A collaboration between the AP’s law enforcement and sports teams landed a scoop about the arrest of more than 30 people, including the head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers and a player for the Miami Heat, in a massive sports gambling bust.
The story began when the U.S. law enforcement team received a tip that something big was about to happen in the sports world. They quickly reached out to colleagues on the Sports team to prepare for whatever news might emerge.
AP basketball writer Tim Reynolds learned from a source the next morning that Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier had been arrested a few hours earlier. Justice Department reporter Alanna Durkin Richer was able to confirm the information through a second source, allowing AP to publish an alert before other major outlets.
The scope of the news quickly expanded to include the arrest of Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups and dozens of others in what would become a significant sports gambling scandal.
Strong sourcing put the AP ahead of the competition in breaking the story and providing crucial context and details. Other teams and formats quickly joined in to provide live coverage, explainers and unique sidebars to meet customer and digital interest. A live video feed of an FBI press conference on the case was particularly widely used by customers.
Judges praised the ability of the reporters to break down the news with relevant context so a broad readership could comprehend the scope and intensity of the scandal.
For strong source work and collaboration across teams, Alanna Durkin Richer and Tim Reynolds win this week’s second citation for Best of the Week.
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