Chris McKinney is the president and publisher of Sports Career News, a nationwide, glossy magazine that caters to aspiring sports executives and the companies who want to reach them. He has created a new magazine to help individuals create more opportunities to find a job in the Sports Industry. Please take a moment to Download a Free Copy of Sports Career News magazine and write your feedback in the comments section of this article. I had the fortune to write an article for Sports Career News and I sat down with Chris to learn more about the magazine.
SportsNetworker: Sports Career News is a brand new magazine you just launched. Why did you decide to publish it?
Chris McKinney: First and foremost, I love helping people achieve their career goals. And the purpose of Sports Career News is exactly that – to help people succeed. Secondly, I know more about the sports industry than any other industry, so it was natural for me to combine my passion for helping others with my knowledge and experience within the sports industry.
SN: How did you come up with the idea?
CM: Sports Career News is a publishing concept I’ve been thinking about — and tinkering with — for a number of years. I looked around and saw these incredible career resources geared toward sports and thought someone needed to create a bridge that would link a carefully targeted audience with all these great resources.
SN: Who is the audience?
CM: Sports Career News is designed to reach individuals who have a passion for sports and a burning desire to work in the industry. Primarily, we find them on college campuses enrolled in sports degree programs and participating in recreational sports. We also reach thousands of college athletes through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). As for the young professional audience, we target various “Sport & Social Clubs” in key markets. And it’s a free publication, in case you were wondering.
SN: What if I’m not in college anymore or not part of a ‘sport & social club,’ where can I get a copy?
CM: You can download a free sample copy of the premier issue at www.sportscareernews.com. And at some point, we’ll make every issue available online.
SN: Are you happy with the premier issue?
CM: Tom Peters likes to say, “No matter what, you never, ever get it right the first time.” And there’s a lot of truth in that. However, to answer your question, yes, I’m happy with the premier issue. It’s a good starting point and it will serve as a nice introductory tool to readers and advertisers. But what you see next fall will be a lot closer to how I envisioned Sports Career News from the beginning.
SN: How so?
CM: You’re going to see a lot more resource-driven companies profiled. Back when I was trying to launch my own sports career (1990) there were no career resources dedicated to sports (that I knew of). And I remember the frustration. Today there are plenty of sports job boards and sports degree programs to choose from. We intend to showcase them in a really cool way. And we’ll rank them. Essentially, we’ll provide a service to our readers they can’t find anywhere else.
SN: Did you get any investors or seed money?
CM: No. I don’t like raising money for a small business. For me, business is fun. I love new ideas and really enjoy creating and building something meaningful. But once you bring in investors, suddenly the whole dynamic changes. Plus, I believe that if you have a good idea and you’re meeting the needs of your customers, the business will sustain itself and will grow.
SN: Is this your first publication or have you done something like this before?
CM: I published my first magazine about 10 years ago. It was called, Next: The College Guide to Life. Also published a spin-off from Next called Job+ Magazine. Both were career-related titles targeting college students. Both were profitable.
SN: Besides the PDF download, any plans to rollout an online version of Sports Career News?
CM: Yes. When the time is right. It’s important to lay the foundation just right and to partner with the right people and the right organizations. I have a pretty nice vision for Sports Career News and the ancillary business that surrounds it. But I’m not in a big hurry. Fortunately, I own another company, Bang! Advertising (www.bangadvertising.com) that does very well. Sports Career News feeds my passion. But Bang! Advertising feeds my family.
Chris McKinney is the Founder and Publisher of Sports Career News. SCN is a carefully-targeted, full-color, glossy magazine dedicated to serving aspiring sports executives and the companies who want to reach them. Sports Career News is an independent voice, designed to highlight and profile the very best Sports Degree Programs and the top Sports Job Boards in the United States.
Sports Career News reaches a nationwide audience of 20,000 sports-minded men and women and can be found free-of-charge on 200 college campuses and inside key retail establishments throughout the country.
The purpose is to give readers the competitive career edge by highlighting the industry’s most valuable resources, delivering the most relevant advice, and profiling the most inspiring professionals.
The mission is simple: to be the #1 career publication in the sports industry.
For more info, call Chris: 214-686-8822 or email chris@sportscareernews.com
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