Mike Hlas is a sports journalist who has spent more than 40 years chronicling Eastern Iowa athletics and beyond for the Gazette in Cedar Rapids.
Mr. Hlas looks back on his legendary career, including his perspective on the changing journalistic landscape, what he believes makes a good story, and how he approaches telling sports stories today. Additionally, he shares a look into his new work with the Iowa Writers Collaborative, what he sees as the biggest stories in sports right now, and what the future holds for both him and sports journalism as a calling.
Sponsored by MidWestOne Bank, this is the latest edition of the CBJ’s Real Success with Nate Kaeding and notable Iowa business and cultural leaders.
Real Success with Nate Kaeding was named Best Business Podcast at the 2024 Iowa Podcast Awards.
Nate Kaeding: Mike, it’s a real pleasure to have you here. Like so many in the Corridor, I grew up reading your work in the Gazette. After more than four decades, you’ve seen the journalism industry transform dramatically. Can you start by reflecting on how local journalism has changed over your career, especially with the transition from print to digital?
Mike Hlas: Thanks, Nate. I appreciate the introduction. You know, when I started, journalism was a pretty straightforward business. The newspaper was the authority. If you wanted news, you got it from the paper, the radio, or TV, and all of those were on a schedule. If you had a scoop, you protected it until the next edition hit doorsteps. There was a sense of control and, honestly, a kind of monopoly.
Then the internet came along. At first, it was a slow burn, but the pace of change picked up quickly. Suddenly, news was available 24/7, and if you didn’t adapt, you got left behind. The newspaper business, in general, was slow to realize what was happening. We clung to print too long, thinking it was the foundation, but the world was moving on. People wanted their news instantly, and they wanted it on their phones, computers, wherever.
Was there a specific moment or event that crystallized that change for you?
Mike Hlas: It wasn’t one big moment, but a series of realizations. I remember when we first started putting stories online, there was resistance. The thinking was, “Why give it away for free?” But the reality was, if we didn’t, someone else would. The rest of the world wasn’t waiting for the print edition. News was happening in real time, and people wanted it now. It was a tough pill to swallow for a lot of people in the business. I went from being part of the “kings of information” to just another voice in a crowded digital space.
But there were upsides, too. I loved that my work could reach people beyond Eastern Iowa. I could connect with readers in California, New York, even internationally. And I could read writers from all over, make new friends, learn things I never would have otherwise. But the trade-off was that locally, the Gazette went from being the only game in town to just one of many sources.
I think about how, before the internet, if you were a Hawkeye fan in another state, you had to wait for someone to mail you a newspaper clipping to read your column. Now, your reach is global. As a columnist, how did the internet change your job? Did it make the kind of perspective-driven, analytical work you do more important?
Mike Hlas: That’s a good question. In some ways, the core of what I did didn’t change — I was still trying to tell stories, provide perspective, and connect with readers. But the internet gave us tools we never had before. Suddenly, we had metrics. We could see, almost in real time, what people were reading and what they weren’t. That was both empowering and a little humbling.
For example, in the last few years, Iowa women’s basketball became a huge draw. Anything about Caitlin Clark, for instance, would get tons of clicks. A few years ago, if I wrote about Iowa women’s basketball — even when they were good and had star players like Megan Gustafson — it didn’t move the needle. Men’s basketball, meanwhile, used to be a sure thing, but interest dropped off. The data helped me focus on stories that mattered to people, rather than just what I thought was interesting.
But you have to be careful not to just chase clicks. My instincts, honed over decades, still mattered. I always tried to write for the casual fan. The hardcore fans can find their X’s and O’s anywhere, but most people want to read about people, about topics, about things they didn’t know.
As a storyteller, how do you balance your own instincts for what makes a good story with what the data tells you people want to read?
Mike Hlas: Instinct is still king. If you’ve been doing this as long as I have, you know what makes a good story. The metrics are useful. They tell you when you’re on to something, or when you’re wasting your time. But you can’t let the data dictate everything. If you do, you end up writing the same story over and over.
I always said I wanted to write for the casual fan. The hardcore fans, the ones who want to know the probability of going for it on fourth and 2, they can get that anywhere. Most readers want to read about people, about the human side of sports. They want to know something they didn’t know before. That’s always been true, and it still is.
Let’s dig into your process. Walk us through how you construct a column after, say, a big Iowa-Indiana football game. What’s going through your mind as you watch the game and start to put the story together?
Mike Hlas: It depends a lot on the timing. If it’s a 2:30 game, I might have to file the column minutes after the final whistle. That means I’m writing as the game is happening, sometimes working on two versions — one if they win, one if they lose. It’s a bit of a blur, honestly. You’re trying to capture the emotion, the significance, the storylines that matter.
If I have more time, I try to find an angle nobody else has. I want to ask the question nobody’s asking. For example, after a game where Kirk Ferentz called for a long field goal that was blocked, and it nearly cost them, everyone was focused on the win. I asked Kirk if he addressed that decision with the team at halftime, because it seemed like a pivotal moment. He got emotional. He felt guilty about it, and it turned out the players rallied around him. That’s the kind of insight I look for — the human side, the moments that matter beyond the box score.
What’s the hardest part about being a sports journalist today?
Mike Hlas: Deadlines used to be the biggest challenge, but now it’s the need to be constantly on. The news cycle never stops. With social media, everyone’s a reporter now. Everyone has a phone and a camera. If you’re not on top of things, you’re behind. The NCAA transfer portal is a great example. News can break at any moment, and if you’re not ready, you miss it.
It’s exhausting, honestly. There are people who have jobs where they have to be ready to respond at any hour, and that’s what sports journalism has become. You can’t take a break. If you don’t find out about something until an hour later, you’re beat.
You’re now starting a new chapter with the Iowa Writers Collaborative on Substack. Tell us about that transition and what the platform offers, both for you as a writer and for readers.
Mike Hlas: The Iowa Writers Collaborative is Substack-based, and it’s the brainchild of Julie Gammack in Des Moines. She’s brought together over 70 journalists and writers from across the state, covering everything from politics and business to sports and culture. The goal is to provide timely, professional journalism and commentary, especially as traditional news outlets disappear in many communities.
I’m one of a small group writing about sports. It’s been successful so far. People like Art Cullen, the Pulitzer Prize winner from Storm Lake, and Chuck Offenburger are involved. For me, it’s a chance to do things I couldn’t do at a newspaper, like take stronger stances or try new formats. I have more freedom. I’m not tied to deadlines, and I can write about what interests me.
How does the business model work? Are you paid per subscription, or is it more about building an audience?
Mike Hlas: Readers can subscribe for free or pay a small fee for additional support. Right now, I want to get as many eyeballs as possible, so I’m not putting my work behind a paywall yet. The hope is to build a critical mass, then maybe offer premium content for subscribers. It’s about building an audience and seeing where it goes — maybe podcasts or other projects down the line.
It’s a new model, and it’s exciting. It gives writers more control over their work, and it gives readers direct access to the people they want to read.
Will you still travel to games and have access to coaches and players, like you did at the Gazette?
Mike Hlas: I haven’t figured that out yet. I may seek press credentials for some events, but I also enjoy not being tied to deadlines. During the pandemic, I went to every Iowa men’s basketball road game, and it was surreal: empty arenas, strange circumstances. But I’ve never liked writing from home; being there in person gives you perspective and access you can’t get otherwise. There’s something about being in the press box, seeing the game unfold, talking to coaches and players afterward. I hope to keep doing that, at least some of the time.
What interests you most in sports right now? What’s the biggest story, in your view?
Mike Hlas: The biggest story is the transformation of college athletics: NIL (Name, Image, Likeness), the transfer portal, the crumbling bowl system. I think we’re in a cyclone of change, and it’s going to be chaos for a while. Eventually, things will settle, but for now, the pendulum is swinging wildly.
There’s a lot of resentment from some fans about athletes getting paid, but the reality is college football players are the backbone of a huge industry. The Big Ten expanding, TV dictating game times — it’s all about money, not fans or players. The idea of amateurism is gone. College sports are now professional in all but name.
How do you see the future of bowl games and college football evolving?
Mike Hlas: Bowl games are losing relevance. ESPN owns most of them, and they’re made-for-TV events. Schools often lose money going to bowls, and with players opting out, the games mean less. I think eventually we’ll see a true playoff system and the end of the current bowl setup.
I’ve talked to agents who say their players have clauses in their contracts that allow them to skip bowl games if they’re not in the College Football Playoff, and still get paid. The players know these games don’t mean what they used to, and fans are catching on. The system is digesting itself, and I think we’ll see big changes in the next few years.
With all the changes in media, what do you see as the future of sports journalism? Will there always be a place for in-depth reporting and analysis?
Mike Hlas: I think there will always be a demand for good storytelling and analysis. Sports are one of the last things you have to watch live, and people crave the human drama — the characters, the comedy, the tragedy. It’s a reality show with a scoreboard, and that’s compelling. Platforms like Substack give writers more freedom to provide deeper, more meaningful coverage.
As things in our lives become more artificial, more virtual, sports remain one of the last places where human drama plays out in real time. People want to see it, talk about it, and understand it. That bodes well for the future of sports journalism, even if the business model is changing.
Speaking of technology, everyone’s talking about artificial intelligence. What can you do as a writer and storyteller that AI never can?
Mike Hlas: Honestly, I don’t know for sure. I tried having AI write a “Mike Hlas column” on a topic, and it was pretty convincing. That’s a little scary. But I think what AI can’t do is pick the stories, find the unique angles, and build relationships with people. It can’t go out and interview someone or know what’s important in a community. The wisdom and context that come from decades of experience is hard to replicate.
AI can generate content, but it can’t create the connections, the insights, the human touch that comes from being part of a community and understanding its stories.
You’ve written thousands of columns. Do you have a favorite or one that stands out as timeless?
Mike Hlas: One that stands out is when I visited Hayden Fry in his later years. We spent hours talking, and he hardly mentioned football. He talked about working at a Piggly Wiggly as a kid, about going through cancer treatments. It was the side of him the public never saw. The human side. That’s what I always tried to capture.
Another memorable moment was after a big Iowa win, walking through the Kinnick concourse and meeting the uncle of a player who’d just made a game-changing play. Hearing his perspective, and what it meant to his family, are the stories that stick with me.
As you look ahead, what excites you about the new format and your next chapter?
Mike Hlas: The freedom to chase stories that interest me, to write at my own pace, and to explore new formats. There are so many great sports stories across Iowa, and I hope readers will send me ideas. I want to focus on the present and keep telling stories that matter.
I don’t want to be the guy who’s always talking about the “good old days.” There’s so much happening now and there are so many great stories to tell. Whether it’s high school sports, college athletics, or the business side of youth sports, there’s no shortage of material.
Mike, thank you for everything you’ve done for local journalism and sports fans in Iowa. I’m excited to follow your work on Substack and see what’s next.
Mike Hlas: Thanks, Nate. I appreciate it. I’m looking forward to this next chapter, and I hope people will follow along and keep the conversation going.
