There is one significant change to the contest this year. Short videos are now considered anything under 5 minutes in length. Long videos are now considered anything more than 5 minutes in length.
Please pay attention to other tweaks of the rules and procedures. Follow directions closely. There are new requirements for the entry key, and there is some new language that clarifies what qualifies as an entry in the projects and explanatory categories.
Your contest chair is John Bednarowski of the Marietta Daily Journal. His contact info is: email johnbednarowski@gmail.com | phone 205-215-6287.
CONTEST DEADLINE
All section entries must be postmarked on or before Jan. 17, 2018. All writing entries must be submitted by midnight local time that same day.
A few important notes:
Please read the instructions carefully. Try to follow the protocols. Entries which do not adhere to the rules may be disqualified.
COVER LETTERS NOTE
Rules for cover letters are specific. Please adhere to them strictly. DO NOT write a thesis explaining the story, provide only the information allowed under the cover letter guidelines (see below).
ENTRY KEYS NOTE
Entry key example:
HTTPS://DOCS.GOOGLE.COM/DOCUMENT/D/1CYZVQHMJO8NJWSLYTYNDU6TYZQS–6LXQOF3WGFJULI/EDIT?TS=584EC198
It is ESSENTIAL that all entry keys (see below) have full and complete information on the authors of the work – please DO NOT come back later, after the winners have been revealed, to ask that names be added to the credit for the work.
If you have a story, project, video or multimedia entry that includes multiple people, keep the list of names at five or fewer. For entries with more than five names, use staff.
Take time to do this when you put together your entry and BE THOROUGH. There is a reason for this – once results have been published, to even add one name means doing so on at least four platforms: our website, our closed Facebook group, our open Facebook page AND the report that the Associated Press puts out. And it also has to be relayed to be changed for the program for the awards banquet and for any plaques or certificates. To make one simple change on all these platforms can take the better part of an hour. So PLEASE do this work up front and do not wait until after you see your entry on the winner’s list.
LINKS, WE NEED LINKS
The contest entry key asks for links to all your entries. That needs to be clarified. The links should be the URL (shortened using bitly.com) to your entries as they ran online – links to the stories on your website. Do this even if your shop has a hard paywall.
So, please, DO NOT give us links to the google docs that you are creating for story entries. The purpose of the links is so that when your stories make the top 10, those links can be shared so other people can check out the winners. If there is a paywall, people can choose to pay to see it or not. This also allows the contest chair to look up the stories online if there are any questions, if they end up in the wrong folder or something else goes amiss.
TWITTER HANDLES, WE NEED TWITTER HANDLES
Include the Twitter handles of all people whose work has been entered (up to five, after that it is a staff entry). Please include these at the bottom of your entry key.
In years past, the officers have had to track that information down, and as you can imagine, trying to do it for every entry can get more than a little tedious, so your help in this area will be appreciated.
ONE ENTRY PER WRITER PER CATEGORY
Example of an entry:
HTTPS://DOCS.GOOGLE.COM/DOCUMENT/D/1VNH_HLJPRMG_BGEMRSNOUKRY4DJILTNJRRM9DOTVTDE/EDIT?TS=584EC159
You will find this below, but as you put together your entries, start with this understanding:
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE BEAT WRITING CATEGORY, no article may be entered in more than one writing division. There is a limit of one entry per writer per category, with a single exception: a writer may be entered in the same category a second time (and only a second time) if he/she is a member of a team (two or more writers) entry. A single team may not be entered twice. Example: Writer A could be entered once individually. She also could be entered a second time for an entry co-authored by Writer B. Or, Writer A could be entered twice as a part of a team, as long as the teams were not the same.
This includes the video and multimedia categories. And nothing from an entered project can be also entered in another category. You have to choose.
You also cannot enter material as a project and also as a special section, if it ran that way. Again, you have to choose.
ONE GOOGLE DOC PER ENTRY
When preparing entries for categories that allow multiple stories (including optional material) such as columns or beat writing, put all stories (as well as the cover letter where allowed) for that entry in one google doc. So, if you are entering two columnists, the google doc for your Columns 1 entry should have all five columns, and a separate google doc for your other column entry, Columns 2, would have all five columns from that writer. DO NOT make separate google docs for each story within an entry. And if you are including optional material in, say, breaking news, include that in the same google doc as the story that you are entering, and mark it “Optional material” at the top so the judges know which is the story to be judged. So your Breaking News 1 doc could include the cover letter, the breaking news story and an optional-material story all in one document.
DAILY SECTION MANDATORIES
In recognition of the fact that many newspapers no longer publish seven days per week, and to be as inclusive as possible, APSE has changed the mandatory dates for the Daily Sections contest to a week-long period (of six days, no Sunday papers allowed in the Daily Sections) from which an organization will submit one daily section.
All sections are from 2017.
The mandatory dates are: Sunday – Jan. 29, 2017; Dec. 31, 2017; Daily – One paper chosen from the week of June 5-10, 2017 (Monday through Saturday are eligible), with second selected from the week of Oct. 2-7, 2017.
OFF-SITE JUDGES NEEDED
APSE will be utilizing off-site judging in certain categories again this year. If you are unable to make it to Orlando and wish to judge – or if you have a staff member who won’t be going to Orlando who would like to participate – email apsecontest@gmail.com and put OFF-SITE JUDGING in the subject line. Off-site judges will judge in a window from Feb. 10-23.
ANONYMITY AND REDACTION
In most categories, all identifiers of the authors and organization must be redacted (as explained below in the section on how to enter). In the project, video and multimedia categories, entries should be by link so there is no redaction required.
In cases where other publications are cited or credited in an entry, those identifiers SHOULD NOT BE REDACTED.
For instance, if your publication is the Daily Times and your entry mentions your publication AND OTHERS, redact only the Daily Times. As an example, in an entry like this – Coach John Doe has resigned, the Daily Times has learned. The City Chronicle first reported that Coach Doe had not been at practice for the past week. – you would redact the Daily Times reference but NOT the City Chronicle reference. Judges will infer that an unredacted reference to a publication is a reference to another publication.
The contest should work very much as it did last year:
All writing entries will be submitted electronically via Google Drive.
Having trouble? Shoot the contest chair an email (make sure to copy to apsecontest@gmail.com with QUESTION or PROBLEM in the subject line) or call (contact info above). Our goal is that the contest be a breeze to enter. So please help us make that a reality.
Below you’ll find all the info you need to enter. Included are all the contest basics (categories, rules, etc.) at the bottom.
CONTEST ESSENTIALS:
_ All section entries must be postmarked on or before Jan. 17, 2018. All writing entries must be submitted by midnight local time that same day.
_ Mandatory dates: Sunday – Jan. 29, 2017; Dec. 31, 2017; Daily – One paper chosen from the week of June 5-10, 2017 (Monday through Saturday are eligible), with second selected from the week of Oct. 2-7, 2017.
_ Section catchers :
Over 175,000, Send to:
Kathy Laughlin
Sports Editor
Sun Sentinel
333 SW 12th Avenue
Deerfield Beach, Florida, 33442
75,000-175,000 send to:
Mike Sherman
Sports EDitor
Tampa Bay Times
490 First Ave. S
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
30,000-75,000 send to:
Nick feely/bill bootz
Sports Editor
the villages daily sun
1100 main st.
the villages, fl 32159
Under 30,000 Send To:
Iliana limon romero
college sports and soccer editor
Orlando Sentinal Media Group
633 North Orange AVenue
Orlando, FL 32801
_ Judging will take place Feb. 24-28 (Saturday through Wednesday) at the Poynter Institute.
The conference hotel is the Hampton Inn (address 80 Beach Drive NE, Saint Petersburg, Florida, 33701, phone number 727-892-9900). Rate is $159.
_ If you are attending judging, be there for a 4 p.m. meeting Saturday, Feb. 24. Please make this meeting to meet your judging partners.
_ Bring your laptop or tablet. Paperless judging means we have to access the entries digitally.
_ To enter, you must sign up for a Google account. You’ll need this both to submit entries and to judge come February.
_ If you’re a judge, please send an email to apsecontest@gmail.com with your cell phone, work email and gmail – and make sure to include your news organization and circulation category:
Category A: Over 175,000/more than 2 million unique monthly visitors
Category B: 75,001 to 175,000/from 750,001 to 1.999 million unique monthly visitors
Category C: 30,000 to 75,000/from 250,000 to 750,000 unique monthly visitors
Category D: Under 30,000/less than 250,000 unique monthly visitors
_ You must notify contest chairman John Bednarowski that you have submitted all writing entries. Include your entries key with this note. Send those to apsecontest@gmail.com – all entries will be checked as quickly as possible, but may not be checked immediately. Please be patient.
_ Questions? Contact John Bednarowski at johnbednarowski@gmail.com or 205-215-6287 (please copy to apsecontest@gmail.com and put CONTEST QUESTION in the subject line). I’ll respond to everyone as quickly as I can, but some responses may not be immediate. Please do what you can to avoid waiting until the last minute before the entry deadline.
HOW TO ENTER:
A. How to prepare writing entries
Copy and paste story from electronic library copy or from your website (TEXT ONLY, NO HEADLINES OR PHOTOS) into a Google doc. (If you only have hard copies contact me, and we’ll work out a solution.) For ease of use, please do use Google Docs. Thank you.
All entries must include the following information at the first page of the story. For example:
USA TODAY Sports
Writing division: Breaking News
Circulation category: Over 175
Numbered entry: Breaking News 1 (This MUST match your entry key. This is how we know what story belongs to which publication and which author — so if you have two Breaking News entries, make them Breaking News 1 and Breaking News 2.)
Date entry was published: June 18, 2017
You must redact any mention of the publication within the copy. To do this, highlight the text you want to redact. Next, click on the “A” in the formatting bar across the top of the Google Doc. It will give you the option of text or highlight. Click on highlight, then choose the first box in the first row (black.) Done. It will look like this: XXXBLACKOUTXXX.
DO NOT redact mentions of other publications. For instance, if your publication is the Daily Times and your entry mentions your publication AND OTHERS, redact only the Daily Times. As an example, in an entry like this – Coach John Doe has resigned, the Daily Times has learned. The City Chronicle first reported that Coach Doe had not been at practice for the past week. – you would redact the Daily Times reference but NOT the City Chronicle reference. Judges will infer that an unredacted reference to a publication is from a reference to another publication.
B. How to submit your writing entries:
1. Log in to Google Drive.
2. Get your upload link. The links are included at the bottom of this document and posted separately on the site. Don’t see your site? Email me (John Bednarowski) at apsecontest@gmail.com, and I’ll get you set up. Put NEED UPLOAD LINK in the subject line.
3. The link takes you directly to your publication’s folder, which includes subfolders for each writing category.
4. Ready? Click on the link.
5. In the top right corner there is a blue button that says “Open in Drive.” Click on that.
6. Now we come to a fork in the road.
7. Have you already created your writing entries and just need to upload? Yes? Great. On the left is a red button titled “NEW.” Click on it to reveal its menu. You want “file upload.” Find the files on your desktop and upload them. Please put the breaking news entries in the breaking news folder, etc.
8. Need help uploading? Directions straight from google: https://support.google.com/drive/answer/2424368)
9. Wait, you say you have NOT created your writing entries yet? No problem. Let’s get started.
10. On the left is a red button titled “NEW.” Click on it to reveal its menu.
11. You want “Google Docs.” Click on it. You’ll get the following message: “Create in a shared folder? The created item will have the same sharing permissions as the selected folder.” Click yes.
12. Name the document. In the left-hand corner you’ll see “unnamed document.” Click on that text and enter your title — “Breaking News 1,” “Columns 1,” etc. This is the title you’ll put on your entry key.
13. Now you’re ready to create a writing entry. Just follow the instructions for how to prepare writing entries
14. The bonus for you is the google doc has been created right there in your publication’s folder, no need to upload. When all your entries are ready, you’ll just need to drag and drop each into the appropriate subfolder
C. Let us know you’ve finished your entries.
_ Send an email to apsecontest@gmail.com – IMPORTANT: Put the name of the news organization plus ENTRY COMPLETE in subject line. Make this a fresh, new email, and not part of a chain of any earlier correspondence.
_ Include the ENTRY KEY as an attachment. This is ESSENTIAL for the judges to make sure the entries are properly logged so credit is given to the correct writers or content producers when the winners are selected, and to make sure your stories are in the right folders, etc.
_ Put copy of your entry key in your entry folder.
HOW TO PREPARE AN ENTRY KEY
_ Create a Google doc.
_ Label it “USA TODAY Sports (name of your org) Entry Key”
_ Break down entries by category, including story headlines and separate links (use bitly.com) for each story submitted. Please be very mindful of the spellings as it’s what we will use.
IMPORTANT NOTE: These need to be links to your stories on your website, NOT links to your google docs. Please read the explanation above for clarification.
(If you are not familiar with bitly, it is a URL-shortener. Go to bitly.com online and you’ll see where to drop your original link, hit the shorten tab and copy the new, shortened link. It gives you the option to sign up, but you don’t have to do that.)
For example:
Beat Writing
1. John Bednarowski
Kennesaw State finalizes 2018 football schedule
Kennesaw State football team turns its focus toward 2018 follow-up
Owls get caught in Hartsfield power outage
Kennesaw State’s Bryson Armstrong named FCS’ top freshman
Kennesaw State’s season ends, but a new standard has been set
CONTEST BASICS
Who can enter?
Dues must be paid to be contest eligible.
If you haven’t paid your 2017 APSE dues, there’s still time to pay them and become eligible to enter APSE’s annual contests. Sign up here: https://apsportseditors.com/become-an-apse-member/
What are the writing categories?
BREAKING NEWS
Three entries per organization; one article per entry; cover letter allowed.
Article of a sports news development (trades, hirings, firings, franchise shifts, etc.) that occurred in the most recent news cycle.
Online or print stories can be submitted.
A cover letter should explain:
Who broke the story
When the news was obtained relative to publication
Publication time online
How it might have been expanded upon for print.
For judging purposes, only the final story and cover letter must be read, but up to three examples of complementary material may be included and read at the judges’ discretion. Judges, using their discretion, will weigh the various elements of a breaking news story: timeliness, thoroughness, exclusivity, significance. These should be explained in the cover letter.
EXPLANATORY
Two entries per organization; one article per entry; cover letter allowed.
Article along with any accompanying sidebars or graphics/charts that help supplement the story.
Sidebars will not be required reading by the judges. They will be included to answer judges’ questions concerning why material may be missing from the single-story entry. An editor also can attach a cover letter that is a synopsis of the sidebars.
NOTE: If you include optional sidebar material, place it in the same google doc along with the entry and the cover letter. Label it “Optional Material” at the top.
Explanatory stories include trends, issues, original ideas and it should explain something. They shed new light on issues and personalities in the news. They are more than the feature and less than the project entry. They go beyond the “yesterday” of the breaking news story.
GAME STORY (Class D/Under 30K only)
Three entries per organization; one article per entry.
The best single article by a single author. No series; no sidebars. No cover letters.
Judging will be on reader interest, and quality of writing and thoroughness of reporting.
BEAT WRITING
Two entries per organization; five articles per entry; cover letter allowed.
Collection of articles by a single author that shows authoritative, newsy and innovative coverage of a beat.
Each entry should consist of five pieces: at least one breaking news story; one event or game coverage story; one enterprise piece and two wild-card stories from any of the aforementioned categories (or other stories or analysis related to the beat).
Entries should include a cover letter with a synopsis of how the combined submissions demonstrate excellence on the beat. The cover letter should note other metrics that show authority and audience engagement on the beat.
This is the only category where stories can be entered for a second time — the five articles that make up the entry can (but do not have to) be also entered in other categories (for instance, a breaking news story can be entered in Breaking News and also as part of the Beat Writing entry).
NOTE: Place all stories that make up the entry in the same google doc along with the entry and the cover letter.
FEATURES
Three entries per organization; one article per entry; no cover letter.
The best single article. No series; no sidebars.
Judging will be on human interest, reader interest, quality of writing and thoroughness of reporting.
COLUMNS
Two entries per organization; five articles per entry; no cover letter.
Judged based on style, writing quality, originality and local appeal.
No restriction on subject matter and no requirement that they appear regularly.
NOTE: Place all columns that make up the entry in the same google doc.
PROJECTS
One entry per paper; 1-10 articles per entry (refer to category explanation for more detail); cover letter allowed.
A project sheds new light on personalities and issues in the news, including trends and original ideas. It is pre-planned content that is conceived and executed as a larger body of work. What it is not is ongoing coverage of a news event over a period of time where a number of stories are compiled for an entry.
For judging purposes, the project is limited to 10 stories. Additional material may be attached and read at the judges’ discretion.
There should be a synopsis of the supplementary material in the cover letter. The material is not required to have appeared in a single day or on consecutive days.
Multimedia can be entered as a project to allow the full scope of the project to be judged. This should be done by linking to the project in the cover letter (there is NO NEED to also drop individual stories into your folder – the cover letter and link therein can comprise the full entry, but the ENTRY KEY must include the link and information on who produced the work).
NOTE: You CANNOT enter the same work in both Projects and Multimedia, or Video or any other category. You have to choose. Just like you can’t take a sidebar from your project entry and enter it in Features and three more pieces of an entered project and enter them in Explanatory. Discovery of the same material entered under Project and in Multimedia or any other category will result in the entries being disqualified.
ALSO NOTE: Stories and material entered as a special section entry may not also be entered as a project writing entry.
FINALLY, if you are not entering by link, place all stories that make up the entry in the same google doc along with the cover letter.
INVESTIGATIVE
One entry per paper; 1+ articles per entry; cover letter allowed. (There are no circulation categories in Investigative: all entries are judged across all categories)
Best single article or best series.
Judging will be based on the entry’s enterprise, initiative, documentation, resourcefulness and original reporting in uncovering newsworthy and significant facts and developments that otherwise might not have been reported. Impact and aftermath of the work should be considered.
Investigative work should rely on reporting of facts discovered or uncovered by the author rather than reports from anonymous sources offering unverified statements.
Investigative entries must not include articles for which payments were made for information. Pure and truly significant investigative reporting is rare. Relying solely on quotes from an FBI source does not make a story investigative. Doing the work the FBI would do in order to build a story might be investigative.
NOTE: Place all stories that make up the entry in the same google doc along with the entry and the cover letter.
MULTIMEDIA
Multimedia includes interactive graphics, audio, slideshows or combinations thereof, or anything else that falls under the broad description of multimedia other than simple videos (which must be entered in the video portion of the contest). Entries will be judged, foremost, on the strength of storytelling. Visual and auditory quality will be considered.
A single story may be a series on the same topic (such as following a team through a season) with a limit of five installments per entry.
A cover letter (follow standard format above) can be submitted with the entry. In instances where the multimedia entry supplemented a written story, that should be summarized in the cover letter. The story itself may be submitted for background purposes and can be read at the judges’ discretion. The written story will not be a part of the material judged.
Judges will select a Top 5 and up to five honorable mention entries — unless the number of entries, at the contest chair’s discretion, supports expanding the number of entries.
Categories are the same as for all other divisions:
Category A: Over 175,000/more than 2 million unique monthly visitors
Category B: 75,001 to 175,000/from 750,001 to 1.999 million unique monthly visitors
Category C: 30,000 to 75,000/from 250,000 to 750,000 unique monthly visitors
Category D: Under 30,000/less than 250,000 unique monthly visitors
_ Two entries per organization.
_ Create a Google doc with the URL to your multimedia entry and then upload that to your organization’s folder.
VIDEO
Video entries will be placed in one of two categories:
_ Up to 5 Minutes
_ Over 5 Minutes
Entries will be judged, foremost, on the strength of storytelling. Visual and auditory quality will be considered.
A cover letter (follow standard format above) can be submitted with the entry. In instances where the video entry supplemented a written story, that should be summarized in the cover letter. The story itself may be submitted for background purposes and can be read at the judges’ discretion. The written story will not be a part of the material judged.
Judges will select a Top 5 and up to five honorable mention entries — unless the number of entries, at the contest chair’s discretion, supports expanding the number of entries honored.
Categories for video contest entries are the same as for Multimedia and all other contest entries, by circulation for news organizations with a daily print product or unique monthly visitors for website/digital-only members. See above for details
_ One entry per organization per category (i.e. one entry in Up to 5 Minutes and one entry in Over 5 minutes).
_ Create a Google doc with the URL to your multimedia entry and then upload that to your organization’s folder.
COVER LETTER FORMAT
How do I write a cover letter?
A cover letter actually isn’t a letter at all. It’s a form that gives judges pertinent information. You must follow this strict format or your letter may be tossed. So PLEASE take care to adhere to this (in the case of breaking news there is allowance for other material as specified – see above):
Origin of the idea of the story: (Place your explanation here …)
Timeliness of its publication: (Place your explanation here …)
Difficulty in acquiring it: (Place your explanation here …)
Impact, reaction, aftermath: (Place your explanation here …)
Project reporting 1: (The numbered entry)
DO NOT identify the organization or writer. The judges will see the cover letters.
Can I enter the same story in five different categories?
With the exception of the beat writing category, no article may be entered in more than one writing division. There is a limit of one entry per writer per category, with a single exception: a writer may be entered in the same category a second time (and only a second time) if he/she is a member of a team (two or more writers) entry. A single team may not be entered twice. Example: Writer A could be entered once individually. She also could be entered a second time for an entry co-authored by Writer B. Or, Writer A could be entered twice as a part of a team, as long as the teams were not the same.
The same rule applies in the multimedia and video categories (and also note that this applies to projects – see above).
What’s my circulation category?
Entries will be judged by category determined by the level at which the news organization pays APSE dues: for news organizations with daily print products, this is determined by average daily circulation; for website-only news organizations, this is determined by unique monthly visitors:
Here are the categories:
Category A: Over 175,000/more than 2 million unique monthly visitors
Category B: 75,001 to 175,000/from 750,001 to 1.999 million unique monthly visitors
Category C: 30,000 to 75,000/from 250,000 to 750,000 unique monthly visitors
Category D: Under 30,000/less than 250,000 unique monthly visitors
There is a special fifth category for sections: Under 15,000. All papers under 30,000 enter Category D. Papers with a circulation of 15,000 and under — those that are not recognized in the Top 10 for Under 30,000 — are eligible for recognition in the special 15,000 and under division. A paper need not enter twice; it will automatically be judged in both categories, as eligible.
All contest entries – writing and section divisions as well as video and multimedia – must be made in the same category. Editors wanting to compete in a larger category must notify contest chair John Bednarowski (johnbednarowski@gmail.com, 205-215-6287) before submitting entries. Those “playing up” will be required to pay the higher dues for the higher division.
When one staff publishes sports sections for several papers, they are considered one paper for APSE purposes. To enter individually, these papers need to pay dues individually. Questions on your organization and how it fits in should be directed to APSE President Jeff Rosen (Jrosen@kcstar.com, 816-234-4706).
When one staff publishes sports sections for several papers, dues must have been paid accordingly, with the combined circulation determining the category. If you didn’t follow this procedure when you paid dues, your contest entries are subject to disqualification.
How are writing entries judged?
Preliminary judges will select the top 10 stories in each group as finalists. Each judge, separately and on a secret ballot, will list the stories in order from 1 to 10, with 1 being the best story. The final 10 will be given to a second judging group, which also will rank the stories 1-10 in the same fashion as the first group. The final judges’ ballots and the final 10 stories will be turned into the contest chair. The chair will tally all the votes awarding points in reverse order (No. 1 story gets 10 points, No. 2 gets 9, etc.). It is the responsibility of the entering news organization, based on the judging guidelines, to select the proper division in which an entry should be placed.
For articles that appeared in the newspaper as columns but are entered in game, feature or breaking news divisions, the judging group will have disqualification authority.
How does the section contest work?
There are section categories for Daily, Sunday and Special sections.
Entries must include a 3-by-5 index card or facsimile with section division, news organization name, city, daily circulation, circulation category, and days of publication.
The information on the card should mirror the following format:
Section division: (Example Daily)
Newspaper: (Example Daily Bugle)
City: (Example Dallas, Texas)
Daily circulation: (Example 212,000)
Dates of publication: (Example Two dates from the mandatory windows and two optionals of your choosing for Daily sections; Two mandatory dates and two optionals for Sunday.)
Circulation category: (Example Over 175,000).
The Daily section entries must contain four issues. This includes the two mandatory dates. The two optional issues in the daily divisions may come from any days except Sunday.
The Sunday section entry must contain four issues, including the two mandatory dates. On mandatory dates, papers enter all sports-related content from that day’s paper, including special sections and page A-1 material.
NOTE: Sunday entries MUST BE published on Sundays – “weekend editions” that are published on Saturday (or Monday or any date other than Sunday) will be disqualified.
Optional day entries may include: self-contained sports sections, sports-related Page A1 material and special sections that may include live (or yesterday) content and regular-scheduled preview content.
Stand-alone special preview (season and major event) sections are not allowed for optional-day entries. Special sections that are not live may not be entered with optional entries. The preponderance of material in such a special preview section must be live for it to be included.
On mandatory dates, papers enter all sports-related content, including special sections and material from other sections of the paper – for instance, A1 outtake or breaking news would be included.
Judges will select – but not rank – the top 10 sections in each circulation category and will select as many as 10 honorable mentions.
NOTE: Sunday entries must be published on Sundays – not weekend editions that publish on Saturdays or Monday editions for papers that do not publish on Sunday.
here are the links to each newspaper/media company’s folder. if you do not have a folder, contact john bednarowski at johnbednarowski@gmail.com.
UNDER 30
Aiken Standard http://bit.ly/2B26SbC
American News http://bit.ly/2k7jovR
Ames Tribune http://bit.ly/2ziHLyx
Anderson Herald Bulletin http://bit.ly/2D8O5fE
Anderson Independent Mail http://bit.ly/2AIE5EM
Antelope Valley Press http://bit.ly/2ziIz6x
Ashtabula Star Beacon http://bit.ly/2k5cFTm
Athens Banner-Herald http://bit.ly/2ziPgWi
Beaver County Times http://bit.ly/2kEHP35
Billings Gazette http://bit.ly/2CqNMYT
Bottineau Courant http://bit.ly/2yNbpIU
Burlington Times-News http://bit.ly/2kCF828
Carlslile Sentinel http://bit.ly/2E11nqy
Carroll County Times http://bit.ly/2AJYWYp
Casa Grande Dispatch http://bit.ly/2k7cYwF
Casper Star-Tribune http://bit.ly/2CNHCmq
Cherokee Tribune http://bit.ly/2AHeDiP
Clarksville Leaf Chronicle http://bit.ly/2CWCyAe
Columbia Daily Tribune http://bit.ly/2kCoMXm
Columbia Missourian http://bit.ly/2yMcSPK
Columbus Ledger-Enquirer http://bit.ly/2kAy71Q
Concord Monitor http://bit.ly/2B27WfC
Daily American Republic http://bit.ly/2B0mOv0
Daily Chronicle http://bit.ly/2ziLU5L
Daily Dunklin Democrat http://bit.ly/2k6GNOa
Daily Hampshire Gazette http://bit.ly/2B3XCDJ
Daily Record http://bit.ly/2kDdmTm
Dalton Daily Citizen http://bit.ly/2qfPQ4J
Decatur Daily Sports http://bit.ly/2ja6UTy
Denton Record-Chronicle http://bit.ly/2kCvnkJ
Dothan Eagle http://bit.ly/2AJJZVX
Durham Herald Sun http://bit.ly/2BwUr7b
Enid News-Eagle http://bit.ly/2j9ubVn
Fort Collins Coloradoan http://bit.ly/2BA6mkl
Gaston Gazette http://bit.ly/2CLJX1f
Grand Forks Herald http://bit.ly/2BouXGi
Greeley Tribune http://bit.ly/2k7MX0p
Hattiesburg American http://bit.ly/2DG9k5J
Herald and News http://bit.ly/2Bp1Xys
Herald-Journal http://bit.ly/2BBucMA
Hickory Daily Record http://bit.ly/2AP1yDf
Idaho State Journal http://bit.ly/2jbi3n3
Index Journal http://bit.ly/2j94699
Jackson Sun http://bit.ly/2AKDP7a
Janesville Gazette http://bit.ly/2yMNn0D
Journal-Courier http://bit.ly/2j7LG8z
Kennebec Journal http://bit.ly/2ziJIvf
Kerrville Daily Times http://bit.ly/2CKuEG6
Killeen Daily Herald http://bit.ly/2yNg11D
Kitsap Sun http://bit.ly/2B1z8ee
La Crosse Tribune http://bit.ly/2ByW5oB
Lake City Reporter http://bit.ly/2yLZ4Vw
Laramie Boomerang http://bit.ly/2osnD9T
Lawrence Journal-World http://bit.ly/2kDvdJH
Log Cabin Democrat http://bit.ly/2k6IHOO
Longview Daily News http://bit.ly/2Crvabc
Lubbock Avalanche-Journal http://bit.ly/2CszerK
Mail Tribune http://bit.ly/2B1buyE
Marietta Daily Journal http://bit.ly/2yNXaDS
Marin Independent Journal http://bit.ly/2BCaGzN
Messenger Post Media http://bit.ly/2osMmLs
Midland Daily News http://bit.ly/2kDWBam
Midland Reporter-Telegram http://bit.ly/2BA8bhb
Montgomery Advertiser http://bit.ly/2zidHDe
Morning News http://bit.ly/2B0Oxqr
Morning Sentinel http://bit.ly/2BmFkui
Muscatine Journal http://bit.ly/2B07nmt
Napa Valley Register http://bit.ly/2CsC1RP
Northwest Floria Daily News http://bit.ly/2j8cSnH
Northwest Herald http://bit.ly/2kCtFja
Olean Times Herald http://bit.ly/2CLGDTR
Opelika-Auburn News http://bit.ly/2jbm2jg
Peninsula Daily News http://bit.ly/2kDjWcs
Pensacola News Journal http://bit.ly/2DsDFEx
Pierre Capital Journal http://bit.ly/2k7lCeG
Pioneer Local http://bit.ly/2CLOuRj
Racine Journal http://bit.ly/2Di6Ux4
Quad-City Times http://bit.ly/2ou9ZmK
Quincy Herald-Whig http://bit.ly/2k8pVGA
San Angelo Standard-Times http://bit.ly/2AKKxLt
Santa Cruz Sentinel http://bit.ly/2BCOXHO
Sauk Valley Media http://bit.ly/2B13QnZ
Savannah Morning News http://bit.ly/2k5N9xh
Selma Kingsburg Enterprise Recorder http://bit.ly/2EggsVv
Southeast Missourian http://bit.ly/2B1gH9P
St. Cloud Times http://bit.ly/2yMe5q6
Steamboat Pilot & Today http://bit.ly/2oqO4gd
Steubenville Herald-Star/Weirton Daily http://bit.ly/2BBpBtU
Sun Journal http://bit.ly/2CKLqoC
The Altoona Mirror http://bit.ly/2yM96Gb
The Anniston Star http://bit.ly/2AJ0HoK
The Beaumont Enterprise http://bit.ly/2BpWpDJ
The Berkshire Eagle http://bit.ly/2otdsC4
The Chronicle-Telegram http://bit.ly/2kCLcaU
The Citizens’ Voice http://bit.ly/2ziNVi9
The Daily News Journal http://bit.ly/2zinaKN
The Daily Progress http://bit.ly/2B3kT8I
The Daily Record http://bit.ly/2B0Sgt8
The Daily Sentinel http://bit.ly/2kDRAyL
The Daily World http://bit.ly/2BCbMLI
The Day http://bit.ly/2B1D7rc
The Dominion Post http://bit.ly/2j9wVSF
The Fayetteville Observer http://bit.ly/2CMwDgL
The Frederick News-Post http://bit.ly/2AJPd41
The Free Press http://bit.ly/2k7pcFE
The Gadsden Times http://bit.ly/2CJCVKF
The Hawk Eye http://bit.ly/2oss70d
The Herald (Rock Hill) http://bit.ly/2CrLc4L
The Herald Times http://bit.ly/2BAVOBO
The Indiana Gazette http://bit.ly/2CLmMUV
The Island Packet/Beaufort Gazette http://bit.ly/2zjprpk
The Journal Times http://bit.ly/2AKNU55
The Medina Gazette http://bit.ly/2AKd97A
The Meridian Star http://bit.ly/2yMoWR3
The Minot Daily News http://bit.ly/2B0atXD
The Missoulian http://bit.ly/2kGuJ5o
The Morning Sun http://bit.ly/2BzfohB
The News Leader (of Staunton) http://bit.ly/2j8fCBv
The News-Gazette (Champaign) http://bit.ly/2Bnz6dF
The News-Herald http://bit.ly/2BnGhCA
The North Platte Telegraph http://bit.ly/2AMYOXO
The Oakland Press http://bit.ly/2AIc3ZT
The Post Star http://bit.ly/2kCKzOK
The Recorder http://bit.ly/2kDUBPB
The Rome News-Tribune http://bit.ly/2B1gSlm
The Southern Illinoisan http://bit.ly/2yMmeLm
The Standard-Times http://bit.ly/2k6VC2Y
The Star Press http://bit.ly/2kCZpVf
The Times Argus http://bit.ly/2COc7cj
The Tribune (SLO, Calif.) http://bit.ly/2yMleqn
The Tuscaloosa News http://bit.ly/2CrHbNW
The World http://bit.ly/2B0U0CG
The York Dispatch http://bit.ly/2CIM7yJ
Times Daily (Florence, Ala.) http://bit.ly/2opfEKK
Times West Virginian http://bit.ly/2Bp7ncO
Tri-City Herald http://bit.ly/2B1v91x
Tribune Chronicle http://bit.ly/2CsDUhp
Twin Falls Times-News http://bit.ly/2jaGCQZ
Venice Gondolier Sun http://bit.ly/2B0kF2b
Victoria Advocate http://bit.ly/2AK3UUK
Virgin Island Daily News http://bit.ly/2AKfkrM
Watertown Daily Times http://bit.ly/2k7hewk
West Bend Daily News http://bit.ly/2kEkZc9
Williamsport Sun-Gazette http://bit.ly/2ziRZz7
Wilmington Star News http://bit.ly/2kDVbg1
Winona Daily News http://bit.ly/2yMqtGw
Wyoming Tribune-Eagle http://bit.ly/2yMcIbf
Yakima Herald Republic http://bit.ly/2ouf4LQ
30-75
Argus Leader http://bit.ly/2Crvk2d
Asbury Park Press http://bit.ly/2yNDM9H
Boulder Daily Camera http://bit.ly/2AKSm3N
Cape Cod Times http://bit.ly/2BCjzt9
Cedar Rapids Gazette http://bit.ly/2kGsf7s
Charlotte Sun-Sun Coast Media Group http://bit.ly/2CsmYYr
Chattanooga Times Free Press http://bit.ly/2BoGFAK
Commercial Appeal (Memphis) http://bit.ly/2BBAOLc
Connecticut Post http://bit.ly/2Bx49GF
Corpus Christi Caller-Times http://bit.ly/2k5h4FI
Courier-Post http://bit.ly/2B0yYUG
Daily Press (Hampston Roads, Va.) http://bit.ly/2BAxXSF
Dayton Daily News http://bit.ly/2zjFIdA
Daytona Beach News-Journal http://bit.ly/2jaIAAR
Deseret News http://bit.ly/2B0fTBU
Detroit News http://bit.ly/2Bn98He
El Paso Times http://bit.ly/2k5Vzon
Erie Times-News http://bit.ly/2CpPBoM
Evansville Courier-Press http://bit.ly/2yMak4e
Florida Today http://bit.ly/2CKVCgS
Free Lance-Star Publishing http://bit.ly/2zj0lXo
Galveston County Daily News http://bit.ly/2CpVJxC
Green Bay Press-Gazette http://bit.ly/2zjGx6a
Idaho Statesman http://bit.ly/2oui0bk
Knoxville News Sentinel http://bit.ly/2BmXmMX
Lafayette Daily Advertiser-Baton Rouge http://bit.ly/2B4baz5
Lexington Herald-Leader http://bit.ly/2CJJZXH
Lincoln Journal Star http://bit.ly/2k7sgl7
Minnesota Hockey Hub http://bit.ly/2zjItf9
Naples Daily News http://bit.ly/2CLyAXa
News-Record http://bit.ly/2zjt7HE
Outsports http://bit.ly/2Db52X0
Pensacola News Journal http://bit.ly/2BBH9Gs
Peoria Journal Star http://bit.ly/2Csoxph
Portland Press-Herald-Maine Sunday Telegram http://bit.ly/2k7kaZS
Post-Tribune (Merrillville, Ind.) http://bit.ly/2CrvsyS
Press-Sun-Bulletin http://bit.ly/2kDRJSA
Reno Gazette-Journal http://bit.ly/2yNl4iH
Santa Rosa Press Democrat http://bit.ly/2BnED44
Sarasota Herald Tribune http://bit.ly/2k72nBS
Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers http://bit.ly/2otlVFm
South Bend Tribune http://bit.ly/2COi2y3
St. Joseph News-Press http://bit.ly/2AJbj74
Staten Island Advance http://bit.ly/2Bq91eh
Syracuse Media Group http://bit.ly/2Bz9Pjb
Tacoma News Tribune http://bit.ly/2B1JWJk
Tallahassee Democrat http://bit.ly/2k7zohp
The (Lakeland) Ledger http://bit.ly/2CpROR6
The Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle http://bit.ly/2CJMhWN
The Bakersfield Californian http://bit.ly/2k91zfR
The Clarion-Ledger http://bit.ly/2k80q8w
The Desert Sun http://bit.ly/2j7YpYZ
The Gainesville Sun http://bit.ly/2k6WTr4
The Gazette (Colorado Springs) http://bit.ly/2otm9wh
The Journal Gazette http://bit.ly/2AItXfb
The Journal News (White Plains, N.Y.)http://bit.ly/2k7A2eP
The Monitor http://bit.ly/2k8B5LM
The Morning Call http://bit.ly/2BlP6Nt
The Morning Sun http://bit.ly/2BmQ2B3
The National http://bit.ly/2yNrz4Z
The News-Press http://bit.ly/2yM568q
The Patriot News/PennLive.com http://bit.ly/2yMSDRS
The Post and Courier http://bit.ly/2BAAYCt
The Post-Tribune http://bit.ly/2AMpw33
The Providence Journal http://bit.ly/2j8tX0I
The Register-Guard (Eugene, Ore.) http://bit.ly/2k7nEM1
The Repository http://bit.ly/2ziRUvd
The Roanoke Times http://bit.ly/2kErgod
The Spokesman-Review http://bit.ly/2j7YMml
The State http://bit.ly/2ka7f9J
The Sun News http://bit.ly/2zjhXTi
The Telegraph http://bit.ly/2ziWd9L
The Times of Northwest Indiana http://bit.ly/2Cu5omu
The Times-Tribune http://bit.ly/2jawKH0
The Topeka Capital-Journal http://bit.ly/2j9AmZz
The Villages Daily Sun http://bit.ly/2ouVzTp
The Vindicator http://bit.ly/2AMvCk4
The Wichita Eagle http://bit.ly/2BBzO9I
Times Herald-Record http://bit.ly/2AIFU4D
Times Union http://bit.ly/2oslRWx
Washington Times http://bit.ly/2CN5tCU
Wausau Daily Herald http://bit.ly/2BCqx14
Wisconsin State Journal http://bit.ly/2j7u5hc
York Daily Record http://bit.ly/2kEKV7h
75-175
Akron Beacon Journal http://bit.ly/2B1LZNw
Arizona Daily Star http://bit.ly/2k7yVMa
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette http://bit.ly/2ot8FAC
Asbury Park Press http://bit.ly/2oyyWO7
Austin American-Statesman http://bit.ly/2yOcMas
BamaOnline http://bit.ly/2BBLEAA
Bay Area News Group http://bit.ly/2zimTHS
Boston Herald http://bit.ly/2AJWKjA
Buffalo News http://bit.ly/2AN1Onr
Charlotte Observer http://bit.ly/2B1Ml6O
Cincinnati Enquirer http://bit.ly/2kAQvHU
Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch http://bit.ly/2CrBcZj
Daily Herald (Arlington Heights, Ill.) http://bit.ly/2Cu7bYK
Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, N.Y.) http://bit.ly/2k6QoEn
Des Moines Register http://bit.ly/2CrVAd3
FanRag Sports http://bit.ly/2EP4NxL
Florida Times-Union http://bit.ly/2CpZZ04
Fresno Bee http://bit.ly/2oyAfN1
Hartford Courant http://bit.ly/2CpLxoL
Indianapolis Star http://bit.ly/2yOdncc
Las Vegas Review-Journal http://bit.ly/2AMxRE0
Louisville Courier-Journal http://bit.ly/2yNxoiW
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel http://bit.ly/2ALzSzZ
News Journal (Wilmington, Del.) http://bit.ly/2CspcXx
News-Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) http://bit.ly/2k8agax
NOLA.com/Times Picayune http://bit.ly/2kCJeaA
Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald http://bit.ly/2ziWcml
Palm Beach Post http://bit.ly/2kCOT0t
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette http://bit.ly/2CJPl5f
Post-Standard (Syracuse, N.Y.) http://bit.ly/2AKQPdX
Richmond Times-Dispatch http://bit.ly/2AIZvSc
Salt Lake Tribune http://bit.ly/2j7a6iy
San Antonio Express-News http://bit.ly/2AIg1BQ
Seattle Times http://bit.ly/2AIoV29
St. Louis Post-Dispatch http://bit.ly/2jduH53
St. Paul Pioneer Press http://bit.ly/2B19qa3
Star-Advertiser (Honolulu) http://bit.ly/2BzeWzT
The Advocate (Baton Rouge, La.) http://bit.ly/2AN3Hk1
The Blade (Toledo, Ohio) http://bit.ly/2ziW5ag
The Oklahoman http://bit.ly/2j7C7q6
The Oregonian http://bit.ly/2k79SbY
The Record (Woodland Park, N.J.) http://bit.ly/2B12yt8
The Tennessean http://bit.ly/2yMAJ1u
Tulsa World http://bit.ly/2Cstpe3
Virginian-Pilot http://bit.ly/2zj6yma
Worcester Telegram-Gazette http://bit.ly/2k78FS0
OVER 175
247Sports http://bit.ly/2B9A6Wa
AL.com http://bit.ly/2oCsKEB
Arizona Republic http://bit.ly/2oFK77B
Associated Press http://bit.ly/2yU8nTn
Atlanta Journal Constitution http://bit.ly/2D0hMvJ
Baltimore Sun http://bit.ly/2kdb1PC
Bleacher Report http://bit.ly/2Bu95tm
Boston Globe http://bit.ly/2jdkbui
CBSSports.com http://bit.ly/2CX6iJr
Chicago Sun-Times http://bit.ly/2Bua3Wy
Chicago Tribune http://bit.ly/2yTXFfx
Cleveland Plain Dealer http://bit.ly/2B9b3lX
Dallas Morning News http://bit.ly/2Bbnr4Q
Denver Post http://bit.ly/2Ba1ymD
Detroit Free Press http://bit.ly/2AVOihd
ESPN New York http://bit.ly/2BGURI0
FloSports http://bit.ly/2D57cDr
Fort Worth Star-Telegram http://bit.ly/2B9Ejci
FoxSports.com http://bit.ly/2zkMAYh
GamecockCentral.com http://bit.ly/2oGq5ty
Houston Chronicle http://bit.ly/2zkuMMR
Kansas City Star http://bit.ly/2CXlPc8
Los Angeles Times http://bit.ly/2Bbo3HG
MassLive http://bit.ly/2mcZzDL
Miami Herald http://bit.ly/2BFDjfh
Minneapolis Star-Tribune http://bit.ly/2BIyxOm
NESN.com http://bit.ly/2oFwe9q
New York Daily News http://bit.ly/2j9famG
New York Times http://bit.ly/2BIwCcA
Newark Star Ledger http://bit.ly/2Buslag
Newsday http://bit.ly/2ySBxCp
Northeast Ohio Media Group http://bit.ly/2CA7OQC
OnMilwaukee.com http://bit.ly/2CBfEtv
Orange County Register http://bit.ly/2oIalGo
Orlando Sentinel http://bit.ly/2Czdk66
Philadelphia Daily News http://bit.ly/2oDph8L
Philadelphia Inquirer http://bit.ly/2yUahDv
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://bit.ly/2oFxSb6
San Francisco Chronicle http://bit.ly/2kGhlhZ
Saturday Down South http://bit.ly/2j9Shzr
SI.com http://bit.ly/2kfyijI
South Florida Sun-Sentinel http://bit.ly/2AUDYpy
Southern California News Group http://bit.ly/2kGJDc0
Sporting News http://bit.ly/2CzWKTD
STATS http://bit.ly/2B93tHR
Tampa Bay Times http://bit.ly/2B7FLvE
Toronto Star http://bit.ly/2D1cBvK
U-T San Diego http://bit.ly/2BtNH7l
USA Today http://bit.ly/2kgQo4Q
Wall Street Journal http://bit.ly/2CWqsmK
Washington Post http://bit.ly/2AXsFgE
Yahoo! Sports http://bit.ly/2ySTWyK
