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Career in Cycling?
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| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 29-06-2012 22:52
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Classics Specialist
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I'm at a point in my life where I'm deciding what I should do for the rest of my life now that I have graduated high school  . I'm planning to go to college to get a degree in Management Information Systems (which I'm not sure I like yet, but it is in demand and pays well.) And that's what I will be doing for the next 4 years, but I'm trying to think further in the future. I love writing stories here, and cycling in general. And I'm wondering if there is any way, or possibility to break into the cycling industry as possible a writer, for team blogs, race reports, etc. or somewhere in management. I just thought I would ask because this as this is a cycling forum and I wondering if it is possible. This would be my dream job and I'm curious as to how hard it would be to actually make a career out of it.
Any help, advice, or even warnings are appreciated. 
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| cactus-jack |
Posted on 29-06-2012 23:04
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Small Tour Specialist
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It's a bit of a narrow market that you are searching for... the first thing that comes to my mind is journalist for a newspaper.
There's a fine line between "psychotherapist" and "psycho the rapist" |
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| Ad Bot |
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| jseadog1 |
Posted on 29-06-2012 23:07
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cactus-jack wrote:
It's a bit of a narrow market that you are searching for... the first thing that comes to my mind is journalist for a newspaper.
Thats what I plan on going to college for.. writing for a newspaper and broadcast journalism.
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| cunego59 |
Posted on 29-06-2012 23:28
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Small Tour Specialist
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Alright, I'll just share some thoughts:
I have been in a similar situation a year ago when I graduated from what is probably the German equivalent of high school (here, it's just called school  ). My original plan was to spend a year abroad but for several reasons, that didn't happen. I had about half a year with nothing to do but to figure out what should be happening next in my life.
My first intention was to study economics, for similar motives as yours, plus I really liked (and still like) maths. But since I had the time, I decided to visit some university lectures and made an internship and I soon noticed that it was not like I imagined and it was nothing I could do for the rest of my life.
I don't want to go too much into detail, so here's my current situation: After a more or less spontaneous decision, I decided to study law because it really intrigues me and I enjoy thinking logically. I'm still in my first term but I enjoy it a lot and I feel like I made the right decision. Because I do something I like.
Conclusion: I really, really don't recommend to do something just for economic reasons (then again, I'm in the comfortable situation that I have numerous possibilities and supporting parents, I don't know your situation). The job is something that'll define a huge part of your life, and call me a romantic but I do think that you should prefer enjoying what you do to making more money.
That's for the first part. Now to your second one:
I'm not sure if there already is a profession called "blog writer". What you're going for is, if I understand you correctly, public relations. The entrance for that is, as mentioned above, usually journalism. From my experience (and I'd say I have some, since my dad is a journalist and I did several internships in that area), most journalists are lateral recruits. I don't think I know any journalist that actually studied journalism (maybe CrueTrue can tell you more about that, though). Also, at least here in Germany, journalism seems to be a very unsafe business, regarding economic safety. Therefore, it might be the right thing to study "something real", if you want more of that safety. What I would recommend you is to look out for possibilities to develop your writing and especially to network with other journalists. Do internships (and keep contact afterwards), try to get a job at your local news paper, participate in your college paper (if there's none, create one!). My dad for instance made an education as a photographer, then went to the university where he participated in a radio group and through that, he got to work at a local radio station, then a bigger one, then he changed to print journalism and is now part of the public relations team of one of the biggest national broadcasting stations in Germany.
Conclusion 2: There's always a chance to get into journalism (which should probably be the base for your further job in cycling - so you might want to specialise as a sports journalist ), no matter what you did before, but it's hard! Tips: Use every opportunity to work in that field, be it as small as it may. And above all: Try to make contact with as many journalists (or PR guys, for that matter) as you can. I don't think you'll get into that metier if you don't have the right connections.
Wow, that turned out into quite a wall of text. Hope it helped somehow
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| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 29-06-2012 23:41
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Classics Specialist
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Thanks cunego and cactus-jack that was really helpful. I'm considering minoring in Journalism if Management Information Systems is something I enjoy. Or I might look more into it if it's something I can't see myself doing. But all in all thanks for your posts.
Now that the journalist side has been covered, does anyone have any information on getting jobs with the management side or of cycling teams or any sports team? As I think that would suit me more then journalism.
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| DaBobScotts |
Posted on 30-06-2012 00:14
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Domestique
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A lot of people in that area are ex-pros. The best examples that I can think of are Riis and Louis Pasamontes (Movistar). That, or they personally know someone in the field. Even the soigneurs generally have some affiliation to someone in the team.
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| Mresuperstar |
Posted on 30-06-2012 02:30
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Classics Specialist
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DaBobScotts wrote:
A lot of people in that area are ex-pros. The best examples that I can think of are Riis and Louis Pasamontes (Movistar). That, or they personally know someone in the field. Even the soigneurs generally have some affiliation to someone in the team.
Does this happen with lower teams as well, because I really wouldn't mind helping manage (or just somebody that helps the team/writes and advertises) say for a small team. But I'm thinking that could be a huge risk considering many small teams don't last for a while.
Also do you think being an active member on this forum would interest perhaps a small cycling team (maybe say UHC or Spidertech) if I contacted them asking for a job opportunity as what most are calling a journalist?
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| valverde321 |
Posted on 30-06-2012 02:54
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Grand Tour Champion
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I call dibs on Spidertech.  (although you are a year ahead of me)
I always cringe when ESPN and TSN get something horribly wrong when talknig about cycling. I have always dreamed of working for them, but I dont think thats very realistic. I really dislike when most broadcasters just hire ex=pro's. There are "Sports Nerds" like me who know quite a bit about so many different sports and I feel that although I lack some of the actual experience I know a lot about analysis and things like that.
Maybe watching the Tour de France on Versus gives me too much hope, but those guys..... oh man.
I hope you get the job you want! I really want to do something similar to you. All I do is sports.
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| 9-Ball |
Posted on 30-06-2012 03:11
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Neo-Pro
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Bah! The versus coverage of the TDF is horrendous unless Liggett (bless him) and Sherwin (to keep Phil tethered) are holding the mic. That Bob person needs to be hauled up a col and punted off of it.
Re; Journalism: speaking as someone who can barely remember/barely wants to remember final years of 'school' (high or otherwise) and as someone who's worked around journalistic enterprises here and there over the past couple of decades, I would recommend actually going to school (college/University) to study journalism, in tandem with finding some kind of freelance/volunteer sports reporter work in local radio/newspaper/internet media. Journalism is unique among professions in that it's very possible to make ground without holding the highest on-paper qualifications in the room. Hard work and lots of aggressive self-promotion are key to get where you want there, should you really want it. You're in Michigan, I see, which isn't exactly a hotbed of small media, however.
I'm not remotely qualified to comment on cycling team management but I would imagine it to be a very, very narrow field that's hard to break into without having a medical/trainer/cyclist opening to begin. Maybe consider athletic training/management options in school and attack every cycling team you can for possible openings? It may, like most things, be a case of who and not what you know. You know? Good luck, all the same. I don't envy you. 
It was eleven more than necessary.
Jacques Anquetil |
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| chris01 |
Posted on 30-06-2012 03:15
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Neo-Pro
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Joined: 12.09.11
Location: Georgia,USA
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just a little correction for valv and 9-ball it is nbcsports now not versus
Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring. |
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| valverde321 |
Posted on 30-06-2012 03:32
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Grand Tour Champion
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Ah, Bob Roll is the perfect example of ex-pro's/riders that just shouldn't be in journalism. But "they've lived it" so they are 100% more qualified than a non pro. 
(I dont like how it seems ex-pros more and more now seem to get the jobs as analysts and such over others.)
I mean he's a cool guy, and seems very nice and light spirited, but his commentating is horrendous. He has picked Hushovd to win a mountain stage before.
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| lluuiiggii |
Posted on 30-06-2012 03:35
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valverde321 wrote:
I mean he's a cool guy, and seems very nice and light spirited, but his commentating is horrendous. He has picked Hushovd to win a mountain stage before.
And he was right in the end wasn't he?
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| DaBobScotts |
Posted on 30-06-2012 03:52
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Domestique
Posts: 606
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Location: 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney
PCM$: 100.00
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Mresuperstar wrote:
DaBobScotts wrote:
A lot of people in that area are ex-pros. The best examples that I can think of are Riis and Louis Pasamontes (Movistar). That, or they personally know someone in the field. Even the soigneurs generally have some affiliation to someone in the team.
Does this happen with lower teams as well, because I really wouldn't mind helping manage (or just somebody that helps the team/writes and advertises) say for a small team. But I'm thinking that could be a huge risk considering many small teams don't last for a while.
Also do you think being an active member on this forum would interest perhaps a small cycling team (maybe say UHC or Spidertech) if I contacted them asking for a job opportunity as what most are calling a journalist?
I would probably say yes, it would also be the same for "lower" teams as well. This is a different field, but doing some coaching for young riders, then breaking into a small team that way could work, but that's coaching. Same sort of thing here for sports medicine, but those are completely different fields.
Where I am, you could break into team management by starting to work with juniors, and getting friendly with some sponsors for a local series (here, it is Rendition Homes), a local crit series that gets some "big" riders (Aitkin, Rowan Dennis, Cunningham) then breaking into the National Road Series, and so on. But that would be hard, and again, many people who manage the teams there are affiliated with either the sponsors or members of the team.
Best I can offer from here is good luck, and I hope that all goes well!
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| valverde321 |
Posted on 30-06-2012 03:53
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Grand Tour Champion
Posts: 8344
Joined: 20.05.09
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lluuiiggii wrote:
valverde321 wrote:
I mean he's a cool guy, and seems very nice and light spirited, but his commentating is horrendous. He has picked Hushovd to win a mountain stage before.
And he was right in the end wasn't he?
I think he was going to win the GC that year, but he punctured several times on the last mountain of the Tour and lost over 15 minutes
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| chris01 |
Posted on 30-06-2012 04:25
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Neo-Pro
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Location: Georgia,USA
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I can mind and sort of like Phil and Paul, but i can't stand Bob. He tries to pronounce every riders name like it is a French name and he does it in a french accent
Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring. |
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| DaBobScotts |
Posted on 30-06-2012 04:45
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Domestique
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Location: 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney
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I regularly have to put up with the stupid commentators on EuroSport. They have no idea about cycling, and if it doesn't involve Cavendish or another member of Sky, they don't care. A good example of this was the Ardennes Classics earlier in the year... Anyone who had to put up with them for those three races would understand...
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| Ian Butler |
Posted on 30-06-2012 10:15
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World Champion
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A bit late here but I'd say you just follow whatever you want to do and go for it 100%, that's what I intend to do, no matter how low your chances are. You'll never be what you wanna be if you don't try first. You can always do something else later if it doesn't work out |
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