Affordable Tech for Sports Bloggers

We’re in the middle of a hectic period for professional sports. Followers of football, basketball, soccer, horse racing, and other popular attractions have already been kept busy this year. They’ve enjoyed the Melbourne Open, Japan Cup, Grand National, NBA Finals, Champions League, and Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk. Did you correctly predict the Super Bowl totals in Paradise, Nevada? If not, there’s plenty more to come as we dive headfirst into a manic summer with plenty of opportunities to watch live sports, predict the results and follow the experts.

Euro 2024 has given soccer fans something to cheer as 24 of Europe’s best soccer-playing nations arrived in Germany with one aim: to become king of the continent. That list has been whittled down from a bulky starting field to the main contenders, with the likes of Spain, England, and France still in the running. Host nation Germany was eliminated at the quarter-final stage, but that took nothing away from the excitement and energy of the hosts. You can follow the next big match live on television at home or on your smartphone through the best live-streaming channels. 

When you’ve had your fill of making soccer predictions in Germany, attentions turn to France for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games. Paris is the host city as some of the world’s greatest athletes prepare to put on a show for a Parisian audience and the eyes of the watching world. Paris 2024 begins with the opening ceremony on Friday, 26th July, and the closing ceremony on Sunday, 11th August. With over 10,000 athletes competing in 329 events and 32 sports, it promises to be a remarkable celebration of sports.

How to get involved

Millions of people worldwide love to follow sports live on television. But have you ever dreamt of getting closer to the action? Not many of us are lucky enough to be talented enough at sports to play professionally and represent our nation at the Olympic Games. But other options will bring you closer to the stars of the show. 

One of the easiest and most rewarding ways to get involved in sports is through coaching and volunteering. If you once played sport at a decent level, why not share your passion and experience by helping to coach the next generation of champions? If you lack the qualifications to coach, volunteering is another great option. You can lend a hand when local sports teams train or chip in with security or tickets. Youth, amateur, and smaller professional sports teams are always looking for extra help.

As the old saying goes, “The pen is mightier than the sword,” and that way of thinking might lead you to a career in sports writing, such as copywriting or sports journalism. The industry is more open and accessible today than at any stage of history, with hundreds of new writers and sports fans joining the fold each year. If you’re a good writer who loves sports and can market yourself well, there may be a perfect career waiting to be discovered.

As is the case with sports, technology plays an ever-increasing role in sports journalism. Keep reading as we list the best and most affordable tech you should add to your content toolbox today. Each will help improve your written content, editing, and marketing, allowing you to carve out a career as a paid sports writer.

Hardware

A reliable laptop or tablet is the cornerstone of any blogging endeavour. For sports bloggers, it is crucial to have a device that can handle multitasking, from writing and editing to researching and video streaming. Here are some budget laptops.

Acer Aspire 5: With a powerful AMD Ryzen 3 processor and 4GB of RAM, this laptop offers excellent performance for its price range. It’s suitable for writing, basic photo editing, and streaming.

HP Chromebook x360: Chromebooks are a great budget option. The x360 comes with a touchscreen and a convertible design, making it versatile for different blogging activities.

Apple iPad (9th Generation): While slightly more expensive, the iPad offers excellent performance, a vast app ecosystem, and compatibility with accessories like the Apple Pencil and external keyboards.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A7: This tablet is a solid budget option with a good display and battery life, perfect for writing on the go and content consumption.

Storage

External storage is a must for bloggers who work with high-resolution images and videos. Here are some of the best options available today.

WD My Passport: This external hard drive is compact, reliable, and available in various storage capacities.

SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD: This SSD is an excellent choice, albeit slightly more expensive, for faster data transfer and rugged use.

Smartphones

A good smartphone can double as a camera and a mini-computer, making it an essential tool for sports bloggers. Look for these crackers.

Google Pixel 4a: Known for its exceptional camera quality and stock Android experience, the Pixel 4a is a budget-friendly option.

Samsung Galaxy A52: This phone offers a balance of good camera performance, battery life, and processing power at an affordable price.

Software

Crafting well-written content is paramount for any blogger. Several budget-friendly or free software options can assist in this endeavour. Any content writer will benefit from the following apps.

Google Docs: Free and cloud-based, Google Docs is perfect for writing and collaborating. It also offers various add-ons for grammar checking and formatting.

Grammarly: While the free version is sufficient for basic proofreading, the premium version offers advanced grammar, style suggestions, and a plagiarism checker.

Hemingway App: This tool helps improve readability by highlighting complex sentences and suggesting simpler alternatives. The desktop version is available for a one-time fee.

Editing

Visual content is crucial for engaging readers. Affordable software can help bloggers create and edit high-quality images and videos. These are worth a second look when shopping around.

GIMP: A free alternative to Adobe Photoshop, GIMP offers powerful image editing capabilities.

Canva: With a free tier that includes a vast array of templates and design tools, Canva is perfect for creating graphics, social media posts, and blog images.

HitFilm Express: This free video editing software provides professional-level features, making it ideal for editing sports highlights and vlogs.