Top 5 sports journalism websites

sports media, Carillon style/ Brett Nielsen

Besides the Carillon, of course

Our sports editor here at the Carillon said to me, “There aren’t many jobs that let you read ESPN for inspiration.” That got me thinking about sports websites and which ones are the best to read. If you are like me and want to read more interesting content on athletes or sports in general, then sites like TSN or Sportsnet aren’t what you’re looking for. These websites are good for watching highlights, checking scores, and finding out about the latest news, but they lack deeper, more interesting stories. For that reason, here is my top five on the best websites for the fan who wants more in-depth and intriguing stories from the world of sports:

5. Puck Daddy

As you can guess, this site is all hockey. Puck Daddy is a place you can go for news, highlights, and game stories. But what makes it different is its little twists on articles. An example of this is after the Calgary Flames were eliminated, instead of having someone write about what a great season they had, and how they are on the rise, because they totally are (not so unbiased Flames fan and total homer here), they had an Oilers fan write the article on the Flames. This gave a totally different, but totally wrong, outlook on the Flames that you aren’t going to find anywhere else.

4. Bleacher Report

Similar to Puck Daddy, Bleacher Report is a place where you can get news and scores, the only difference is that their focus is more on the other main sports, not so much hockey. What makes this site interesting is that it kind of brings together news with the lighter side of sports. For example you can watch a video of a high school baseball team winning a game with the classic hidden ball trick, or the best “rain delay shenanigans.”

3. Fansided

Fansided is an extremity of SportsIllustrated.com, and what makes this website cool is that it is customizable. You can follow your favourite teams from every different sport, so when you go to the site, it only shows the latest and most relevant articles and write-ups on your favourite teams in every league. Plus, having a link to SI Swimsuit on the front page isn’t too shabby either. (Editor’s Note: The brilliant editor-in-chief here once wrote for a Fansided site, so he can vouch for it.)

2. ESPN E:60

ESPN itself is alright, but the E:60 variation is top notch. All the other websites on my list are good for articles, but this is the only one that is all about videos. The people at E:60 go all around the world finding the best stories about the most interesting people. It’s not all professional sports or the best athletes in the world either. Their stories range everywhere from Rob Gronkowski to a thirteen-year-old little league knuckleball pitcher; From the story of the race horse NotInRWildestDremz to speed Rubiks Cube championships, when it comes to stories there is no better than E:60.

1. The Players’ Tribune

In classic fashion, I’m saving the best for last with The Players’ Tribune. What makes this website a must visit for all sports fans is that the articles are written by the players. There is something really cool about hearing from an NHL fighter about why fighting is important in the game, or what one of the best players in the MLB went through to make it to where he is today. The range is incredible on this website as well, one article will be an extremely emotional piece about the loss of a good friend, the next will be a comical article about how awkward it is to come to a new team where more than one person in the room has punched you in the face before. There is something refreshing about reading what the athletes themselves want to say instead of what someone else wants to say about the athletes, which is why The Players’ Tribune is #1 on my list.