best practices
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women’s sports
All competition levels at or above the college level are women’s sports, regardless of whether some competitors are younger than 18 years old: women’s basketball, women’s tennis, women’s swimming, women’s track and field It is not necessary to identify the gender if the sport is generally known to be played by only female athletes: field
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men’s sports
All competition levels at or above the college level are men’s sports, regardless of whether some competitors are younger than 18 years old: men’s basketball, men’s tennis, men’s swimming, men’s track and field It is not necessary to identify the gender if the sport is generally known to be played by only male athletes: baseball,
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sourcing
All statements of fact must be supported by a source. Acceptable sources may be a primary source, such as an interview or document accessed directly by the reporter, or a secondary source, such as another reputable news outlet. When relaying the information, every effort should be made to utilize the exact wording and sentiment expressed
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hyphens
Hyphen usage does not typically follow strict rules, but rather a number of guidelines. The primary question should be: Is the absence of a hyphen likely to cause the reader confusion? If so, use a hyphen. If not, do not use a hyphen. When it doubt, defer to omitting the hyphen. Some guidelines for common
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TV and radio callsigns
Use the four-letter callsign plus FM/AM/TV, followed by its location when referring to any broadcast television or radio station: Terry Glenn will not be available for Sunday’s game, coach Bill Parcells told WLVI-TV in Boston on Thursday; Tiki Barber drew criticism for his comments on WFAN-FM in New York. The best method to find callsigns
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future tense
The use of future tense should be avoided in most cases. Because nobody can predict the future, references to upcoming events should be couched in cases circumstances change: The Avalanche and Penguins are scheduled to face off at 7 p.m. ET; The starters for the MLB All-Star Game are set to be announced Tuesday. The
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present tense
The use of the present tense should be avoided in most cases. Present tense may be acceptable when referring to non-specific situations that are permanent or virtually guaranteed not to change for several days or longer: The Cleveland Guardians are in the midst of an unforgettable season; Scott Boras isn’t one to roll over in
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past tense
The use of past tense should be favored whenever possible. Your content will almost always be consumed after you’ve created it — in most cases, several days after — so you should write with a future audience in mind. Past tense should be especially favored when talking about events in progress or that are unlikely
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year/season
Be mindful that “year” and “season” are not synonymous. Year refers to the calendar period between Jan. 1-Dec. 31. Season refers to the period of time designated by a league or governing body, at the end of which a champion usually is crowned, followed by an offseason. When referring to the NFL, NBA, or NHL,
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signed/traded/agreed
When reporting on contracts and player movement, be mindful of wording. Do not report that a player has “signed” or been “traded” unless the source uses that language. For instance, none of the following examples indicate a signing or trade being consummated. The Lakers and Pelicans are finalizing details on a trade that would send