Vicente J. Fernandez is the co-founder and chief content officer of SportsManias. Below, he writes about his vision for the SportsManias Digital Media Summit, which is sponsored by Knight Foundation. The summit will be live-streamed Friday, Aug. 21, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT. Watch at knightfoundation.org/live. 

Not so many years ago, diehard sports fans waited for their morning newspaper to get a recap of the previous night’s games. A box score let them know if their division rival won or lost. The beat writer was a master storyteller of sports, the gatekeeper to all its glory.

Not so many years later, diehard fans are one tap away from news about their teams. First the Internet, later camera phones and now social media, the world’s universal publishing technology, has redefined what we call “sports journalism,” how we create it and where we find it.

Social technology is impacting every facet of our lives, which is why it’s time we ask the question: What does this mean for the future of sports journalism?

My colleagues and I created the SportsManias Digital Media Summit to address that question. On Aug. 21, digital media leaders, sports editors, writers and industry executives will gather in Miami to discuss the evolution of journalism and its intersection with social media.

Yes, this summit is about education and inquiry – but it is equally about building community around a shared vision of what sports journalism could become.

Where journalism and social media meet, I see untapped opportunity. In a culture where sports inspire passion, camaraderie and pride, journalism must match the diehard fans with equal force. The social media world, the second home of passionate sports fans, now makes and breaks the news, too.      

My co-founder, Aymara Del Aguila, and I founded SportsManias with the mission to merge traditional journalism with social media. Those same team beat writers who used to be the sole source of information for sports fans still command our trust, respect and admiration, though they must rely on new mediums to do so.

When I look at the remarkable lineup of journalists, entrepreneurs and business leaders who agreed to participate in our panel discussions this August, I know that the Digital Media Summit has already struck a chord. Like a family ready to discuss an open yet slightly uncomfortable topic, we all know it is time to discuss our common challenges, learn from each other and grow from the experience.    

That is one reason we are so proud to be hosting this conversation with the support of Knight Foundation; there is no organization more supportive of transformative ideas, quality journalism and advancements in media.

Even in a social media world, there is no substitute for physically bringing people together. We can raise awareness and spark interest using social technology, but ultimately, this is a discussion that has to happen in person. Sitting courtside is simply a different experience from watching at home.

So we gather our friends and colleagues throughout the sports journalism industry for the sake of all the fans who trust us to deliver high-quality news, on their terms.

For me, the burning question has always been: How can we better serve fans? How can we gratify and inspire all the people who see that sports are not just hobbies but real-life displays of courage, discipline, teamwork and so many other values we cherish?

Sports reflect our culture and values. As journalists, we have a responsibility to fans to capture this reflection in its entirety. My hope is that the SportsManias Digital Media Summit will rally us to do that effectively for many years to come.

Photo credit: Michael Bolden.