Let’s face it — most freelance writers don’t have what it takes to be a professional athlete. And that’s okay. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t do an excellent job writing about sports, from reporting on the latest sports news to in-depth analysis about the in-game action.
There are tons of great freelance sports writing jobs out there, and they can pay really well in many instances (some of the sports blogging jobs we’ll reveal below pay $1,000 or more per article!).
Sports writing jobs can consist of everything from contributing to a dedicated team blog to interviewing athletes to covering breaking news to statistical analysis and more.
Admittedly, trying to land these gigs can be pretty competitive (who wouldn’t want to get paid to write about sports?!). But there are still plenty of opportunities out there to make money writing about sports.
In the guide below, you’ll learn everything you need to know to start getting sports writing/blogging jobs to further your freelance writing career.
How Much Do Sports Writers Get Paid?
Paid freelance sports writing jobs can pay from as little $25 all the way up to $1,000 or more per article. In general, you’ll get paid a lot more writing feature pieces for print sports publications as opposed to cranking out short news pieces on sports blogging jobs.
That’s not to say you can’t make money writing about sports online. As you’ll see below, there are many digital publications with sports writing gigs that pay well. But in general, print is where the real money is with freelance sports writing.
How Do You Become a Sports Writer?
The good news is there are more sports writing job opportunities available today than at any time before. Go back just a couple of decades, and the only real sports writing jobs were for newspapers or magazines. But that’s changed quite a bit.
Now, sports writers not only have newspapers and magazine opportunities available, but they can also write for different sports blogs, team websites, league websites, social media pages, email newsletters, or even their own blog.
If you want to get into sports writing, there’s no real secret to it. To become a successful freelance sports writer, all of the basics apply — create an online presence (actively build out your social media presence and create a great writing portfolio website), build out your network, get some samples under your belt (starting your own blog or guest posting on other blogs may be good places to start), and of course, make sure you’re actually knowledgable about sports.
I also highly recommend checking out the Freelance Writers Den, an invaluable resource for freelance writers looking to make more money. You can access over 300 hours of courses and training materials covering just about everything you need to know to make money writing by becoming a Den member.
27 Sports Writing Jobs You Can Pitch To Right Now
Ready to start making some money? There are opportunities in the list below to write about football, baseball, basketball, boating, hunting, fishing, and just about every other sport you can imagine. Check out this list of sports writing and blogging jobs below, study the editorial guidelines, and start pitching!
This popular boating magazine accepts pitches year-round despite their full editorial calendar. Guidelines can vary based on the type of article you’re doing, so make sure you read them fully at the link above. You can send your pitch by email to editor@cruisingworld.com.
Rates: $300-$1,000 for feature articles, $25-$200 for short news articles
This print and digital magazine covers all things related to the sport of saltwater fishing. They’re looking for features that provide info about saltwater fishing that is ” (1) new/fresh/different; (2) specific/in-depth and (3) accurate.” Send an email to editor@sportfishingmag.com with your pitch.
Rates: $750 for print features, $200-$300 for online features
This magazine takes pitches year-round, but they only review them on a quarterly basis and most stories are scheduled 12-18 months out. They’re looking for pitches for both feature stories and “final mile essays”. All materials must be submitted through Submittable at this link.
Rates: 25-50 cents per word
Published 7 times a year, Gray’s is looking for “competent, vividly written prose—fact or fiction—that has high entertainment value for a very sophisticated audience.” Their readers are bird hunters, fly fishers, and big-game hunters, so content around those themes is always a good idea. They warn writers against submitting pieces that are longer than they need to be, saying, “If you need 12,000 words to tell the tale, then do so. But if you can tell the story in 3,000 or even 1,500 words, then be kind to yourself, your readers, and our editors.”
Rates: From $100-$1,250 per article
This publication covers all aspects of sailing, “from learning how to sail in a dinghy to crossing the ocean on a large cruiser to racing around the buoys against the best sailors in the world.” Articles should conform to AP style. Submissions should be drafted in Microsoft Word and emailed as an attachment to editorial@sailingmagazine.net.
Rates: $50-$500 per article
Love sports collectibles? While this website covers the broader market of antiques and collectibles, you can pitch informative articles and blog posts on sports-specific collectibles and memorabilia. Send an email to wayne.jordan@worthpoint.com with your pitch.
Rates: $50-$100 per article, bonus opportunities available
This national bi-weekly magazine is looking for articles on dressage, hunters and jumpers, eventing, foxhunting, and steeplechase racing. They also accept reporting on sport horse news, feature articles on horse care, and profiles of prominent horse people. Email your pitch to brasin@coth.com.
Rates: $165-$400 per article
This site is looking for a range of article types with a “strong backcountry hook.” They provide an email template they request all freelancers adhere to when pitching to editor-in-chief Lucy Higgins at lucy@backcountrymagazine.com.
Rates: 35 cents per word
This popular sports site offers detailed guidance on how to pitch them successfully with some real examples from writers they published. Their Managing Editor Chris Baud is on LinkedIn.
Rates: 11-17 cents a word
TheSportster is always looking for freelancers to write about football, basketball, wrestling, and more. The site has sports writing jobs for freelancers who can “produce in-depth premium content with expert knowledge in one or more of TheSportster’s featured categories.” Visit the link above to start pitching.
Rates: Determined by assignment
Athlon Sports is looking for freelance football writers to join their team. They have sports writing gigs for NFL and college football experts. Fill out the form at the link above to get started.
Rates: Determined by assignment
From athlete profiles to interviews to in-depth analysis of the equestrian sport, Horse Network is a popular site for impassioned horse lovers. Try to land one of their sports blogging jobs by sending your story to submissions@horsenetwork.com.
Rates: $50 & up, bonuses for social shares
The SBNation network of 300+ sports blogs is managed by Vox Media. You can check out their current sports blogging jobs at the link above.
Rates: Determined by assignment
FanSided is a huge network of sports blogs, including team sites for a number of professional and college teams. Their sites are regularly looking for paid contributors.
Rates: Determined by assignment
LWOS is a network of 20+ specialty sports sites from numerous professional leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, UFC, and more) across the world. You can apply at this link.
Rates: Determined by assignment
Love the sport of running? This popular magazine features articles on training, nutrition, injuries, and more.
Rates: $1 a word
Since 1961, this magazine has been covering all aspects of martial arts and combat sports. Send your pitch to Patrick Sternkopf via email at psternkopf@blackbeltmag.com.
Rates: Currently unspecified, but reportedly has been $300/article in the past
This publication specializes in content that deals with the unique problems faced by golf course superintendents. You can pitch Scott Hollister at shollister@gcsaa.org.
Rates: Determined by assignment
Climbing enthusiasts can send pitches for features, athlete profiles, reviews of climbing areas, and more to query editor Brandon Pullan at brandon@gripped.com.
Rates: $150-$250 depending on article type
Since 1972, this publication has been an alternative to “the other, uptight skiing magazines.” They only accept pitches via email, and ask freelancers to allow up to two weeks for a response. Email your pitch to Managing Editor Sierra Shafer at sierra@powder.com.
Rates: Determined by assignment
This monthly magazine is the oldest publication covering all aspects of sports memorabilia and the hobby of collecting. It includes feature articles, news items, and regular columns. Queries can be sent to dstrege@aimmedia.com.
Rates: Determined by assignment
If you know about hunting, trapshooting, or skeet shooting, Shotgun Sports wants to hear from you. Email the editor at shotgun@shotgunsportsmagazine.com.
Rates: $50-$200 depending on article type
Sports Afield is the world’s premier hunting adventure magazine dating back to 1887. The magazine is aimed at hunting and shooting enthusiasts. While the magazine has a staff of regular contributors, they also accept feature articles from freelancers. Email your story ideas to editor-in-chief Diana Rupp at editorinchief@sportsafield.com.
Rates: Determined by assignment
This is the largest American publication covering the sport of triathlon, and they have an editorial focus on ” multi-sport training tips and workouts, nutrition, gear guides, athlete profiles, triathlon-related travel stories, and timely news pieces relating to the sport and lifestyle.” Reach out to their chief editor Kelly O’Mara at submissions@triathlete.com to propose a story.
Rates: Determined by assignment
The U.S. Hang Gliding and Paragliding association publishes a monthly magazine called USHPA Pilot. This publication includes news and information about the sport, and they’re always looking for original flying-related articles from freelancers. Send your story ideas to editor@ushpa.org.
Rates: Determined by assignment
Published six times a year, this magazine is always looking for features around the hobby of climbing, lifestyle, and wellness. Take the time to look at all the magazine’s departments before pitching. You can find editor Matt Samet on LinkedIn.
Rates: $0.35 a word
While you might think of Slate as a politically-focused site, they actually cover a wide range of topics, including some sports. Have a story idea? Pick the right editor from this list.
Rates: $300 for a 1,000 to 2,000-word op-ed, according to The Web Writer Spotlight
Ready to start getting some great freelance sports writing jobs? Start pitching so you can make more money! And don’t forget to check out our guide to freelancer invoicing so you can get paid for your work!
