Why do this? Why devote so much energy and so many resources to the coverage of a single NBA team? Does that really make sense for a national NBA outlet like ESPN.com?
Ive heard these questions from friends who work in all corners of journalism, fans and a communication executive from an NBA team. Theyre questions Ive asked myself as I prepare to shift much of my individual focus toward the 2010-11 Miami Heat.
The short answer is that weve found an insatiable appetite for news about the Heat among basketball fans. Even after the initial firestorm over LeBron James subsided, readers stayed with the story of the Heat all summer and into the fall.
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Given the skills and professionalism of our team, an expansive media landscape that allows journalists to experiment every day and the most dynamic story in sports, the question isnt, "Why do this?"
It's "How can we not?"