Temple University has a rich history of preparing students for successful careers in sports media. Owls are everywhere in the industry, as proven by Philadelphia Eagles broadcaster Merrill Reese, KLN ’64; ESPN anchor Kevin Negandhi, KLN ’98; baseball journalist Claire Smith, KLN ’79; and USA Basketball creative director Saudia Mitchell, KLN ’03. 

On Oct. 8, the university advanced its commitment to preparing students for sports media careers by approving a new bachelor of arts in sports media, to be housed in the Klein College of Media and Communication. [node:pullquote]

“We are excited and proud to launch the new sports media major, which builds on Temple’s legacy of preparing top talent in the sports media field,” said David Boardman, dean of Klein College of Media and Communication. “This program will give students the interdisciplinary skills and experience they need to thrive in today’s rapidly evolving sports media industry.” 

The degree program will combine coursework from all five departments at Klein and will also include courses from Temple’s School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management. Lauren Bullock, director of the sports media major, says this unique interdisciplinary nature will prepare graduates for a diverse range of sports media careers, from journalists and broadcasters to sports information directors, social media managers, advertisers and sports public relations professionals. 

“Anyone who has to cover or promote an athlete or sports organization will be able to get what they need to be successful in the industry from the curriculum,” said Bullock, STH ’03, who has taught in Klein for over 12 years and has industry experience at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports, Florida State University, the University of Texas at Austin and Stretch. “The program will ensure that graduates have the knowledge and principles of media and communication organizations in order to go out and be responsible and effective with their coverage and promotion.” 

Temple has long offered sports media courses, and in the fall of 2021 it launched the sports media certificate program through the Claire Smith Sports Media Center. The new major will include existing classes such as Sports Reporting, The Influence of Sports Media on Modern Society and Sports Media Relations.  

The program will also introduce new classes that are designed to meet the demands of the sports media industry today and into the future. One new course is called Communicating Civic Engagement Through Sports. 

“Athletes and organizations often invest time and resources into foundations that are close to their hearts. We also know that they’re heavily involved in social justice conversations,” Bullock said. “That course will teach students how to cover and promote those foundations and conversations.” 

There will be new coursework that teaches social media and design principles, which Bullock says are essential skills in today’s sports media industry. Another new course will focus on communicating sports statistics. 

“So much of sports media relations and journalism centers on making sense of data,” Bullock said. “We’ll have a course that teaches students to make sense of the game data. Students need to know how to identify the highlights from the statistical results and use them to tell a story in game releases, news stories or social media posts.” 

As the fourth largest media market in the country, Philadelphia is an ideal place for students to study and begin their sports media careers. Between the city’s five professional sports teams and its robust ecosystem of major and independent media outlets, there is a wealth of opportunities for internships, hands-on learning and professional work. 

“This is a hotbed for sports media. But it’s not too big like New York City and it’s not too small like Harrisburg,” Bullock said. “This is the right place and the right time for our sports media program to come together.” 

Beyond providing access to those many opportunities, Bullock says Temple is a great place to study sports media because of its strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. 

Students will learn from faculty who have devoted their careers to equitable sports media coverage. One of them is Claire Smith, who helped expand media access for women in the MLB after she was removed from the San Diego Padres locker room while covering the 1984 National League Championship Series. 

This exposure, Bullock says, will help the program’s graduates make a real impact in their own careers. 

“When I graduated from Temple, I felt like I was prepared to do my job,” Bullock said. “That’s how I want our students to feel. I want them to feel like they are prepared to create opportunities and challenge the issues they see in sports promotion and coverage today.” 

Students will be able to enroll in the new sports media program starting in the fall of 2025. Visit the sports media major webpage to learn more.