s always an audience hungry for content.

“Opportunities are opening up in the digital spaces, such as podcasts, social media, and independent platforms.”

Hurdles then arise in the area of opportunities for growing journalists. 

“The challenge is the system itself: limited resources, and fewer established routes for growth. But those same gaps push you to be creative and build your own path.”

Skills such as creativity and perseverance are fundamental if you want to be a journalist. Consistency is another. “Sports journalism rewards people who keep showing up,” Toyosi continued.

“Building relationships matters too, as access can make or break a story.”

Finally, he pointed towards the importance of curiosity, saying: “You need to ask questions others don’t.”

Overall, the role of a sports journalist is undoubtedly changing, with the online focus leading to less emphasis on printed newspapers and long-form articles.

Instead, opportunities are stemming from multimedia content, particularly on social media, which has given rise to the fast-paced work of content creators.

To equip yourself with the tools, knowledge, and network needed to understand and thrive in the modern world of sports journalism, have a look at our MSc Sports Marketing & Media programme, which features modules from Sports Media Management to Sports Media Content Creation.

Article by Zakaria Anani

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