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Ryan Burns
De Piero
Writing 2
20 January 2014
Exploring Genre Through Sports
ESPN, Bleacher Report, and the New York Times. They all update the United States
nonstop on the world of sports. When looking at soccer, tonnes of European news outlets are
thrown into the mix of possible sources to follow leagues around the globe. Sports games offer a
unique space for commentary and analysis on social issues in addition to the game being played,
but some news recaps of athletic events display a theater of writing in which there cannot be
evident bias. Studying the genre of sports game recaps, focusing in on soccer, allows one to be
more informed on how to write within any given genre through recognizing conventions and
working with those to form a work that the reader will be able to easily comprehend. Being able
to classify different types of articles from different sources allows the reader and writer to better
understand the goals of the work and the expected experience of the consumer.
Unlike longer feature stories on either a certain player or athlete, game recaps tend to
attract a more localized, specific audience. Although some of the articles unintended readers are
undoubtedly random guests who were led to the link on a sidebar or in their social media feeds,
the intended audience is almost exclusively those who are interested in the result of the game
being reviewed. For example, the majority readers of a Sports Illustrated article (Berlin) are
likely followers of the English Premier League. It can also be safely assumed that nearly all of
the readers live in English speaking countries, namely the United States and England, the two
countries that follow the EPL the most. Identifying audience also allows the writer to tailor a

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work to a set of mutually understood expectations (De Piero) of how to properly summarize the
happenings of last nights game in a way that is consistent across soccer news sources. By
analyzing the audience of different genres, a reader is able to better see why the author wrote
what they wrote to appeal to a specific demographic.
Despite subtle differences in layout, word choice, and other details commonly associated
with soccer game recaps, all pieces in the genre share the same primary purpose: to inform.
Laura Bolin Carrolls essay on rhetorical analysis outlines the importance of breaking down the
underlying message or purpose: Understanding rhetorical messages is essential to help us to
become informed consumers, but it also helps evaluate the ethics of messages, how they affect us
personally, and how they affect society (Carroll 46). When looking at informative pieces that the
broader public look to for information, it seems right that the stories are neutral and provide the
facts in a smooth way. The consumer, as Carroll describes, has to understand the message being
portrayed in order to realize whether a game reporter is delivering facts or opinions, something
the audience of the soccer game recaps should attempt to avoid when seeking factual
information. Purpose is a key factor of any genre, and if a news article fails to inform the reader,
it also fails to meet their expectations of the information they want to take away from the article.
These sports articles fall in the broader genre of textual news, and most subgenres of said news
all share just that similaritythey all aim to inform the reader of recent events or movements or
accomplishments as soon as possible.
Some of the less sport-specific conventions are due to the expectations and normalities
associated with newspaper-style writing. As seen on SkySports, SI, ESPN, and other news sites,
the flag and toolbar are at the top of the page, followed by the headline then a byline, after which

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comes the actual text of the article with pictures dispersed throughout. This is because even
though soccer stories may be an individual category, they still follow the same rules and contain
the same conventions as so many other types of writing. As argued in Navigating Genres, the
rules change as the genre changes, that no rules apply to all genres, andgenres require more
effort than simply following the rules (Dirk 258). All genres have individual motives or
conventions that make them their own deserving genre, and that even though several traits may
overlap or may be independent to a single genre, even sources within the same category can be
different in many ways.
Unlike many sensational articles that are commonplace in household news sources, such
as Bleacher Report or Buzzfeed, these sport-focused articles usually hold deeper meaning within
the context of the leagues standings or as a rivalry matchArsenal and Manchester City are
both storied clubs who have been facing off in the top division for decades. Additionally, the
articles context is closely related the league tableArsenal pushed towards the title race with
their 2-0 victory on the road against hopeful champions City, who suffered a loss that could
prove the difference between first and second place when the season comes to a close. The game
recap holds more meaning when looked at with the historical facts in mind, including the two
examples above as well as the writers locale, which can hint at a bias towards a hometown team,
along with many other effects. Especially in a game between two top teams, opinions are voiced
louder than usual. Brewin, for example, praises Arsenal and disparages City, which could be due
to deep-rooted fandom, because he definitely makes the seeming gap in quality to be greater than
it was, as the Manchester side dominated in possession, but Arsenal [made] them look nothing
like a title contender (Brewin). If casual viewers were to say which team played better overall,

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some might have backed City, and had it not been for two defensive lapses, including a penalty
called on their captain for a clumsy foul early on, the result could have been flipped. All of these
examples show contextual information that can help explain the meaning of the game within the
larger scheme of league standings as well as its context within the leagues current table
(standings) and history.
Soccer articles become more of an independent genre when looking at the layout of the
article. The first portion of the article will almost universally be a brief introduction that sets the
stage for the game. This is a normal place for statistics like becoming the first top-four team to
lose at home to Arsenal since October 2010 (Brewin) that put the game into a historical context,
both short and long-term. The core of the article is a chronological retelling of the match with
snippets of analysis, such as [highlighting] Citys dependence on its four superstars (Berlin) or
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was fond on the right (Wilkinson). These statistics or game analysis
are mandatory when recapping games, and, as one of the primary conventions of sports articles
in general, are key to meeting audience expectations. The reader knows to look near the
beginning for a quick summation of the most crucial moments of the match because, in a
traditional article, a super short game recap is almost always included in the first few paragraphs.
The commentary within the two articles allows the authors to showcase individual styles
and offers a forum for a bit of personal opinion in an otherwise neutral field of writing. For
example, Wilkinson, the SkySports writer, is far less frivolous than Berlin. As put by the former:
Cazorla made no mistake from the spot in the 24th minute; forcefully placing the ball high to
Joe Harts left after Kompany collided with Monreal as he tried to latch onto Girouds one-two
(Wilkinson). Compared to the latters recollection of the same penalty, After 24 minutes,

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[Kompany] was too slow to turn with Nacho Monreal on the edge of the box (Berlin), it
becomes evident that Berlin adds his personal note to the important occurrences of the game, but
his counterpart never strays away from the storyline of the game. The small inclusion of phrases
like too slow can hint at a bit of bias in an article. Both styles are equally good, but readers are
offered different perspectives regarding the same basic set of facts like the match result. Similar
individuality is offered in different amounts when switching from genre to genre, allowing the
author of any given piece or work to send their message within the implicit and explicit rules and
conventions that shat the genre overall.
When discussing soccer writing, it is almost impossible to omit discussion about the style
and word choice of the writers. Due to the sports popularity in European countries, the
transatlantic cultures affect the way the genre works. Possibly the most chronicled and discussed
difference between American sports versus the more international feel for soccer is the lingo of
the game. For example, Wilkinson (SkySports) uses man of the match to describe the best
player in any given match, a term that is replaced by player of the game in American leagues
such as the NBA or NFL. Berlin, for Sports Illustrated, uses the word tactics to describe
changes in strategy that the skippers, commonly known as either managers or head coaches,
make throughout the game. Words like these are nowhere to be found anywhere else in a Sports
Illustrated magazine, unless one is reading tennis, cricket, or other sports popular outside of the
states. It is interesting to compare different subgenres like sports within a larger category like
news in general because the comparisons open up thought about culture sharing and intrigue with
foreign ways of writing.

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Studying genre provides a better comprehension of how to write and how to read in an
appropriate way to use the language to convey an argument. Understanding the inner workings of
a certain form of communication allows for better presentation, and even creates a connection
between reader and writer. This connection stems from the commonality of reader expectations
and writer purpose. When the two sides are clear in their communication, the argued point is
more easily understood with a clearer intent, and this improved genre awareness makes for better
contextual comprehension of how and why to write.

Works Cited
Berlin, Peter. Unorthodox Arsenal Deals Blow to Man City's Title Challenge; More EPL
Notes. SI.com. Sports Illustrated, 18 Jan. 2015. Web. 18 Jan. 2015.
Brewin, John. Man for man, Arsenal simply better in all phases vs. Manchester City.
ESPNFC.com. ESPN, 18 Jan. 2015. Web. 18 Jan. 2015.
Carrol, Luara Bolin. Backpacks vs Briefcases: Steps toward Rhetorical Analysis. Writing
Spaces. Parlor Press. 2010.
De Piero, Zack. "Audience." Writing 2 Class Discussion. United States, Santa Barbara. Jan.
2015. Lecture.
Dirk, Kerry. Navigating Genres. Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing. Parlor Pres. 2010.
Wilkinson, Jack. Premier League: Arsenal overcome away-day jinx to beat Manchester City 2-0
at the Etihad. SkySports.com. Sky Sports, 18 Jan. 2015. Web. 18 Jan. 2015.