ACBJ’s best beat reporter talks about covering Nike

Portland Business Journal reporter Matthew Kish was honored earlier this week as the best beat reporter among those who work at American City Business Journals.

Kish covers Nike, Adidas, footwear, apparel, banking and general assignment news, and has been at the paper since 2006. He also teaches journalism at the University of Portland.

Kish previously wrote for the Indianapolis Business Journal and The Arizona Republic. He is a six-time winner of awards from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers.

He spoke by email Wednesday with Talking Biz News about covering sports apparel companies. What follows is an edited transcript.

You were the managing editor at the paper. Why did you decide to go back to reporting?

I enjoyed editing. I just enjoy reporting more. I’m happiest when I’m chasing a story.

How did the paper decide to create a beat covering sports merchandising?

There wasn’t a specific meeting or moment. Nike has become the center of gravity for the global sportswear industry. The Business Journal’s extensive coverage reflects that reality.

How much of your time each day is devoted to Nike?

I spend around 70 percent of my time on Nike and sportswear stories. I also cover financial services and general assignment news.

Is it hard to convince the other sports apparel manufacturers to talk to you? When I covered Coke, I had that problem with Pepsi.

That’s interesting. I’ve had the opposite experience. Adidas has its North American headquarters in Portland. Columbia Sportswear is based here. I speak with executives at both companies regularly. The same is true with the dozens of footwear and apparel start-ups around the city.

Why is this such an important beat for the Portland Business Journal?

Two big reasons. Nike is roughly triple the size of the state’s other Fortune 500 company, Precision Castparts. It casts a long shadow on Oregon’s economy. Second, sportswear has become a signature industry. Most of Nike’s competitors have opened offices here.

Apparel start-ups are popping up around the city. Venture capitalists and universities are adding resources to serve those companies. Some say Portland is on the verge of becoming the Silicon Valley of the sportswear business. It’s critical to the paper’s credibility that Nike and the industry are covered well.

How much do you use company sources vs. outside sources such as suppliers and competitors?

Source development never ends. I speak with employees, former employees, suppliers and competitors. Public records are just as critical. In addition to SEC filings, I look at apparel contracts with universities, real estate records, patent filings and court records.

I looked at flight records for Nike’s private jets a few years ago. Sadly, those records are no longer available to reporters.

Are there stories where Nike just refuses to talk? Which ones, and why?

Nike is fiercely protective of its brand and rarely provides unfettered access to top executives. That said, the company comments on most stories, even if it doesn’t provide an interview.

When it declines comment it’s typically for a defensible business reason, such as ongoing litigation or the story cuts too close to corporate strategy, such as stories about its aggressive patent activity or NCAA apparel deals.

Why did the paper decide to devote a special page on its website to this coverage?

I get regular questions from readers about old stories. We decided to park some of the best on a page that features in-depth sportswear coverage, such as a database of NCAA apparel deals. It’s an easy entry point for readers just interested in those stories.

What do you like about covering this beat?

The stories and challenge. Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman started Nike with $500 each and a handshake. It’s now a nearly $30 billion company. I doubt I’ll cover a story like that again. It’s also an opportunity to compete against much larger news outlets and very talented reporters, such as The Wall Street Journal’s Sara Germano and The Oregonian’s Allan Brettman.

What’s the hardest, or most frustrating part, of the beat?

The lack of access. Again, Nike has good reasons for not making executives available for regular interviews. But it’s a challenge for beat reporters.

How does it feel to be recognized as the best beat reporter at ACBJ?

It’s a tremendous honor and reflects the excellent work of a lot of people, most importantly my newsroom colleagues. There are no individual awards in print journalism.