How to Start a Sports Blog in 7 Steps

Starting a sports blog in 2026 is a great way to celebrate your love of sports, share your opinions with a global audience, and even build a potential source of income. Whether you are a fan of a certain team, have been a lifelong follower of a sporting event, or love all sports in general, blogging about sports can give you the perfect platform to connect with others who are just as passionate as you are.

Nowadays, many sports blogs exist, and the best blend analysis and commentary with personality and community engagement. Even more interestingly, a lot of them are run by everyday fans, not traditional journalists. Read on for a winning game plan on exactly how to start a sports blog from scratch in seven clear steps.

What is a sports blog?

Sports blogging is a massive niche in the blogosphere, yet it is still growing. According to research from the University of Michigan, many sports writers at the two largest online sports publications, Yahoo Sports and ESPN Internet, are sport reporters who switched to online in recent years as the newspaper industry began downsizing.

A sports blog is a website or online publication dedicated to covering sports topics. This can include breaking news, game analysis, commentary, opinions, rumors, player profiles, and behind-the-scenes insights.

Sports blogs differ in writing style, and many of the biggest ones started on non-mainstream sites, written by people without an established sports journalism career. There is no single approach to running a sports blog, but the MVP is constant: a shared love for sports.

Why should you start a sports blog?

Whether you are breaking down sports statistics, debating plays, or celebrating big wins, starting a sports blog is a great way to turn a passion into a community. It’s the perfect hobby and possibly a great source of income for anyone passionate about sports and writing.

How to start a sports blog in 7 steps

Starting a sports blog is easy with the right strategy. Here are seven simple steps to take that will take you closer to the finish line.

Step 1: Choose your sports blog niche

The first step to starting a blog about sports is to choose a niche. While you can write about sports in general, it is usually easier to grow your audience by narrowing down the main topic of your blog.

To choose a sports niche, consider the answer to the question: What is my blog about? or even more helpful: What do I want to write about?

A few niche ideas for your sports blog:

• A specific sport like football, basketball, soccer, or MMA

• A single league (NFL, NBA, Premier League)

• A blog focused on a specific team

• Fantasy sports

• Sports betting analysis

• Sports culture or sports history

Starting a blog takes hard work. Make sure the topic is something you enjoy writing about, otherwise you risk burnout. And remember: just because you started with a certain topic doesn’t mean you can’ t change or fine-tune it later.

Step 2: Choose a blogging platform for your sports blog

Next, you’ll need a platform to build your blog. A blogging platform is where you write, publish, and manage content.

Many bloggers use WordPress or website builders like Wix to create a website that hosts their blog. For this, you will also need to purchase a domain and design your site using a template.

Others prefer writing-focused platforms like Substack or Fika. Fika is built for writers who want to focus on writing for people, not algorithms, and growing an audience over time. It lets you create your own online publication and send posts directly to readers as a newsletter. Create a Fika account and start your sports blog today.

Step 3: Come up with a name for your sports blog

Naming your sports blog is an important step many beginners spend a lot of time on. The name tells people what your blog is about. To come up with a name for your sports blog, think of what your blog is about. If it is about a certain team, use the team's name and something related to it. This is one way that can help you name your blog.

• If you write primarily about FC Barcelona, you could name your publication "BarcaFan."

• If your main focus is tennis, you could name your blog "Ready, Set, Serve."

• And finally, if you cover poker analysis and your name is Alan, you could call your site "All-In Alan."

Hopefully you get it and can think of better names! Just remember to make it easy to spell and easy to spell.

Step 4: Brainstorm sports blog topics

Before writing, plan what you want to write about. Having topic ideas ready makes it easier to stay consistent and keeps your blog focused.

Start by thinking about the sports you know well and what your readers would want to read. You can write about current events like games, trades, and injuries, as well as topics that stay relevant over time. Using both keeps your blog interesting and useful.

Before writing, take time to plan your content. Have a list of blog topics ready every time you sit down to write to avoid writer's block. It also helps you stay consistent and keeps the main direction of your blog focused.

Some sports blog topic ideas:

• Game recaps

• Opinions

• Player rankings

• Team news and updates

Keep a list of ideas to help you stay organized and make writing and publishing consistently easier as your blog grows.

Sports audiences often want info on very recent events. Cover topics thoroughly and keep your blog up to date.

Step 5: Write and publish content for your blog

Once you have your sports blog set up and a list of ideas you want to write about, it’s time to start writing and publishing.

Remember these key writing tips:

• Know your audience and use their language.

• Provide the information they seek.

• Avoid clickbait titles without delivering on your promise.

• Be clear and engaging when covering any topic.

• Break large paragraphs into shorter ones for easy scanning.

Most importantly, when starting a blog, try to enjoy every step of the process. Attracting your audience will take some time, so be patient with yourself.

Step 6: Share your blog to promote it

Creating content for your blog is only half the job. Every time you publish an article, remember to share it to get the word out. The easiest way to share your writing is by social media. Other tools like Fika also offer a newsletter feature which makes sending articles to subscribers by email easy.

Other ways to promote a sports blog include:

• Use word of mouth: tell your friends about your project and share it. They will be your biggest fans in the early days of starting your blog.

• Join sports forums: connect with other sports fans and link to your blog, but follow community guidelines to avoid looking spammy.

• Use social media: take advantage of other social media platforms by commenting and creating content there as well.

Promoting your blog helps grow a following of sports lovers like yourself. Once you know where to find them, it will be easier to introduce them to your blog.

Step 7: Make money sports blogging

The final step of creating a sports blog, once you start generating online traffic, is to monetize it.

There are many ways to make money with sports blogging, but here are the most common methods:

• Run ads on your blog

• Write sponsored posts

• Use affiliate links

• Add a paid subscription tier for readers

Monetizing your blog takes a bit of time, so remember to focus on the other steps first. Build trust with your readers and give them something valuable in return for their support.

What to include in your sports blog?

What to include in your sports blog depends on your niche and your audience, but make sure to cover the basics. Think of everything you would want to see on a blog as a sports fan or someone searching for that specific niche. You should have a well-written and clear blog introduction, and make sure to follow best practices for writing blog posts. You want your readers to know who you are and why they should read your blog.

In terms of monetization, make sure you give your readers something in return for their support. It should be something of value they cannot get elsewhere or as free readers of your blog.

For a sports blog, that something can be more of your writing, more detailed analysis, videos, or a podcast, or something along those lines.

Now grow your blog!

The seven steps above will help you start your own sports blog. Focus on writing articles you would want to read and promoting your blog to grow it. Publish articles consistently, grow your email list, and attract the right audience to get subscribers. Happy writing! Remember to create a Fika account today to try our features.