A New Voice in Major League Soccer
Drake Hills is a major league soccer reporter for the Tennessean in Nashville, Tennessee. After graduating with a journalism degree from University of Oregon in 2018 and his masters in journalism from Northwestern University in 2019, Hills began his journey as a sports reporter. But instead of following the traditional style of MLS reporters, Hills has been dedicated to digging deeper into the soccer league, and finding the stories that matter.
Drake Hills never thought he would become a sports journalist, nevertheless, a journalist. Hills began his college career at Mesa College in San Diego, where he remained close to home, and studied Information Technology. His main focus was in cyber security, which interested him at the time.
However, when professors began taking note of Hills talent in creative writing, they urged him to pursue a career where he could use his skill. He began contemplating this switch in career path, because at this time, he felt less connected to his first passion: sports. “I knew I never wanted to feel isolated from sports,” said Hills.
This was when he made a decision; He transferred to University of Oregon, where he could grow his writing talents but also be involved in a sports-heavy community. This is where Hills found his calling for sports journalism, but not just as the traditional stats-and-scores reporter. He wanted to discover the deeper and less reported stories. Primarily, he wanted to find the link between sports, race and culture.
Now, as a Major League Soccer reporter at the Tennessean, Hills has been asking the questions other MLS journalists have yet to. With his career beginning during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and Black Lives Matter movement, it has allowed him to open the conversation with the MLS community, such as through fans and players. With both major events being broadcast through social media, Hills uses it more than ever to stay in the loop.
What social media platforms do you mainly use for work and staying up to date with your reporting?
Hills: Most of my reporting comes from Twitter, where I can stay up-to-date with live reporting and updates. It also helps me stay engaged with the fans and supporters of the team. It is so important to know what your viewers are saying live.
Do you ever get exhausted by it?
Hills: Yes, I do. I work six, sometimes seven-days-a-week, where I am using Twitter. If I have a day off, usually Sunday if there isn’t a game, I try to stay off Twitter for most, if not all of the day.
Social media can makes things easier for news consumers in terms of access to news, but how does it make your job harder?
Hills: Being a reporter in Major League Soccer, there is not as many reporters. This can make it difficult when trying to establish credibility with readers on Twitter, because many MLS reporters do not take their job seriously. They mostly post stats and scores, and not deeper stories. This can make it more difficult to find readers who like to follow your content.
When did social media become an important part of your career?
Hills: I used to only use it for fun, but now, I have a professional Instagram and one Twitter account for my job. In the MLS, it is important to know what the conversation is, especially on Twitter.
How do you navigate current public expectations for/of journalism and what the current standards are? And how do you do that on social media?
Hills: When reporting for the MLS, the current expectations are just reporting the stats and scores. But for me, I feel responsible for growing the game of soccer in the United States through my work. It is not as popular here like it is in other countries, so I want to broaden the stories and audiences I report on. Mainly, I want to open the door to the non-stereotypical American soccer fans; Latino’s, Black Americans, and low-income communities.
Who do you mainly follow on social media?
Hills: Aaron West (@oeste on Twitter) is one of my favorites. He is a black soccer reporter as well, and he focuses more on the cultural side of soccer. I also like @Nigerianscamsss because he collabs with West on European soccer, but adds more comedy and banter.
6. What tools do you use for creating/monitoring social media?
Hills: I mainly just use Twitter to monitor the conversation. It is important to see what fans are saying during the games and also following what players & coaches are doing, and making sure to hold them accountable.
7. What advice do you have for younger journalists starting out and their use of social / social media skills they need to develop?
Hills: It is important to have originality. Mainstream ESPN reporters do not use social media to be innovative or challenge the status quo. I encourage young journalists to follow those who in their field who bring in a unique voice to their social media.
You can follow Drake Hills on Instagram @drakehillssoccer or on Twitter @LiveLifeDrake.
