Most freelance sports writers we talk to are vague about what they should charge. So here’s an honest snapshot from where we sit, commissioning across the network.
Per-piece rate ranges
- £50-£100: regional and local outlets, smaller fan sites, content aggregators.
- £100-£200: established specialist sites, the middle ranks of UK sports publishing, well-trafficked club content.
- £200-£500+: tier-1 nationals, premium specialist outlets, longform features, exclusive scoops.
Day rates are mostly dead for written work. You’re paid per piece. Photo and video sometimes pay per shoot day.
Specialism is the biggest lever
Two writers, same number of pieces per month, can earn very different amounts. The one who’s specialised hard in one sport gets paid more per piece, gets more briefs (because editors trust the expertise), and spends less time researching each commission.
Five well-paid commissions in your specialism beats twelve generalist £75 pieces. The maths almost always works out for going narrower.
Format matters too
Match reports and previews pay at the lower end. Feature articles, data-driven pieces, exclusive interviews and longform pay considerably more. Photography and video are paid separately and often command higher rates than text per hour worked.
What we pay
We don’t publish standard rates because they vary by site and brief complexity. Contributors set their own rate when they apply, and we commission within those rates. If your number is genuinely too high for what we need, we tell you. If it’s about right, we book.
Worth setting your rate higher than you think. It’s easier to negotiate down on a specific brief than to walk back up from a low number.
The freelancer’s actual question
“Should I quote per piece or per hour?” Per piece, every time. Sports editors don’t have time budgets for individual pieces, and you’ll always lose on hourly rates when a 600-word match report takes 90 minutes because the game went to extra time.
Apply here if you want to commission from us.