Just as breaking news has become its own niche market in the sports world, dumping news teams would rather not talk about too much has really, truly evolved into an art form.
Anyone who has worked in a newsroom can tell you copious stories about the dread and horror of watching the clock strike 5 p.m. on a given Friday, not because it’s time to go sit in rush hour, but because more often than not you’re about to get hit with a press release on a relatively important story. A story that needs to get reported further despite the fact most sources have already left the office and the majority of readers are already enjoying their weekend, not scanning the latest headlines. Which is, of course, the whole point.
Some news dumps are less subtle than others. Tom Brady announcing his un-retirement on Selection Sunday last March comes to mind immediately. Some teams, like the New York Mets, however, understand the modern news dump requires an air of imagination. You’ve got to kick fans in the gut when they’re at their most susceptible, the most relaxed, preferably on a day when the team isn’t playing. But more than that, you’ve got to add a little misdirection. Make sure your entire fanbase is focused on the absolute best of the best before you sucker punch them.
