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copyright ©2000-2003 MLN Sports Group LLC. All rights reserved. See our privacy policy.

We tell stories about the minor leagues in much the same way that publications that cover the majors do it. We write top-notch, in-depth stories on our subjects. Veteran writers from papers or freelancers should not see this as minor league writing. We do accept new talent. The notion that new writers can't write well enough to keep up with their more experienced peers is nonsense. Our rates are based on your work product. You write well and don't need much editing? You make top rate. You don't spell check? You can't organize a story well? Then you either have your piece sent back, or you make our entry rate per word. You make us edit, we charge you.

One bit of attitude that we can do without: If you pitch us with "I'm a writer from paper X and we cover team Y and I'm going to send you things without pitching them because I'm above that." You will be above that. And beyond getting a deal with us for your work.

MinorLeagueNews.com covers all minor league sports in leagues with six or more professional franchises. 85% of our stories are written by freelance writers. Your opportunities to have your work seen here are good if you follow our guidelines and submission rules.

Clones hang in Rome, not on MLN.

We are looking for people with fresh views, critical perspectives, and a voice of their own.

This is not lemming journalism. None of our players are "first namers" like Shaq, Kobe, or Barry. You have to find the players that are rising stars, local heroes, and the local rivalries. They will not come to you by picking up a magazine or tuning into Game Day.

We encourage you to take chances. With the rare player who does make the major media, dare to be different. When one writer suggested that the major media spin on John Henry Williams was off-base, he pitched us a compelling reason. We went with one of the best stories in the market.

The other part of being original is writing original work. If you knock off a local sports writer's work, or you minimally alter a story that you sent to another publication, we will reject it (and void any agreements to pay for commissioned work). If you don't think we'll find out, think again. If our editorial staff feels that you have engaged in plagiarism, you will also be banned from writing for us.

We are looking for writers in the local markets where minor league teams play.

If you lay down ink for your local fishwrap on the team or teams in your area, so much the better. If you dream of moving to bigger markets, writing national features or opinions, writing for MLN Sports Zone might be your exposure point.

If you are an aspiring journalism major, or someone who has dreamed the big dream of becoming a published writer, we'll take a look at your submission (See rules and guidelines, below.)

We can arrange media credentials for writers needing it for their stories.

Whether you're Jim Murray or Murray James, remember that we are looking for great stories. You can always query us with an idea before you write. Some roads to travel:

• The Road To Greatness - There are players throughout the minor league systems that are bound for the pros. Some are ordained before they arrive in the minors, others use the time to showcase their talents. Some straight out surprise all of us. We look for the stories on the hot players in every sport, in every league. If you can give us a look on that player that tells our readers why they are worth the digital ink, you too may be on the road to greatness.

   

• The Back Alley - Rifts in the clubhouse. Coaching changes. Up and coming coaches. A player who does something special for the community. A player who excels under adversity. A flavor of minor league sports that can be understood from the Joe Average's perspective. "He dug ditches and now he's the hottest left hander for Allentown..." We're also interested in stories about the people who are an integral part of minor league sports. The crazy fans. The promotional acts. The colorful people who work the stands.

   

• The Road Home - The minor leagues are a two-way ladder. The once-greats who try to eke out that extra season, or the players who tasted the Bigs only to land back in the minor systems also have great stories to tell. Stories of patience, of that next break, or of making peace with a career well played.

   

• The Road To Riches - The business of minor league sports is changing rapidly from the sleepy, hack-laden backwaters of the old days to teams run by multi-millionaires cashing in on modern stadiums, multi-million dollar minor leaguers, and a new wave of fan interest in the light of higher ticket prices at major league ballparks. Who are the movers and shakers behind the leagues, the teams? What politicos shape the destiny of their city or state's minor league sports?

   

Why wait? If you're ready, pitch or submit today! (Read on if you have ANY questions):

We DO NOT accept snail-mailed (ground, conventional, paper) items. If you aren't email savvy, then don't submit to us. Your email must have the subject "Story Pitch"or "Story Submission" or "Column Pitch" (see below for details) in the subject line to be processed by our mail router appropriately.

Rights:

Upon acceptance of your materials, MLN Sports Group LLC retains exclusive rights to all materials (articles, photographs, drawings, etc.) provided, in any form, transmitted or recorded in any manner, unless prior arrangement with MLN Sports Group LLC, in writing, has been made.

If you accept a kill fee on any article submitted or story ordered by us, you agree not to resubmit that article to any other publication for sixty (60) days after the kill fee has been issued. If you plan to run the story with another publication, refuse the kill fee.

Manuscript Acceptance Policy

We do not accept unsolicited manuscripts. Pitch first. [See below]

Legal

All disputes shall be settled by binding arbitration. All contracts shall be governed by the laws of the State of New Mexico. The prevailing party shall be entitled to collect reasonable legal fees, as determined by the arbiter, to recoup any legal costs incurred.

We require samples of your past work. Admittedly, if you are a wet-behind-the-ears kid at Purdue Journalism, this is a bit more of a challenge. At some point, though, someone has let you write something. A story for the Boilermaker Gazette, perhaps. It doesn't necessarily have to be something from the world of sports (Although it would be what we'd like to see.).We prefer recent writing samples. What Mrs. Boblensky thought of your essay in the first grade is not germane to getting a gig with us here.

Email us with:

• A URL (Web Address) of a story that you've written which is available on-line. (Begin all with http://www.). If you don't know the address, look up the article yourself. When you find it, copy the URL from the URL line in your web browser, then paste it into your email.
• A scan of an article that you've written (72dpi, 1MB max file size, jpeg format).
• An Adobe Acrobat (PDF) copy of an article that you've written.
• A writing sample of something else, other than grocery lists, or your doctoral thesis on the lives of Tree Gnomes. In Microsoft Word form, Adobe Acrobat (PDF)

 

Pitching A Story

A story pitch is emailed to us with STORY PITCH as a subject line so it routes properly. We CANNOT guarantee that your pitch will get read without that Subject heading to an email. The pitch has:

• A one sentence synopsis of your story.
• A 3-5 sentence summary of the story, with the most critical details.
• A 3 to 5 sentence "Wish List" of things you may need (press credentials, travel, or contacts who need to be obtained, to make the story happen.)
• A 1 to 2 sentence estimate of the time that it will take to complete the story.

Pitching An Opinion Column

We do not have regular columnists. When you have something relevant to say, pitch it as an opinion column. A column pitch includes:

• A one sentence synopsis of your take on sports, or your emphasis. How is your take different, fresh, new? What do you bring to the table that another columnist already writing does not?
• What is the focus of your column? A league? A sport?
• A sample of your column-writing style, either published or not.
• An estimate of your turn-around time on column submissions.
• A resume which includes citations of your published columns.
• A sample of your column-writing style, either published or not.
• An estimate of your turn-around time on column submissions.

Submitting A Story

Stories must be submitted to us using STORY SUBMISSION as a subject heading for your email to info@minorleaguenews.com to route properly. A submitted story must meet the following requirements:

• BE INTERESTING. READ OUR SITE and pick up on the style of our feature articles. If you've waded through this page , then you have an idea of our style.
• 1,500 word max (Web stories mostly run 500-800 words). Please include a word count at the bottom of the page. Editor may elect to edit down piece at any time. Payment is made on the word count of the published piece, not of the submitted manuscript.
• Must not have been published prior by any other electronic or print publication.
• Must be delivered in either Microsoft Word, or Adobe Acrobat (PDF), or Text form, appended to your email.
• Spell check your work. Anything with significant spelling errors will be sent back.
• Fact Checking: With any story of a politically or operationally sensitive nature, make sure that you have TWO (2) verifications to every on the record quote and statement of fact. In anything that would be construed as criminally or civilly-oriented, make sure that you use the word "alleged" where appropriate.
• If accepted, you will need to provide a notarized I-9 and and W-4 form, or information for a 1099 form, to receive payment for your story.
• If your story was from an approved pitch, and any expenses were approved, please provide LEGIBLE scanned copies of your receipts (in jpeg form).

Payment

All payment is initiated upon publication. Checks are mailed usually 7-10 days after publication. If you do not see payment with in 15 days, contact our payroll department immediately. Payment is made on the edited number of words written by you which are actually published, not on the raw number contained in the submission. Any additional contributions by staff writers to your story will not be counted towards your paid total.

Rates

Rates are negotiable, .08 -.20 per word. Contract rate determined by Editor at time of acceptance of article, based on experience and level of required editing to deliver story to print.

Kill Fees - If we order a story that we kill, the MLN Editor may, at their discretion, issue a kill fee for the article of 10% of the total number of words ordered at the rate stated in advance by the editor. If you accept a kill fee, you agree not to submit the article or story idea to another publication for sixty (60) days from the issuance of the kill fee.

Publication & Reprint

With the publication of your article we buy all rights to it, including the right to reprint and reuse it in any form or format currently available or devised in future.

We authorize all teams and leagues to reprint our articles with permission in their publications on the provision that both you and MLN are credited with the story. If you see a publication not adhering to these rules and guidelines, please contact MLN and we will take the appropriate measures.

Other publications may reprint an article by purchasing it from MLN. You should direct such contacts to your editor for more information.

An Equal Opportunity Employer

MinorLeagueNews.com is an equal opportunity employer. In order to ensure equal employment opportunity for every applicant, all hiring decisions will be made without regard to religion, sex, sexual orientation, race, age, national origin, citizenship status, veteran status, or disability. MinorLeagueNews.com and its parent company, MLN Sports Group LLC ("The Company"), are firmly committed to a policy and practice of non-discrimination in all areas of employment, and the Company will fully comply with all applicable federal, state, and local statutes pertaining to employment.

Why wait? If you're ready, pitch or submit today!