The NCAA News - News and Features

The NCAA News -- August 30, 1999

The evolution of sports information
Built for speed

What SIDs say about the impact of technology on the profession:

Chris Anderson
University of Nebraska, Lincoln

"We've lost the personal touch a little, and computers have not helped in that regard, but it's certainly made it so people can see information first-hand instead of just taking the word of the SID. It's a worthwhile trade-off -- everything's much more accurate and much more credible. But the flip side is that whereas we were pretty much writers before, now we have to be writers, layout specialists and Internet technicians."

Rick Brewer
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

"Computers have increased media interest. When I was a student assistant, I used to rush stories down to Western Union to be sent out to their newspapers. Now with computers, media can come to the games knowing they'll get their stories in on time. We actually get more out-of-state writers covering games now than we did in the old days, even for night games."

John Douglas
Haverford College

"My audience now is coming to me more electronically -- so even though I have to fulfill my mission with traditional media, I have new media now, which is the reason many schools are going to an intern now to give them a way to divide up men's basketball and the relatively new concept of women's basketball as an equal. That gives them a person to be home when another is away, so results can be posted on the Web right away. So even in Division III, schools are beginning to consider a second person."

Tamara Flarup
University of Wisconsin, Madison

"When you compare the old telecopiers that took six minutes for one page and were electrostatic and stunk up the office to today's fax machine or computer that can deliver the message into the computer banks of the newspapers or broadcast studios in a format that they like, that's been the single biggest thing that has enhanced the coverage of all sports -- and women's sports in particular."

M. L. Stark Hinkle
Angelo State University

"In Division II, not all schools have the equipment available to them to even access the Internet -- or to access it to the point that they can handle the latest technology. They're having to make adjustments for national media that are used to having that higher level of technology. Also at this level, we're still dealing with a lot of smaller-market media that may not have all of the advantages of access to the Internet that larger markets have, but they're still important to us for hometown releases and promotions that we thrive upon."

Carol Hudson
Old Dominion University

"We're at the point where everyone wants information and they want it right now. That's not just the media, but the fans, relatives and alumni. Even though we're in the computer age, we're busier now than ever before. You get things out quicker, which allows more time for other projects in more depth. Technology can bog you down as far as providing the personal touch -- if you let it. You just have to make the extra effort to pick up the phone or whatever it takes to make that personal connection."