Fans want the recap while the game is still fresh, but writing every report from scratch limits how much a small media team can cover. Drafting from confirmed stats and the team’s own notes, with an editor approving each piece, gets coverage out sooner and reaches more fixtures. These four steps start with one competition and keep editors in charge of what is published.
Step 1 — Write the style guide
Goal: Decide how recaps should read.
- Collect a few recaps and posts the team is proud of.
- Write a short style guide with tone, length and naming rules.
- Agree who approves content for each team or competition.
- Pick one competition to start with.
You finish with: A style guide, examples and approvers.
Step 2 — Connect the sources
Goal: Draft only from confirmed facts.
- Read stats from the official feed once they are confirmed.
- Collect the media team’s notes and approved quotes in one place.
- Keep player and staff names in a maintained list.
- Time a few recent recaps as a baseline.
You finish with: Confirmed stats, notes and names ready for drafting.
Step 3 — Draft, check and approve
Goal: Publish accurate content quickly.
- Draft a recap and short posts in the style guide.
- Flag any name, score or statistic that does not match the feed.
- Have an editor edit and approve every piece.
- Publish approved content to the agreed channels.
You finish with: Approved recaps and posts published soon after the game.
Step 4 — Measure and refine
Goal: Show faster, broader coverage.
- Track time from final whistle to approved recap.
- Track how many fixtures and teams get coverage.
- Review corrections and update the style guide.
- Add competitions only after the first one works.
You finish with: Measured turnaround and wider coverage.
Common pitfalls
- Publishing drafts before an editor approves them.
- Drafting from unconfirmed stats or rumours.
- Inventing or altering quotes.
- Starting with every competition at once.