BWAA MEMBERSHIP LIST

+ Lifetime membership

JOINING
THE BWAA

  The the Boxing Writers Association of America's purpose is to foster the highest professional and ethical standards in boxing journalism, both print and electronic, and to promote better working conditions for those who cover and report on the sport. Boxing writers interested in joining are encouraged to contact Tom Hauser at thauser@rcn.com.

  The six-member BWAA membership committee requires that all applicants show a substantial body of work relating to boxing for admission. Qualified applicants fit into one of two categories: full membership and “auxiliary” membership. Auxiliary members are those who write about boxing and have achieved a certain level of accomplishment but have not yet amassed a body of work in terms of quality and quantity that warrants full voting privileges. An auxiliary member can apply for reconsideration of his or her classification after writing more extensively.

In the past, the BWAA granted auxiliary membership to certain non-writers affiliated with the sport. That policy has now changed. We are a writers' organization. Writing (not editing, publishing, radio commentating, producing, etc) is a prerequisite for membership. And we look for articles that are full journalistic work; not short fight reports, blogs, or Q&A pieces. The act of writing a hundred pieces about boxing does not necessarily qualify an applicant for membership.

There are some standard questions that we ask membership applicants:

(1) How long have you been writing about boxing?

(2) For whom do you write about boxing?

(3) Approximately how many by-lined articles have you written about boxing?

(4) How often, if at all, do you cover fights live at ringside?

(5) Have you written any books about boxing?

(6) What is your “day” job?

(7) Have any of your fight-related expenses (for example, hotel and travel) been subsidized by a promoter, sanctioning body, manager, or other member of the boxing community other than a publication that you have written for? If the answer is “yes”, please explain.

(8) Are there any current BWAA members who you can list as references; and if so, whom?

(9) Are there any other factors that should be weighed in considering your application?

Also -- and this is important – please submit a half-dozen articles about boxing (or links to the articles) that you’re proud of having written.