My Secret Mentor: Jack Mac

via Barstool Sports

Jack Mac continues to thrive in the evolving sports media industry. 

One journalist who has adapted to the ever-changing sports media industry exceptionally well is Jack Mac. As a blogger and social media personality at Barstool Sports, Jack Mac is able to connect with audiences by combining his humor and approachability into engaging short-form content. He has become one of the most influential figures in digital sports media today by connecting with audiences particularly through TikTok. 

Jack Mac's career began at Barstool Sports in May 2017 as a social media intern, where he quickly made a name for himself as a successful college football blogger. Since then, he has grown at the organization by capitalizing on the growth of TikTok and delivering news in an easily digestible, entertaining, and often viral format. Unlike traditional sports journalists who rely on lengthy articles or in-depth analysis often found in print articles, Jack Mac capitalizes on the fast-paced nature of how today's audiences consume content. His content covers everything from college football to major cultural moments, such as the Titanic submersible incident. 

Jack Mac via X

What connected me to Jack Mac as a journalist is the casual nature of his content. Many sports reporters take a more serious or analytical tone, but Jack Mac's style makes the news feel more like a conversation with a friend than a typical news report. I particularly enjoy how he utilizes TikTok's features such as text boxes and green screens to enhance his content rather than other software. This adds to his approachable nature. As an aspiring sports journalist, I admire his success at Barstool, which is a dream for many young professionals in the industry. Watching someone who started as an intern grow into a leading voice at an organization reminds me that success is possible when you stay authentic and keep working hard. 

Jack Mac's influence reflects how people consume news in the digital age. While he may not fit the mold of a traditional journalist, his recent expression of interest in attending a White House press briefing is a perfect example of how journalism is evolving. The idea of someone from Barstool stepping into such a formal setting is both amusing and indicative of how new media personalities are blurring the lines between entertainment and traditional journalism. 

The style of Jack Mac's approach perfectly aligns with the culture of Barstool Sports. Barstool is known for its raw, unfiltered, and often humorous take on sports and pop culture, and Jack Mac embodies that with his online presence. His content compliments Barstool's "bro" culture while also providing insightful takes on sports and trending news. His ability to break down complex stories into quick, digestible videos is a skill that many traditional journalists still struggle to adapt to. In today's media landscape, where short-form content dominates, his approach is exactly what younger audiences respond well to. In my future career, I hope I can lean into my personality and not be afraid to bring humor and relatability into my work similarly to his. To me, Jack Mac's success is a constant reminder that there's no one 'right' way to be a journalist in today's world.