How to Become a Football Analyst
Are you always making the right picks on game day? Do your friends come to you for advice on which running back to pick in the late rounds of their fantasy drafts? Then you might have what it takes for a career as a football analyst. While the field is difficult to crack, there are steps you can take to become the next big name in football analysis.
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Instructions
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Become a Football Analyst
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Study the game. To be a successful analyst, your knowledge of football at all levels must be almost encyclopedic. Your analysis must be comprehensive and interesting, so bone up on all things football.
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Practice. To break into this field, you'll need to be able to talk about football to more than just your friends. A good way to start is to launch a blog where you discuss the sport. It might not mean much exposure, but it will give you a chance to hone your craft. Blogger.com will let you start a blog for free.
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Train. Try to have your writing examined by some professionals to see if they can offer you some pointers. You could also try to secure an internship at a local newspaper's sports department, or at a television or radio station if you prefer to be a broadcast analyst. Be persistent, as these internships are in high demand and can be very hard to get.
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Network. Make contacts at your internship. Try to use some of these contacts to form a relationship with local college and professional teams. Most analysts start out as beat writers for a local football team, so try to see if you can take over a beat or at least help the current beat writer out. This will mean you'll be doing straight reporting and not analysis, but it is a good first step. You could also try to work for a reputable sports website if your local media outlets aren't interested.
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Push for the promotion to analyst. After a few years on the beat, ask your superiors if you can expand to a column or regular analytical segment. Once you've built up an audience and some real credibility, you could be well on your way to the big-time.
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Tips & Warnings
There is no guarantee you'll make it as a football analyst. Sports journalism is hard to break into because so many people want to do it. Be patient, and be prepared for rejection.
