With nearly no experience covering football games, 2009 Elizabethtown College alumni Troy Machir, was given the opportunity by Sporting News to report on Super Bowl 50.
Sporting News, where Machir is the senior social media editor and covers multiple sporting events, is an online sports magazine that focuses on college basketball and football and all major league sports, as well as more nontraditional sporting events such as NASCAR and cricket.
“Sports is always what I wanted to do, in media, in some form or fashion, whether it was writing, reporting, producing, video,” Machir said.
Despite this sporting interest, his work in high school led him to pursue biology, and instead of attending Georgetown University, where his mother, father and sister are alums, Machir chose E-town. His visit to campus and meeting with the lacrosse coach made the decision easy, he said.
Sports is always what I wanted to do, in media, in some form or fashion …”
After studying biology for a semester, with the intent to become a marine biologist, Machir realized his passions and talents were elsewhere. So, remembering his desire to work in sports media and his tour of the communications department as part of his college visit, Machir switched his major.
In just a short time, he knew he had made the right choice.
Machir balanced lacrosse and school work but, unlike most students in the department, he took classes in mass and corporate communications. He didn’t want his ultimate goal of working in the sports world to be limited by the scope of his college courses.
“It was all really hands-on and that’s where my strength is,” the alumni said. “I don’t think a lot of people can say they loved going to class, but I absolutely did.”
Though Machir didn’t land his dream job after graduation, his work ethic and love for sports writing got it rolling. Along with working three jobs, he wrote for ‘Ballin’ Is a Habit,’ a basketball blog, created by his roommate. Machir attributes much of the blog’s and his personal success to the long hours and flexibility he dedicated to his jobs. He worked as hard as possible and put in as much time as possible, but “it’s not work to a lot of us, because it is just so much fun,” he said.
Though an avid spectator of football, Machir never expected to attend a Super Bowl, let alone write about it. So, when the chance was offered, he jumped on it and did whatever was needed. In the week leading up to the game, Machir compiled information, prepared interviews and read about the teams.
He calls it the busiest week of his life, but one of the best.
Moving forward from here, Machir said he’d like to be a host on a sports news show and create his own show for television or the Internet.
He admits to having no set plans because he feels his best opportunities were not orchestrated, but rather, came about organically.
Considering the second football game he ever covered was the Super Bowl, he sees the possibilities as endless.