What's next for The Asterisk*?

Building on a solid foundation with a deeper dive into the business of sport, the environment, and key US developments.

Dear Readers,

A shift in coverage is coming. You may have noticed that the last few stories have focused on the environment and the United States, with less emphasis on finances.

This newsletter originally served as a laboratory for my MA Data Journalism course at Birmingham City University (BCU). Over time, it has morphed into a publication that now focuses on the business of sport. I’m still in the process of learning and have been applying best practices to my reporting that I’ve acquired throughout my time at BCU.

During my studies, I spent time identifying gaps in the sports journalism industry, areas that lack depth compared to others. I noticed that sports business and the environment lacked a solid foundation in coverage, so I decided to pursue my major project, What are Best Practices in Reporting on the Business of Sport?

While reporting on the business of sport has grown in recent years, coverage of the environment still lacks depth and often appears superficial. This newsletter gives me the opportunity to carve out my own space in an already crowded field.

Since its inception, the tagline of The Asterisk has always been, ‘The devil is in the details’. My dad disapproves of it because we’re Catholic, but I believe there’s truth in it, sometimes, you can find things in the fine print of club or company documents that are, well, “unholy.” Most of my story ideas stem from financial statements, reports, club policies, research papers, and books.

While the newsletter will continue to focus on the business of sport, I will also be hyper-fixating on the environment and the United States.

Why the United States?

The country will be hosting some major tournaments in the coming months, including the FIFA Club World Cup, the World Cup, and the Olympics. These events have an unmatched global reach and the potential to drive significant social and environmental change. Additionally, with Trump’s return to the White House, the political landscape has become even more interesting, and I plan to explore his impact on sport and culture. Earlier this year, I published Part One of Trump’s Impact on Athlete Empowerment. It was a fun piece to work on, and I realised we will likely hear a lot more about Trump in the sports sector in the near future.

Other areas of focus

Aside from the United States and the environment, other areas of focus for the newsletter will include the Premier League and Formula One. I’ll dive into the finances, regulations, and cultural impact surrounding these sports.

What’s new?

Starting in April, I’ll launch a news roundup. There are so many stories I want to cover but can’t due to time constraints. This roundup will highlight bizarre and important developments, as well as stories that often go unnoticed.

What will go/reduce?

The Asterisk will no longer cover stories that are widely reported unless I can add unique value. There will be a reduction in stories about football finance, as pivoting to the environment will take up most of my focus. However, I will continue to improve my financial analysis skills in the background, as they go hand in hand with reporting on the business of sport. I recommend following Kieran Maguire and Matt Slater for football finance updates.

Undecided

Apart from the business of sport, I have an interest in covering other beats. In the past, I would post those stories here, but with the small growth in subscribers (thank you for subscribing!!!), I don’t want to overwhelm your inbox with irrelevant content. I’m considering posting these stories to The Ampersand, but I’ll evaluate how the newsletter performs over the next quarter before making that decision. The existing subsections will also be adjusted accordingly.

Apology and future plans

Finally, I want to apologise for the fewer stories in the past 45 days. I was away dealing with a personal matter. Even though I had research in place and interviews lined up, some of the stories turned out to be more time-consuming than anticipated.

I run this newsletter in my free time, usually scheduling interviews, researching, writing, and editing on my days off, as well as during the hours before and after work, and while traveling. It can be really challenging to produce pieces every week while working long hours. However, I place a premium on quality and value.

Although only one story went up this month, I’ve spent my non-working hours preparing other stories, setting up a roadmap, and connecting with influential voices. I plan to publish four stories (+/-) a month and have some interesting pieces lined up for the future.

Support

Please consider liking and subscribing if you find the stories insightful. Your support helps the newsletter grow and increases my access to clubs and individuals I’ve yet to connect with.

While researching for my assignments, I learned that sports organisations no longer need the media as much, since they now have their own channels. The landscape has changed, but that doesn’t mean we should stop upholding the duties of the fourth estate.

I’m excited for what’s ahead and look forward to bringing you more insightful stories.

Thank you for your continued support,

Warren M.