Pizza with the Pros welcomed hockey writer Kevin Kurz to Glassboro, NJ, on Monday, March 4. Kurz currently covers the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers for The Athletic, a New York Times company-owned and subscription-based sports platform.

Before shifting to the journalism side of the industry, Kurz started his career working in public relations with the Philadelphia Flyers for seven years before setting his sights on the West Coast, covering the San Jose Sharks. Kurz credited his Philadelphia roots for establishing his writing prowess.

“Out west, they would get upset at you more for being critical of their players, whereas out here, it’s almost like they get more upset at you if you’re complimentary,” said Kurz. “It actually gave me a good opportunity to get in there and sort of make a name right away because I was going to be critical, I wasn’t going to hold back anything.”

Following his 10-year stint in San Jose, and two years covering the New York Islanders, Kurz returned back home to bring Philadelphia Flyers coverage to The Athletic’s subscribers. Last season was Kurz’s first year covering the Flyers, but as a Philadelphia sports fan growing up, he needed to put his support aside.

“I got to cover a team that I had no connection with in San Jose, and you learn right away you have to be objective,” said Kurz. “Being away for 12 years and then coming back to Philadelphia, I didn’t know anybody in the Flyers dressing room… so you’re not a fan at all of the team.”

At Pizza with the Pros Monday evening, Kevin Kurz discussed his early days, the fulfillments of his current role, along with some of the challenges he has faced and overcome. One of these obstacles involved the way players interact with the media.

“You have to learn that if a player or a coach snaps at you, if you think it’s a fair question, then there is nothing you can do about it,” said Kurz. “The media can never win. If you ask a player or coach a fair question, and they snap at you… everyone online will be like, ‘the reporter is an idiot.’”

Despite the apparent challenges with being a sports journalist, Kurz expressed to students his positive perspective on what it’s like being a hockey writer in particular.

“Most of the reporters that cover every sport will tell you that hockey guys are the best guys to deal with on a daily basis,” said Kurz. “They’re the most affable, the most accessible… Hockey people are great people.”

With well over a decade of writing experience in sports media, Kurz’s passion for his craft became evident to those in attendance at Bozorth Hall’s King Auditorium.

“My favorite ones to write are the stories that nobody else gets,” said Kurz. “When you get an exclusive about something that’s a big story, that’s a good feeling because you’re sort of proving to your employers your worth.”

A plethora of students who attend Pizza with the Pros continuously have journalism aspirations, including Jordan Weisinger, a junior sports communication and media student at Rowan University who had the opportunity to meet with Kurz one-on-one.

“When you get a beat writer for any professional sports team to come to Pizza with the Pros, you’re always going to want to listen and turn the phone off and hear what he has to say,” said Weisinger.

As the event came to a close, Kurz left students with advice for developing a profile in the sports business of today.

“Try to find media people that you can relate to, that you like, and try to emulate them,” said Kurz. “Don’t think that you have to do anything different or anything super unique in order to get your foot in the door.”

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