Photo by Lily Chadwick

WCHS senior Alisha Durbhakula reads a Washington Post article about Olympic ice hockey. While the standalone sports section was eliminated, there is still some coverage of sports as a “cultural phenomenon.”

On Feb. 4, The Washington Post, the D.C. metropolitan area’s largest newspaper, announced the elimination of their sports section as part of a large-scale restructuring that included layoffs for nearly one-third of the newsroom. Some reporters will join the paper’s features team to cover sports as a “cultural and societal phenomenon,” but beyond that, reporters and readers will have to turn elsewhere for the latest athletics stories. 

The shift has affected the WCHS community in a myriad of ways, from entertainment to livelihood and job stability. WCHS track and field coach Scott Silverstein had worked for The Post’s sports section for just shy of 13 years when he received the news that he would be one of over 300 journalists laid off. 

“For most of my years there, I was the Sports Copy Chief,” Silverstein said. “I was the last person to read every story, gave the okay to the headlines and cutlines and would send the pages when I thought they were ready. I also did a lot of the standards and all the style for the sports section. Last August, I ended up getting promoted in sports and became an assignment editor. Instead of being the last person to read the stories, I was the first, and I was working with reporters.”

For readers who relied on The Post for their sports news, a hole is left and many are unsure where to turn. Some readers feel that the variety and type of stories that The Post offered is not quite replicated by any other publication or platform.

“I feel disappointed because the sports section gave detailed local coverage that is hard to find on social media,” WCHS senior David Hsieh said. “I read game recaps, player interviews and local team stories because they helped me stay updated on teams I follow. Local sports news sources, like The Washington Post’s sports section, are important because they cover high school teams and community athletes that other national media usually ignores.”

While the elimination of the sports section may come as a complete shock to readers, employees of The Post saw some warning signs in recent weeks. Despite this, getting the news of the elimination still felt astonishing for many sports reporters. 

“Four or five weeks ago, they quietly said we were not sending out Nationals reporters to spring training, which I assumed was because the travel budget is not what it has been in the past,” Silverstein said. “When we all got the email saying that they were not sending anyone to the Olympics, that was a big sign as everything had been paid for in advance so it made no sense.”

Silverstein is not new to the growing pattern of publications eliminating or downsizing their sports sections. Nonetheless, he feels confident that someone in the area will step up and fill the void in sports news that The Post left.

“This is my third time being laid off,” Silverstein said. “I worked at the Washington Times and then the Washington Examiner, both of which got rid of their sports section. I am three for three in newspapers in the Washington area getting rid of sports.”

Until a true replacement emerges, readers may scramble to find alternatives. Although the elimination of The Post’s sports section was a disappointment, they hope to find new, innovative ways to stay up-to-date in the sports world. 

“I will probably use ESPN, sports apps and team websites because they post scores and news quickly,” Hsieh said. “I am a little concerned because in general, fewer sports reporters could mean less detailed sports coverage in the future.”

For many reporters and readers alike, this change prompts deep thought and reflection regarding how the Washington community, as well as broader society, stays informed and connected. The sports section was around for nearly a century, so some still find it hard to believe that it is truly gone. 

“It is surreal for me,” Silverstein said. “I have lived in this area my whole life. I read The Washington Post sports section from when I was eight years old, and I finally got to work there, which is still kind of surreal for me. To see it go away is disappointing.”