The AP Lede As long as there has been - PowerPoint Presentation

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The AP Lede

As long as there has been sportswriting

, there has been the AP lead:

Working for a sports information office is a lot like being a sports reporter a lot of the time

Great for getting out game stories quickly

(both journalists and sports information offices)

Almost always used on a first version of a game story

Many sports information offices will use the AP story for away games or some sports

It’s called the AP lead cause the Associated press uses it to get game stories out quickly

The AP LeDe:

A summary lead

One or two key players’ performances, and/or one/two key plays, and/or a key statistic are highlighted

Can be a combination

Score must be included

Both teams must be included

Day of week must be included

Some schools still try to feature their own team in lead, even in losing effort (Not always)

There’s little reason, though, to keep reading after the following leads, recently published on college media websites. [The school names were changed so as not to embarrass the writers.]

“As a few members of the team

traveled

to Flatbush University for the weekend, the rest of the teams traveled to Pomona University for the Blazing Tigers Multi-Event Meet.”

“On Thursday, a members of the

Alaska

 State men and women’s track teams

participated

in the Kearney State Invitational.”

“The Huskies baseball team

finished

up a three-game series against the

Berry State

Honey Bears 

Sunday.”

How do you determine what should be the lead?

If it’s a blowout, you usually lead with “high scorer” from winning team (in basketball that could be points, in football who scored the most touchdowns, in baseball who had the most hits, in volleyball the most kills, etc.)

Same thing if it’s a 5-10 point margin

If closer, lead with a key play

You can combine (mix and match): having a key play and a high scorer; having a high scorer and a key statistic; having a high scorer and high rebounder

You can include a high scorer and an interesting game note

You can lead with an interesting team stat

If it’s decided at the end, always lead with that

If you are on the losing end

The “high Scorer” and Game Note

The big play and game note

High Scorer, Game Statistic (hot shooting) and Game note

The interesting team stat

Keeping emphasis on your team, Too

The AP Lede is not limited to game stories

Notice the wording here

Some construction points:

Lead with the name usually not the school

Sometimes, though, that’s not possible in certain sports

IN a close game, highlight the winning shot/play

Try to avoid construction that has a comma (phrase) in lead

Use school name, not nickname, in first reference